- Texas Governor says NO to THLN and vetos bill.
Published by -NAWA News Feed- in -Legislation- · Friday 02 Jul 2021
After being introduced for seven legislative sessions in a row, the tethering bill in Texas (HB 474) was defeated again by a veto from Governor Abbott. The Texas Humane Legislative Network, (THLN, and more about them here), had four lobbyists working on the legislation with some very hefty salaries for their services.
While an anti-tethering bill may sound compassionate, the language would have had harmful consequences for dog owners in Texas. It is all too common for animal rights-backed bills to sound wonderful but actually allows for them to gain more control than the general voting public is aware of. NAWA certainly agrees that community outreach to educate dog owners about proper tethering and collars, as well as requirements for winter and summer conditions, does need to happen. However, this cannot be achieved with a ban.
In this case, the ban would alienate those dog owners that use tethering as a means for enrichment and exercise OR those that may not be able to afford to fence in their yards.
Of course, we know THLN will continue to spend money on this legislation and reintroduce it in 2023, money that could easily be used to actually solve issues with neglected pets in Texas.
Until then, we would like to express our gratitude that our governor could see through their ruse when he mentioned that “Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization.”
Perhaps if THLN would stick to the actual needs of the animals rather than loading up a very well intended bill with all their hidden fish hooks and agendas, they might could actual do some good.
NAWA believes good animal welfare ideas entail grappling with dissonances and discrepancies arising from inconsistent or conflicting views (i.e., listening to all opinions). While good research certainly defies simple conceptualization, it is this process of constant reflection, open-mindedness, sharing of information, and interpretation of solid facts (not politics) that renders the animal welfare discussion process fluid, dynamic, and accurate in order for owners to make sound decisions related to any species that may be in their care.
