W.F. Dog Ordinance Group Already Receiving Calls for Help

Some owners say chain their dogs because they cannot afford to install a fence.

But before passing the ordinance, city leaders took that fact into consideration and mandated the formation of a group to help.

Randle Sherman and five year old Red are best buddies but the city's newly passed chained dog ordinance has Sherman worried.

"I'm disabled. To get a fence put around... it will be hard to take out of my social security disability from the food, the medicine and stuff around my home to get a fence pretty big," says Sherman.

City councilors anticipated the ordinance would be a big concern for many dog owners.

That's why they paved the way for the creation of a newly formed group.

Chain Off will operate through PETS Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic.

Coordinators say they already have more than 30 calls from low income dog owners.

"What we're finding so far is that a lot of these pet owners have fences but they're substandard. They either have holes, they're missing gates. Maybe they're not tall enough. So, it's better than what we thought," says Leslie Harrelson with PETS Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic.

The group is still working out how it will spend donated money but it already has one requirement.

"The one and only, absolute, will not bend is you have to fix your pet unless for some reason they're not a surgical candidate for medical reasons." Clearly we want to give these dogs the best opportunity possible to stay secure in their yards and an unaltered animal is always going to try to escape," Harrelson explains.

Sherman says he doesn't have to worry about Red escaping but he is happy that help is now available to keep him in compliance with the new dog ordinance.

That new ordinance will take effect in September.

As for Chain Off, PETS Clinic officials are taking names of owners who need help.

To get on that list you can call PETS Clinic at 723-PETS.