Chained up and forgotten: effort to change animal welfare laws

One of the dogs discovered by Christine Breen from Chained Dog Awareness NZ.Picture supplied

For years animal welfare groups across New Zealand have fought to change an ineffective law.  If their efforts are successful, it will mean the end of life chaining of dogs.

“We’re living in a first-world country, with fourth-world welfare when it comes to what exactly goes on in people’s backyards,” says Christine Breen, founder of Chained Dog Awareness New Zealand (CDANZ).

New Zealand’s only legal requirement, in the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018, is that a chained dog must have food, water and shelter. Countless dogs are left chained for life, without enough fresh water, exercise or human interaction.  For some, that means living in appalling conditions, often lying down in their own faeces, dragging around heavy, restrictive chains and being flea and worm-ridden.

In recent years countries across the globe have acknowledged the cruelty that surrounds the act of chaining, with many introducing more humane laws. Sweden allows the tethering of a dog for one hour only, an almost complete ban.  Spain overhauled its animal welfare law in 2023, adding imprisonment of more than one year for animal abusers.  Germany and Slovakia introduced a ban on dog chaining in 2022 (with a few specific exceptions).  Many states in the US enforce strict time limits on the tethering of dogs, with rules on the length and weight of the tether.

In Maine, “It is unlawful to tie, tether or restrain any animal in a manner that is inhumane or detrimental to its welfare”.

In Italy, Green Impact, a not-for-profit organisation supporting transformative practices of animal welfare, has successfully lobbied for changes. Different regions across the country have banned the act of chaining dogs, leading the way across Europe.

Even our neighbour Australia has better laws to safeguard our furry friends.

So why are we lagging behind? Does New Zealand not get it?

“The codes of welfare are just stuck in concrete,” says Christine.

Closer to home, chained dogs present a common welfare issue in the Gisborne region, says Gisborne SPCA inspectorate team leader Pip Lamb.

“It is driven by different factors, including people trying to contain a dog on a property.

“Many of the chained dogs we come across have a range of other issues such as poor body condition, flea and worm burdens, and are often without access to adequate shelter or water.

“We deal with each case on its merits, utilising outcomes ranging from education to enforced compliance. However, where the issue is simply long-term tethering it can be challenging under our existing legislation to effect change.”

Christine Breen’s tireless efforts have seen her getting into the backyards of homes to help,

“I have no problem doing that, just knocking on the door and saying, ‘Hi, I am with a community group of dog lovers. We have an excess of dog food, we’ve got heaps of food, so here’s a bag of dog food for you’. I’ll just go around and give the dog some treats too. I offer bedding as well and start working with the owners.”

With no legal right to uplift an animal, one example of persistence from the small team of volunteers at CDANZ was a four-year campaign for two life-chained dogs. Every weekend they would walk the dogs, picking up their faeces, “but the owner still would not come out and fill that water bowl”, Christine said.  The only reason CDANZ  were able to have the animals released into their care was when the landlord sold the property, and the dog owners were unable to secure a new rental.

“That doesn’t happen all the time. (But when it does),  they literally go from hell to heaven, those dogs,” said Christine.

She acknowledges changing people’s behaviour and educating owners is difficult. Without follow-up visits, files are closed because dogs have the minimum legal requirements of food, shelter and water. Having accredited officers with each welfare group is something Christine would like to recommend, to ensure dogs’ ongoing welfare.

The SPCA ran a campaign in 2022 called Break the Chain, calling for the Government to amend the regulations. More than 20,000 concerned New Zealanders supported the campaign.

“One dog, the chain wasn’t even the body length of the dog and the dog was suffering from fly strike. The SPCA have got their hands tied. They can’t uplift a dog with fly strike — you’d have to wait until their ears are rotting off, before they can uplift.”

Fly-bitten ears is something local SPCA Inspector Pip Lamb comes across as well.

CDANZ also started a petition to ban life chaining and containing of dogs, which collected 42,000 signatures. It  was presented in Parliament in December 2022.

In response, the Ministry for Primary Industries, (MPI) drafted a proposal for new regulations that was opened for public consultation during February and March of 2023.  But in an election year, it was forgotten and put aside with no action taken. The proposal Christine describes as “not strong enough” offers no change to the containment of dogs, and just states the dog can no longer be chained or fixed to a stationary object.

“Which means that the SPCA turns up and the dog’s life-chained. They say, ‘Well, you can’t do that anymore, you need to put the dog on to a long running wire at the back of the property’. (So) the dog isn’t actually fixed to an object and it can have a bit more freedom which is a bit more humane, but we think nothing will change for those dogs. They won’t be socialised, the faeces won’t be picked up, they won’t be vet-treated and will have no human interaction.  It also gives the option for the owners of putting the dogs into a container,” she said.

“We’ve got many living like that in back sections in Auckland. The dog isn’t life-chained, but it’s still life-contained.  The government has yet to address life containment.”

The new Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare, Skills) is Andrew Hoggard and his office has advised CDANZ the proposal will be looked at in the coming months.

Christine has encouraged people to share posts with their local MPs and the CDANZ website has contact information for Mr Hoggard’s office.

Numerous television radio and newspaper articles continue to draw attention to the problem.

Will 2024 finally be the year New Zealand can join the global ranks fostering a better way of life for “man’s best friend”?