Pittsburgh Councilwoman Proposes Bill Protecting Pets from Extreme Weather

Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Darlene Harris has prepared a bill that would penalize and fine pet owners who leave their pets outside during extreme weather.

The bill would prohibit city residents from leaving their pets tied outside for longer than 30 minutes when temperatures get below 32 degrees or higher than 90 degrees, according to WPXI-Pittsburgh.

Additionally, the bill would establish standards for dog houses. Dog houses would have to have at least 9 inches of headroom and they would have to be at least 12 inches longer and 18 inches wider than the animal, according to TribLive.com. Additional requirements for dog houses would include adequate food, water, shade and insulating bedding, TribLive reports.

Owners who fail to comply with the rules set by the bill will be subject to a $500 fine.

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