Vicksburg’s new tether law will cost you $300 per day – here’s what you need to know

A new law on tethering pets has taken effect in Vicksburg, including fines of up to $300 per day; here’s what you need to know.

The new law includes a provision to deputize animal control officers so they can write leash law citations instead of having to wait for the VPD to arrive.

The purpose of the law is to prevent cruelty to animals by arcane methods of restraining them. While you are responsible for keeping your dog on your property, you are also responsible for keeping your dog safely there with access to food, water, and shelter. Here is the actual law, as written:

Sec. 4-45. Tethering of dogs.

No person shall, at any time, fasten, chain, tether, or tie any dog or cause such dog to be fastened, chained, tethered, or tied to a stationary object while such dog is on the dog owner’s property, on the property of the dog owner’s landlord, or on the property of the person having possession, charge, custody, or control of such dog unless such restraint consists of a chain, wire cable, or similar restraint attached to a swivel or pulley which shall be located as to keep the dog exclusively on the secured premises and in such a manner that the dog is not able to jump over the fence or railing. Tie-outs shall be so located as to keep the dog secure and shall not be able to become entangled with other objects and shall be of sufficient length to allow free and full-time access to water, food, and shelter. Collars used to attach a dog to a tie-out shall not be of a choke type. No tie-out shall employ a restraint that is less than ten (10) feet in length. No logging or tow chains are to be used to chain, tether or tie any dog and any restraint used must weigh less than 1/8 of the dog’s total weight.

The part below isn’t new but will be what can happen if the above law is not followed  

Sec. 4-47. Penalty for violation of Article V.

Any person who shall fail to comply with or violate any of the provisions of this article, where no specific penalties are provided therefor, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00). Each day shall be considered a separate violation.