Weight pull cruelty in my city?

[CarolineP]

I was looking up some laws about animals because I saw on the news they made owning skunks legal in TN, (wanted to see if that was true, it wasn't, good) and I saw that one thing my city defines as cruelty is "Causing an animal to drag any unreasonably heavy object, including but not limited to cinder blocks, heavy weights, bricks, chains, or logs". Does this mean that a dog cannot pull ANYTHING or just things that are so heavy it would hurt himself? Does your city have municipal codes that say this also?

 

[ShanaRowan]

I know that there is at least one city or county (somewhere in the south... maybe one of the Carolinas?) that has some sort of "over drive" law that applies to weight pull (sad and pathetic.) I think most states have "over driving" laws (NY included) but that applies to livestock like horses. My guess is what you quoted is some sort of anti-tethering thing aimed at people who tether dogs to items like that, but context is important, and I am certain that it could be enforced selectively depending on the agenda of whomever has the authority.

 

[_unoriginal]

Luckily my town is pretty lax on animal laws except they won't let me have chickens.

 

[CarolineP]

Luckily my town is pretty lax on animal laws except they won't let me have chickens.

We can have poultry as long as you have over three acres, but where I live three acres would be very expensive

 

[CarolineP]

I know that there is at least one city or county (somewhere in the south... maybe one of the Carolinas?) that has some sort of "over drive" law that applies to weight pull (sad and pathetic.) I think most states have "over driving" laws (NY included) but that applies to livestock like horses. My guess is what you quoted is some sort of anti-tethering thing aimed at people who tether dogs to items like that, but context is important, and I am certain that it could be enforced selectively depending on the agenda of whomever has the authority.

Here's the whole thing:

• Sec. 10-3. - Cruelty, abuse and neglect prohibited.
  
  
  It shall be unlawful for any person to:
  (1)
  Torture, maim or grossly overwork an animal.
  (2)
  Intentionally inflict pain or suffering upon an animal. In the case of activities where physical pain is necessarily caused, such as medical, research, food processing, customary and normal veterinary and agricultural husbandry practices, pest elimination, and animal training and hunting, "cruelty" means a failure to employ the most humane method reasonably available.
  (3)
  Fail to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter for an animal in the person's custody.
  (4)
  Abandon an animal in the person's custody. Any animal control officer shall have authority to intervene to provide necessary care for any animal so abandoned or neglected.
  (5)
  Transport or confine an animal in a cruel manner or in an inhumane manner that exposes the animal to extreme heat or cold, resulting in physical distress or suffering.
  (6)
  Knowingly tie, tether, restrain or restrict an animal in a manner that results or may reasonably be expected to result in the animal suffering cuts, abrasions, contusions, disfigurement, physical pain, temporary illness or impairment of a bodily member, organ or function.
  (7)
  Cause an animal to drag any unreasonably heavy object, including but not limited to cinder blocks, heavy weights, bricks, chains, or logs.
  
  

 

[_unoriginal]

Wow, that's super vague. I mean are draft horses basically outlawed there?

 

[CarolineP]

Wow, that's super vague. I mean are draft horses basically outlawed there?

Guess so, or at least working them. I was going to train moose to pull weights just for some extra excercise but I guess I cannot? They also made (basically) chain spots illegal here, the dogs can't be out for a certain length of time (don't know the exact details) there has to be swivels on both ends of the chain, it MUST be over 15' long, and I think there are temperature and age restrictions also.

 

[ShanaRowan]

Where do you live?


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[CarolineP]

Where do you live?


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Brentwood, Tennessee, about 15 minutes south of Nashville

 

[Cofla]

Brentwood, Tennessee, about 15 minutes south of Nashville

OH!!! Nashville!!!
Love it, I've been there once while visiting with my wife her mother in Lilbourn Missouri, I'm a professional musician and got to jam with a really nice band on a club on the Music Row, everybody was super nice, music all over, been also in Memphis on the same trip, great too, blues city.

Eddy

 

[ShanaRowan]

As far as I know there are no laws in TN specifically regarding weight pull. I know that there are active clubs in the state and in the south, if you're concerned you could always talk to your local police department and explain to them what you are doing so if you do happen upon someone who doesn't understand and tries to cause trouble, you're covered. Up until this year, most of my drag training was at local parks and inevitably people liked to call and complain because they didn't understand. After meeting with the community officer and having him meet my dogs (even though it is not even vaguely illegal where I am), explaining why we weight pull, I have warded off all issues. There have been times I'm dragging all by myself at a local park and a cop is sitting in the parking lot and never so much as gets out of the car... worst they do is come up and ask questions because they've never seen it before.

 

[CarolineP]

OH!!! Nashville!!!
Love it, I've been there once while visiting with my wife her mother in Lilbourn Missouri, I'm a professional musician and got to jam with a really nice band on a club on the Music Row, everybody was super nice, music all over, been also in Memphis on the same trip, great too, blues city.

Eddy

It really is a great city! Wish there was more dog sport stuff here, but it's great for pet owners. No city wide BSL, pretty reasonable owners, dog parks are cool, lots of fun dog festivals!

 

[CarolineP]

As far as I know there are no laws in TN specifically regarding weight pull. I know that there are active clubs in the state and in the south, if you're concerned you could always talk to your local police department and explain to them what you are doing so if you do happen upon someone who doesn't understand and tries to cause trouble, you're covered. Up until this year, most of my drag training was at local parks and inevitably people liked to call and complain because they didn't understand. After meeting with the community officer and having him meet my dogs (even though it is not even vaguely illegal where I am), explaining why we weight pull, I have warded off all issues. There have been times I'm dragging all by myself at a local park and a cop is sitting in the parking lot and never so much as gets out of the car... worst they do is come up and ask questions because they've never seen it before.

I don't know how people in my county would react, people here are generally wealthy and only have dogs just to have them, not necessarily build a bond, and the people who do really care about having a good relationship with their dog still can't see past laying on the couch and eating table scraps. There are really no working/sporting dogs here. Maybe in Franklin or Nashville, but not Brentwood.