Strict New Dog Tethering Law Passed in Woodbridge

WOODBRIDGE, NJ - Woodbridge Township passed a very strict new ordinance when it comes to keeping dogs tied up outside, and the new law went into effect March 1.

According to the new law, you can only tether your dog outside for up to two hours at a time. Also, you cannot leave your dog tied up outside for more than 6 hours total in a 24-hour period. Woodbridge police and animal control officers say they will be strictly enforcing the new rules: Anyone found violating it will face a maximum fine of $2,000 per offense.

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac said the law was introduced after a resident in town tied his dog up for hours at a time in January in the freezing cold. Many people called 911 when they saw the dog out in the cold for hours. There have been other similar issues over the past few years, he said.

"We were alerted to that by several people," Mayor McCormac told MyCentralJersey.com. "We then took action to make sure that practice became illegal. Sometimes we have to make it illegal for people to do stupid things. I love dogs and it's not right for them to be treated like that."

The ordinance comes with more rules: The dog's collar must be a non-choke-type collar and you cannot tie your dog up with chains. (So the chain used in that photo would be illegal.) The leash must be 15 feet in length at minimum, so the dog can move about its yard freely. Any dog on a leash must also have clear, visible access to fresh water and food. And you cannot tie your dog up overnight, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The Township provided Patch with a copy of the ordinance and you can read it here: https://document.li/s9mX

"People work a lot during the day and they leave their dog tied out all day," Woodbridge's Health and Human Service Dennis Green told the newspaper. "That will no longer be allowed. What happens if the dog knocks over water? What happens if the weather gets bad? This ordinance basically restricts it to a maximum of six hours during any 24-hour period and only two hours at a time. Everybody wants their dog to get fresh air and be outside to get some exercise, but basically, this ordinance says you just can't tie your dog outside and leave him out all the time."

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