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The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has started a campaign calling for the public's help in progressing legislation to give animal inspectors stronger powers when dealing with dogs which are tied up or confined.
It claims the Government is dragging the chain on improving the lives of thousands of dogs. The animal welfare agency says each year hundreds of dogs in Christchurch and thousands around the country are chained up or confined for long periods, which affects the animals' physical and mental health.
SPCA Inspectorate Team Leader Samantha Cairns said it was something they were seeing on a daily basis. "As dog numbers increase, it's becoming more common as well. There's heaps of dogs and puppies around at the moment".
The SPCA's calling for public support for an online letter to the Minister responsible for animal welfare. It's calling for stronger powers around dealing with dogs which are permanently tethered or confined.
Existing laws make it challenging for SPCA inspectors to intervene, unless the dog is visibly wounded, suffering from lack of food, or deprived of shelter and water. "Where things are really serious, often there's other problems as well as the tethering. We have got tools that we can use, but we need more.
They're not getting off their chains or their tethers and the emotional damage alone is awful for these dogs, they really suffer on a daily basis".
The SPCA said progress on new legislation appears to have stalled, after new animal welfare regulations were drafted and put out to public consultation earlier this year.
They plan to send the signed letter to the Minister early next month, urging the government to take action to address the problem.
Find out more about the SPCA’s Break the Chain campaign here: https://www.spca.nz/break-the-chain-now
To adopt a dog: https://www.spca.nz/adopt
By Geoff Sloan
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
