As of 2025, Kentucky does not have a comprehensive statewide ban on tethering or chaining dogs outside, but recent legal reforms have strengthened protections against cruel and neglectful tethering practices. The passage of “Ethan’s Law” (HB 258, 2024) clarified and toughened Kentucky’s animal cruelty statutes, making it a felony to torture animals, including by chaining or tying them in a way that causes suffering or restricts their motion excessively.
Key points from state law:
- Tethering or chaining a dog is not outright illegal statewide.
- However, it is illegal if the chaining or tethering constitutes cruelty or torture-for example, if the restraint is so restrictive or harsh that it causes injury, suffering, or endangers the animal’s health.
- Under the revised law, “torture” includes chaining or tying down a dog or cat to restrict motion, and those convicted can face felony charges and up to five years in prison.
- Animal abandonment (such as leaving a pet chained and unattended without proper care) is also illegal and considered a form of cruelty.
Local Ordinances
Many Kentucky cities and counties have their own, often stricter, regulations:
- Frankfort: It is a violation to tie, chain, or tether a dog unless the owner or someone over 14 is in direct attendance. Temporary tethering is allowed only if the dog is supervised. Chains or tethers must not be heavy (no more than 1/18 of the dog’s body weight), and choke or pinch collars are prohibited. Violations can result in fines and impoundment of the dog.
- Radcliff: Dogs cannot be chained or tethered for more than four hours in a 24-hour period, and never in extreme weather. Tethers must be attached to a proper collar or harness, and certain types of collars are banned.
- Louisville Metro: Tethering is prohibited for more than one hour in any eight-hour period during the day, and tethers must meet minimum length and weight standards.
Best Practices (Even Where Not Explicitly Illegal)
- Never leave a dog chained or tethered for long periods, in extreme weather, or without adequate food, water, and shelter.
- Use only properly fitted collars or harnesses, and ensure tethers are not heavy or likely to cause injury.
- Always check your local city or county ordinances, as many have stricter rules than state law.
- It is not categorically illegal statewide to leave your pet chained outside in Kentucky, but it can be prosecuted as animal cruelty or torture if done in a way that causes harm, suffering, or restricts the animal’s movement excessively.
- Local laws may impose much stricter limits or outright bans on unsupervised or prolonged tethering, so it is crucial to know and follow local regulations.
- Recent changes mean that violations resulting in animal suffering can now be charged as felonies, with much harsher penalties than in the past.
If you are unsure about the law in your area, contact your local animal control or city government for guidance.
Sources
[1] https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-dog-tether-laws
[2] https://www.animallaw.info/content/map-state-dog-tethering-laws
[3] https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/ordinances/frankfort-kentucky/
[4] https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/ordinances/radcliff-kentucky/
[5] https://dogtime.com/reference/106553-kentucky-animal-cruelty-law-dog-chain