Dog tethering bill passes Alabama House with changes
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) – A bill that would establish statewide regulations for tethering and confinement of dogs has passed the Alabama House, but with some changes.
Senate Bill 361, sponsored by Sen. Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman), mandates adequate food, water and shelter.
The bill, carried in the House by Rep. Phillip Ensler, would also give animal control officers and law enforcement the authority to investigate potential violations and step in when necessary.
One of the big changes to the bill is making the penalty a tiered system.
In the updated version, a first violation would be a Class C misdemeanor, a second violation would be a Class B misdemeanor, followed by a Class A misdemeanor for subsequent violations.
The House approved the new bill with the amendments 69-23 with 9 abstentions.
Since changes were made to the bill, it will now go back to the Senate for concurrence. The Senate originally approved the bill in March 28-1.
