HB1755 and SB5649 Restrictions on WA Dog Owners

[Curly]

This is bull, I'm tired of people telling you how you can raise a animal. I dont need laws to tell me that, this may not sound bad but this will start down a path in the wrong direction. Any stupid laws like this need to be kept in city limits only

 

Exactly!  No way should this be a state law.  I could see a City adopting legislation such as this if there was a problem and the citizens decided on something like this, but a Statewide law is ridiculous in my opinion.

[runamuk]

I hope it passes too. Common sense restrictions might atleast help the irresponsible to think twice while being a dog owner. Something needs to be done to curb neglect etc. All Dogs deserve justice. All animals for that matter.

then you would also be for common sense restrictions on owning guns...like must be a certain age and must keep them locked a specific manner the government decides is safest??

It is all the same...the good dog owners are already responsible and the bad ones are currently violating ordinances and laws that exist now whats going to make them suddenly obey a "new" law?  and if by some freak chance it passes then the over burdened sheriffs departments get to enforce this ...so my question is should they be chasing down complaints of tied up dogs put out for a quick 10 minute midnight pee or should they be looking into the tweeker snooping around your house because they cannot be in both places at once.  so in effect this law doesnt do crap to actually protect dogs but it effectively strips more rights to privacy of the citizens...it creates more rightful intrusion by authorities since ownership of a dog now makes you suspect....

I am resigned to this being a leverage bill that will allow the blatant violators to be prosecuted swiftly and loose ends to be tied up neatly without wasting any more court time than needed. 

the hypothesis that once this passes the police dept is going to drop every thing to pursue dog owners in violation of this bill over other crimes is completely asinine.  show me an example of a particular law that overlaps this proposed one. One caveat being this must be a law specific to the sheriff/police dept jurisdiction and NOT animal control or other department. I would love to know as I seem to be missing something here.

there seem to be about 15 of this thread in one the rcw related to some of these issues has been posted....
each county has laws dealing with dogs as do most cities and the state.
Grays harbor county some numb nuts decided we needed a barking dog ordinance....and the do gooders passed it.  The existing noise ordinance covered all noise so it was a redundant ordinance.  The sheriff who's jurisdiction any given night is from ocean shores to elma flat said this was a bad idea they dont have the time or resources to run around enforcing the existing rules...

As was posted elsewhere there are dangerous dog laws at a STATE level that cover the chained dog near the sidewalk.  Every jurisdiction I have lived in and I have lived in more than most both rural and urban have noise ordinances that cover barking dogs, so the person with a brain knows they can get that chained to the tree barking its ass off dog dealt with using noise/nuisance.  The bigger issue as I see it is we now have so many damn laws telling us how to live that it is easier to make up a new one than research the proper use and enforcement of the ones that exist....
My suggestion is peoplewho think this is a good idea sit down abnd read every rcw and then read every ordinance for their jurisdiction and see if they can find a law that could be used to deal with the neighbor that has them so upset they'd willingly pass another law...

[Curly]

Well said Runamuk

[seth30]

Im sorry but I just cant see this being enforced.  We can barely get the sherriffs to respond as it it for REAL crimes.

[wraithen]

I sometimes wonder if that's the point. They keep the numbers down for leos and add feel good legislation. Laws make honest people criminals, not the other way around. Maybe they should hire more leos. I guarantee their salaries would be made at least twice over if they had enough to actually police this state up. Then we wouldn't need feel good legislation to "fix" problems in our neighborhoods. 

[singleshot12]

I hope it passes too. Common sense restrictions might atleast help the irresponsible to think twice while being a dog owner. Something needs to be done to curb neglect etc. All Dogs deserve justice. All animals for that matter.

then you would also be for common sense restrictions on owning guns...like must be a certain age and must keep them locked a specific manner the government decides is safest??

It is all the same...the good dog owners are already responsible and the bad ones are currently violating ordinances and laws that exist now whats going to make them suddenly obey a "new" law?  and if by some freak chance it passes then the over burdened sheriffs departments get to enforce this ...so my question is should they be chasing down complaints of tied up dogs put out for a quick 10 minute midnight pee or should they be looking into the tweeker snooping around your house because they cannot be in both places at once.  so in effect this law doesnt do crap to actually protect dogs but it effectively strips more rights to privacy of the citizens...it creates more rightful intrusion by authorities since ownership of a dog now makes you suspect....

  I see your point! and I'm starting to change my views on this after reading most of the feedback here, especially "pianoman's".. I know there are already enough existing laws already.. I just wish something MORE could be done about the irresponsible dog owner. It pisses me off just as much as child neglect or abuse. And like that I just wish something more could be done to curb it

[BIGINNER]

I hope it passes too. Common sense restrictions might atleast help the irresponsible to think twice while being a dog owner. Something needs to be done to curb neglect etc. All Dogs deserve justice. All animals for that matter.

then you would also be for common sense restrictions on owning guns...like must be a certain age and must keep them locked a specific manner the government decides is safest??

It is all the same...the good dog owners are already responsible and the bad ones are currently violating ordinances and laws that exist now whats going to make them suddenly obey a "new" law?  and if by some freak chance it passes then the over burdened sheriffs departments get to enforce this ...so my question is should they be chasing down complaints of tied up dogs put out for a quick 10 minute midnight pee or should they be looking into the tweeker snooping around your house because they cannot be in both places at once.  so in effect this law doesnt do crap to actually protect dogs but it effectively strips more rights to privacy of the citizens...it creates more rightful intrusion by authorities since ownership of a dog now makes you suspect....

