Dog tethering proposal needs more time

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - The proposed ordinance for dog tethering in Hampton needs more time to work out the details of the ordinance.

Hampton's Animal Control Advisory Commission is still working on the proposal, and the vote originally announced for the Feb. 8 City Council meeting will be rescheduled, according to a city news release.

Assistant City Manager Jimmy Gray will make a presentation to council at its afternoon work session that day, which begins at 1 p.m.

The issue of dog tethering has drawn significant public input, the release said. More than 2,000 people responded to an Internet poll, and about half were Hampton residents.

Of those, a majority said they wanted tethering eliminated. Another quarter favored a three-hour limit.

Gray said the group tried to make a recommendation that addresses all of the concerns people expressed.

"This includes eliminating 24/7 tethering and the neglect of dogs that comes with it, which is the main issue," Gray said. They also "wanted to be sensitive to the needs of those people who have a genuine need to tether their dogs and will do so in a responsible manner."

The advisory commission wants tethering generally to be unlawful within Hampton, with two exceptions: supervised tethering by a responsible person who is physically present and persuant to applying for and obtaining a permit, which would allow up to three hours of tethering from sunrise to sunset.