TIFTON — The Tift County Board of Commissioners discussed the implementation of an animal tethering ordinance at their most recent meeting.

Concerned about recent dog attacks on humans, county commissioners debated the need for an ordinance to prohibit the tethering of dogs at their Nov. 7 meeting.

County manager Jim Carter reported that Tift County ranked among the highest counties in the state in regard to dog-to-human bite cases per capita, matching pace with counties twice or even three times as populous.

He presented the commissioners with a recommendation from county animal control director Candace Hernandez to create a “No Tethering” ordinance barring dog owners from keeping the pets on chains or other kinds of tethers.

Hernandez citied studies that tethering these dogs contributed to their aggressive behavior toward people as a result of poor conditions and isolation from people and other animals. She stated that this was also causing an increase in reports of animal-to-animal bites within the county.

District 3 Commissioner Paul Webb surmised that these restrictions would coerce more pet owners to erect fences instead of pets, which Hernandez confirmed.

She expressed that the intention of this ordinance would ensure more protection for county residents, both human and animal, and curb irresponsible pet ownership.

Webb was concerned, however, that the passing of the ordinance would only create an influx of stray dogs in the county, as owners who refused to put up fences would instead decide to simply let the dogs run loose.

Hernandez assured him that the county would work to ease the community into the guidelines of the ordinance, educating them on how to transition from tethering pets into healthier and safer forms of containment.