In Delaware, the state’s Senate has voted to ban the practice of tethering dogs for for 18 hours or more within any 24-hour period. If passed, the would also prohibit tethering for dogs under 4 months old for any period of time and would ban the practice for nursing moms in the presence of their puppies.

The Republic article from Wednesday notes opponents of the bill believe it will lead to ‘further restrictions on dog owners,’ such as bans on animals housed in enclosed kennels all day. It’s the old slippery-sloop argument. So we can’t enact any more laws against anything, because it might lead to some really extreme additional laws?

Ooooh – If your city reduces the speed limit near a new school from 55 to 45 that could lead to the speed limit dropping to 15 miles per hour all over the city. Oooooh – If important laws are passed to protect kids from on-line predators, then laws will soon follow that will require all kids remain inside a plastic bubble 24 hours per day until they are 14 years old.

But where the slippery-sloop, pro-tethering folks go in the case above doesn’t really seem too extreme at all, does it? Shouldn’t we not want dogs caged 24 hours per day?

AND – A man accused of operating a puppy mill out of his home in Indianapolis, Ind. has been ordered by a judge to pay for the care of the 51 dogs seized in the case.

Good for that judge. This needs to happen in far more cases.