By WVUA 23 Student News Reporter Emily Benito
Tuscaloosa – In light of a recent dog attack on a 3-year-old child, WVUA 23 is taking a deeper look at the proper restraint of dogs. Local ordinances and advice given to the community are there to help owners properly care for their dogs and keep them safe while also protecting others in the community.
Within Tuscaloosa city limits, dogs must be restrained in a home, by a fence or be on a leash at all times. A fence at least 6 feet tall is recommended. Leashes may not be more than 10 feet long. If an incident occurs, owners cannot claim they did not know the dog was not confined. That means if your dog is an escape artist, you must prevent that from happening.
Deputy Martha Hocutt is an investigator with the Tuscaloosa County Animal Control Unit. She said the laws in Tuscaloosa County are different than those within city limits.
“There is no specific leash law in Tuscaloosa County, but (owners) have to be able to have immediate control,” Hocutt said. “No animal, by state law, is allowed to be off of its own property without being under the immediate supervision and control of its adult owner.”
Hocutt shared several tips on how you can appropriately keep your dog restrained.
“Dogs should have a pen or be in a kennel,” Hocutt said. “Something they cannot get out of. And when you take them out, you take them out on a leash, preferably with a harness and not a collar.”
Dogs can easily slip a collar, Hocutt said, but a properly fitted harness is much harder to escape.
“The main thing is to keep them contained,” she said. “Do not let them roam.”
Along with these tactics, it is important to think about the time commitment and responsibilities of having a pet. Many people adopt an animal without considering the time and care they require.
Dogs need a daily walk, and perhaps more than one. Some dog breeds are more energetic, like huskies, and require even more. Larger dogs require more space so they can run and play alongside higher costs for food.
“Labs, retrievers, any breed that is classified as a ‘working’ type dog has a lot of energy,” Hocutt said. “They need a place to run that energy off. If they sit in the house all day, of course they are going to rush for the front door.”
There are many places for dogs to be taken on leashed walks throughout Tuscaloosa County. Some places include the Randall Family Park and Trailhead, the University of Alabama Arboretum, Lake Lurleen State Park and Hurricane Creek Park.
The Will May Memorial Dog Park at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa offers space for larger and smaller dogs to go off-leash and let loose, but dog owners must be responsible for their dogs in that environment.
Generally, most counties in West Alabama have undefined or broad leash laws that may lead to confusion on how to appropriately restrain your dog. Make sure to check your county’s website for updated leash law guidelines.
Read more:
Child recovering after being mauled by dog in Pickens County: Sept. 23, 2022