Pinellas Passes Tougher Pet Tethering Law

Pinellas County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to enact a law that outlaws most forms of tethering for dogs and cats.

The ordinance makes it illegal to tether a pet outside unless the owner is also outside and within visual range of the pet. Pets placed outside on a tether must have a buckle-type collar or body harness and the tether itself needs to be at least five times the animal’s length.

The new rules go into effect May 1, 2015, replacing older rules that limited tethering, but stopped short of requiring the owner to be outside and in visual range of the pet. The old rules also did not apply to cats, but the new ones do.

The full ordinance is available online via the county’s website.

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