Focus Report, Volume 87, Number 5, January 10, 2022 Page: PAGE24
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Texas State Publications and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Regulating outside restraint of dogs;
creating a criminal offense
SB 474 by Lucio (Collier)Digest
SB 474 would have prohibited an owner from leaving
a dog outside and unattended using a restraint unless the
dog had access to adequate shelter, shade, and potable
water and could avoid standing water. The bill also
would have restricted the kinds of restraints that could
be used for a dog outside and unattended, including
by prohibiting the use of a chain or any restraint that
caused pain or injury to the dog. A violation of the bill's
provisions would have been a class C misdemeanor, or if a
person had previously been convicted of the offense, a class
B misdemeanor.
Governor's reason for veto
"Texans love their dogs, so it is no surprise that our
statutes already protect them by outlawing true animal
cruelty. Yet Senate Bill 474 would compel every dog
owner, on pain of criminal penalties, to monitor things
like the tailoring of the dog's collar, the time the dog
spends in the bed of a truck, and the ratio of tether-to-dog
length, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of
the tail. Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing
and over-criminalization."
Response
Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., the bill's author, said: "While
animal cruelty laws do exist, they are for extreme cases for
offenses such as dog fighting and torture of an animal.
These crimes fittingly carry harsh penalties, including
jail time. There is not, however, an enforceable law with
a lesser penalty which would protect dogs from chronic
neglect and mistreatment caused by improper outdoor
tethering. While many cities have ordinances against this
conduct, there is no minimum statewide standard. This is
legislation that law enforcement has been requesting for
several sessions so they can have the ability to stop animal
cruelty and neglect when they see it happening."Rep. Nicole Collier, the House sponsor, said:
"Current law regarding the welfare and safety of animals
outdoors lacks clarity. SB 474 provided basic definitions of
adequate shelter, collar, harness, restraint and owner, and
set standards for unlawful restraint of dogs. This bipartisan
legislation was the result of years of consultation from
various animal control officers, law enforcement agencies,
prosecutors and advocates, and would have provided
guidance on how to safely and humanely tether a pet and
offer adequate shelter."
Notes
HB 873, the House companion to SB 474, was
digested in Part Two of the May 12 Daily Floor Report.Page 24
House Research Organization
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Research Organization. Focus Report, Volume 87, Number 5, January 10, 2022, periodical, January 10, 2022; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1543870/m1/24/?rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.