Improving Your Local Care and Treatment Ordinance: Working with your local elected officials

F.I.D.O. = Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside Animal outreach 501(c)3 organization. Mission: To improve the quality of life of outside dogs. Formed in 2005 to address unmet needs of outside dogs.

Our Challenges in 2012: Vague language in local dog care and treatment ordinance. Variable enforcement of ordinance by ACOs. Resistance to change by local enforcement officials.

Our Challenges in 2012: As a result …. Outside dogs were suffering. Outside dogs were dying.

Previous Ordinance Language: “… shall see that such animal has … shelter and ventilation, including quarters that are protected from excessive heat and cold and are of sufficient size to permit the animal to exercise and move about freely.”

Previous Ordinance Shortcomings: No requirements for relief from extreme weather. No added requirements for shelter/shade in extreme temps. No requirements for minimum kennel size. No protections from tethering for young, sick, or injured dogs. Difficult to enforce the restriction on tethering an unaltered dog.

What that actually meant: This was legal and acceptable in winter at 0 F:

What that actually meant: This was legal and acceptable in summer at 100 F: degrees:

What that actually meant: This was legal and acceptable for dogs to live in outdoor kennels of this size:

What that actually meant: It was legal and acceptable to tether puppies, sick, or injured dogs:

What that actually meant: It was legal to tether an un-sterilized dog if the owner was inside the house.:

Find a Champion for the Cause We had already invited a progressive City-County Councilor and animal advocate to join our local animal welfare alliance. This prior relationship paved the way for our Councilor to help lead this new legislative effort. Advice to Others: Befriend local officials who are animal advocates. You want them on your team.

Do your Homework: Research best practices in other comparable cities. Contact enforcement directors in other cities with recent ordinance changes. Document findings to support proposed changes. Collect public testimony from local animal welfare leaders. Draft revised ordinance language.

Key Requirements in Revised Ordinance: Straw bedding and a cover over the dog house opening when temperatures are below 40 F. Overhead shade, such as trees or tarp, when temperatures are above 80 F. Access to temperature-controlled building when outside temps are below 20 F or above 90 F. Fenced enclosure at least 100 square feet. Pups less than 6 months old or sick/injured dogs cannot be tethered. Unaltered dogs cannot be tethered unless the owner is standing outside with the dog.

Promote and Support your Proposal: Testify at Council committee hearings. Commit to running a public education campaign on the new ordinance. Commit to assist low-income dog owners with compliance with the new ordinance. …then let your Councilor work his/her networking magic behind the scenes…

SUCCESS! It took three long years, but … Our proposal narrowly passed out of committee. Then passed the full council by a unanimous vote.

Post-Implementation Educational Campaign Mass media. Social media. Neighborhood meetings. Bus ads, Billboard ads. Targeted direct mailers. Lots and lots of educational brochures. Spanish language component. Funding support from local foundation (NMPCT) and local enforcement foundation.

Local and Regional Support for New Ordinance People from other counties have replicated the ordinance. Our local enforcement authority, both management and ACOs, now support the ordinance. We supply ACOs with our ordinance educational brochures. ACOs refer citizens to FIDO for help with complying with ordinance. FIDO partners with ACOs on weekly outreach to educate and assist citizens. FIDO assisted ACOs with backlog of runs during extreme cold last winter.

Perseverance and Partnering Pays Off! ~ Many more dogs in Indy are now living happier and healthier lives ~