  I see your point! and I'm starting to change my views on this after reading most of the feedback here, especially "pianoman's".. I know there are already enough existing laws already.. I just wish something MORE could be done about the irresponsible dog owner. It pisses me off just as much as child neglect or abuse. And like that I just wish something more could be done to curb it

think about it this way, poaching is illegal, there are laws against poaching, but to try and curb poaching a bit more they decide to pass a law that makes it illegal to have a rifle in your car after dark,...    sounds pretty rediculouse, right?  well thats exactly what this law is like. 

[pianoman9701]

I hope it passes too. Common sense restrictions might atleast help the irresponsible to think twice while being a dog owner. Something needs to be done to curb neglect etc. All Dogs deserve justice. All animals for that matter.

then you would also be for common sense restrictions on owning guns...like must be a certain age and must keep them locked a specific manner the government decides is safest??

It is all the same...the good dog owners are already responsible and the bad ones are currently violating ordinances and laws that exist now whats going to make them suddenly obey a "new" law?  and if by some freak chance it passes then the over burdened sheriffs departments get to enforce this ...so my question is should they be chasing down complaints of tied up dogs put out for a quick 10 minute midnight pee or should they be looking into the tweeker snooping around your house because they cannot be in both places at once.  so in effect this law doesnt do crap to actually protect dogs but it effectively strips more rights to privacy of the citizens...it creates more rightful intrusion by authorities since ownership of a dog now makes you suspect....

  I see your point! and I'm starting to change my views on this after reading most of the feedback here, especially "pianoman's".. I know there are already enough existing laws already.. I just wish something MORE could be done about the irresponsible dog owner. It pisses me off just as much as child neglect or abuse. And like that I just wish something more could be done to curb it

I sure applaud your care for critters. Thanks for being open-minded in this conversation.

[Happy Gilmore]

Dogs should not be left on chains or tie outs unsupervised. If you leave a dog unsupervised it should be in a locked and secure chain link kennel with water and dry bedding at minimum.

[Fowlweather25]

Woohoo so imprison them instead of given them a run on a high line with a nice doghouse and dry bedding, with an automatic waterer. Hmm where they can chit and piss without having to be within 10 feet of it makes perfect sense!    NOT

[Happy Gilmore]

Woohoo so imprison them instead of given them a run on a high line with a nice doghouse and dry bedding, with an automatic waterer. Hmm where they can chit and piss without having to be within 10 feet of it makes perfect sense!    NOT

It is safer for the dog. Leaving a dog on a long lead is not safe unsupervised. The wonderful dumped off pit bull shows up and tears your dog apart because he's tied to a long line and you're not home? That doesn't make sense to me. It is unsafe.

[pianoman9701]

Dogs should not be left on chains or tie outs unsupervised. If you leave a dog unsupervised it should be in a locked and secure chain link kennel with water and dry bedding at minimum.

There are plenty of dogs on chains that are very well taken care of and have water and dry bedding. Your comment shows some ignorance of alternative methods of care. You're somehow picturing an abused animal left for days without anyone caring for it. That's already illegal in WA and violators should be brought to justice. But, there are plenty of dogs that are on tether that have freedom of movement that a kennel doesn't provide, a place to dig that a kennel doesn't provide, and are very happy and well cared for.

[Fowlweather25]

So theoretically that same pit bull could show up and chew on me while I'm home alone! Should I stay in the house cause it's safer? Your dog could drown when hunting or get attacked by a friggen otter, should they just stay in the kennel? I would much rather give my dog freedom to move and be a dog than to imprison him in a kennel or crate with nowhere to do his business!

[Happy Gilmore]

Dogs should not be left on chains or tie outs unsupervised. If you leave a dog unsupervised it should be in a locked and secure chain link kennel with water and dry bedding at minimum.

There are plenty of dogs on chains that are very well taken care of and have water and dry bedding. Your comment shows some ignorance of alternative methods of care. You're somehow picturing an abused animal left for days without anyone caring for it. That's already illegal in WA and violators should be brought to justice. But, there are plenty of dogs that are on tether that have freedom of movement that a kennel doesn't provide, a place to dig that a kennel doesn't provide, and are very happy and well cared for.

I'm not insinuating they are not well cared for. I agree they get freedom of movement and that is relaxing for the dog. I just do not feel an unsupervised, (at least be home) dog who is out free to the world is safe. Purely from a safety standpoint, nothing else. I believe they can be well cared for and have good dog house etc and be on a tie out. I just would not want to risk the cable breaking/getting loose or a strange dog showing up and mauling my dog on a cable.

[Happy Gilmore]

So theoretically that same pit bull could show up and chew on me while I'm home alone! Should I stay in the house cause it's safer? Your dog could drown when hunting or get attacked by a friggen otter, should they just stay in the kennel? I would much rather give my dog freedom to move and be a dog than to imprison him in a kennel or crate with nowhere to do his business!

Dogs are a responsibility and daily cleaning is required, along with exercise, vet visits, shots and training.