Montgomery County, TN – On Tuesday, September 3rd at 7:00pm, an amendment is being presented to the Montgomery County Commission that will require that pet owners ensure outdoor pets have access to shade on hot days.
Currently, our local Animal Control department is not requiring pet owners to provide shade for their animals because the law doesn’t say “shade.”
We have a responsibility to afford those animals protection from all of the elements they are forced to endure, including direct sunlight and heat during the sweltering summer months.
The Humane Society of Clarksville-Montgomery County fields over 5,000 phone calls per year from residents who need help or are concerned about neighboring pets and phone calls during periods of extreme heat and extreme cold always skyrocket.
We all know that protecting outdoor pets from the elements is an important issue for many Clarksville residents, but it’s really important between now and Tuesday that each Commissioner knows it as well.
How Can You Help
- Attend the meeting to show your support. The number of folks in attendance will speak volumes without having to say a word! The meeting will be held in the Historic County Courthouse, 1 Millennium Plaza, 3rd Floor, downtown Clarksville between 2nd and 3rd Streets.
- Email, write or call your (or ALL) County Commissioners and encourage support for this amendment. If you have a personal experience with a shade issue, share it! Contact info for the Commission can be found here.
The amendment to be presented to Commissioners is as follows
“In temperatures in excess of 75 degrees, all domestic dogs must be afforded, in addition to the shelter structure, one or more separate outside areas of shade large enough to contain all of the domestic dogs at one time and protect them from the direct rays of the sun.”
