(06-23-2021, 01:18 PM)Cleatwood Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 01:02 PM)wrong_box Wrote: and FACT! Here in Pa, they enacted some laws like these but did not take into perspective of the dogs nature and breed. Part of Pa law now reads that you can not leave your dog tied up or outside for over 15 minutes when it's cold which is often from Oct-May unless you are doing something like walking them. A well meaning law designed for the welfare of the dog, I get it. However, several years ago I had Siberian Husky dogs. This law did not take into consideration the nature of the dog. These dogs are cold weather dogs. When it's 70 plus, they are hot. They are bred to live and work is sub zero temperatures. They do not like to be stuck in the house, they love being outside. They bury themselves in the snow. I have dog houses for them and they slept on top of them in the snow and rain and in them when it was warm/hot.

I have nosy neighbors who live to watch all the neighbors on our street on both sides of me who routinely called the municipal authorities about leaving my dogs out in the cold. I received several summons for court after being visited by the municipal authorities, the ASPCA, dog rescue groups, and other bleeding heart people and groups including several Pa State Dog Wardens. I downloaded as much information as I could find about their nature, went to reputable breeders and had them write statements and had them notarized and presented them in court.

Prior to reading the letters from the breeders, the judge spouted off saying there was no exception to the law and I had to follow it. I brought his attention to the breeders letters who stated it was more cruel to animals who are cold weather animals to put them in an environment they were uncomfortable in. The first time I went to court it 3 weeks before the ruling came in the mail saying case dismissed and the judge urging me to fight to change the law to add a clause about cold weather animals because the judges can just blindly follow the law and find me guilty. I went several more times through the years but I kept all the breeders letters and the result of every court case (dismissed and took them to every hearing). One of the nosy neighbors moved, the other gave up on reporting me about the dogs, but finds other petty [BLEEP] to report me for

If your nosy neighbors had just talked to you, that whole situation could have been avoided.

I would have blown up the “case dismissed letter” and sent it to them.

I agree with this 100%. Unfortunately, there are people who tie dogs outside in below zero weather for 24 hours a day that aren't cold weather breeds and have very short coats to protect them. Anyone with any basic understanding of dog breeds should know that Huskies are heavily coated dogs that are specially created to withstand very low temperatures and they love cold weather. They are comfortable living outside in areas like Northern Alaska. People should always try to resolve these matters by talking to their neighbors, before running to the police. A little education can go a long way. Even a simple google of the word "husky" by the neighbors would've cleared up this matter before it even began.

---