An Important Massachusetts Tethering Law That Can Save Your Dog’s Life

Berkshire County has been seeing a rough winter. Sure, we have had more snow-packed winters, but the temperatures up until recently have been extremely frigid. As a result, there have been a few occasions where cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings have been issued for the Berkshires.

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While the current and upcoming temperatures will be warmer than what we have experienced over the past couple of weeks, it will still be fairly cold in the overnight hours...20 or under in some cases. It is still winter after all.

Important Massachusetts Tethering Law...Make Sure You Follow it for Your Dog's Safety

If you are a pet owner, it's important to know that leaving your dog tethered for more than 15 minutes during cold weather is actually prohibited by Massachusetts law. Here's the actual law per the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

A person shall not leave a dog outside when a weather advisory, warning or watch is issued by a local, state or federal authority or when outside environmental conditions including, but not limited to, extreme heat, cold, wind, rain, snow or hail pose an adverse risk to the health or safety of the dog based on the dog’s breed, age or physical condition, unless the tethering is for not more than 15 minutes.

Cold weather aside, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts also states that it's illegal to keep your dog tethered outside for more than 5-hours in 24 hours and outside from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., unless the tethering is for not more than 15 minutes and the dog is not left unattended by the owner, guardian, or keeper.

READ MORE: Check Out These 3 Dog-Friendly Places in Massachusetts

It's still winter in the Berkshires, and you never know when we could hit another deep freeze spell, so make sure you're extra mindful when tethering your dog during cold weather conditions.