The Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA would like to respond to some inquires pertaining to Zeus, a dog living on the end of a chain in the Town of Taghkanic. CGHS/SPCA has investigated Zeus’s situation. Although CGHS/SPCA does not condone any dog living on the end of a chain 24/7, in New York State there are no laws prohibiting this specific act. In Zeus’s case, he was inspected by a CGHS/SPCA Cruelty Investigator, the New York State Police, the Columbia County Sheriff’s office, and seen by veterinarian. All the findings were the same: Zeus is a senior dog that is in good condition and of healthy weight. The dog house which he lives in meets the standards set forth by New York State. Zeus is a Great Pyrenees mix, and this breed is capable of withstanding extremely cold conditions. Zeus’s owner completely cooperated with all inquiries from all agencies, and has maintained vaccinations and veterinary visits.
Unfortunately, Zeus is one of many dogs that live on the end of a chain for their entire life. This is a sad situation in New York State, where it is not prohibited for dogs to live in such a manner. For those who are concerned for dogs like Zeus, we recommend that you both write to and call your state representative and voice your opinion. We appreciate all of your concerns.