A legislation is aimed at protecting dogs when they're left outside is making its way through the Anne Arundel County Council.
On Monday a public hearing will be an opportunity for people to learn more about this bill whose goal is to give dog owners guidelines to keep their pets safe when they're outside.
Councilman John Grasso presented the bill after people in the area complained about the conditions dogs were left in. It would prohibit owners from tying, chaining or restraining a dog outside, except while the owner completes what they're calling a 'temporary task that requires the dog to be restrained for a reasonable period'.
That means dogs cannot be tied down for more than three hours in a 24-hour period, and not at all when the temperature is below freezing, or above 89 degrees.
The legislation also outlines new requirements for outdoor shelters for dogs. It requires owners to provide shelters that have things like waterproof roofs, solid walls, and dry, insulating bedding. It also requires that dogs have access to an area of at least one hundred square feet.
The hearing is set for 7 p.m. Monday night at the Arundel Center, if you would like to speak, sign-up begins at 6:30 p.m.
