PLATTSBURGH — Dozens of animal rights advocates hoping to get a dog tether law passed in Clinton County were denied the chance to speak at Wednesday’s legislature meeting.
At the start of the meeting’s typical public comment period, Legislature Chairman Mark Henry (R-Area 3, Chazy) declined to hear any testimony from residents who wanted to share their support for a county-wide dog tethering law, which would outlaw chaining dogs outside on a leash 24/7.
“For the dog tether law topic tonight, we have no resolutions in front of us, we have no legislation in front of us,” Henry said to the crowded room.
“We have heard your position dozens of times. In fact, we just met a few days ago and had a lengthy meeting on the dog tether law. So for tonight, we won’t be granting the dog tether law the privileges of the floor.”
GROWING SUPPORT
The fight for the dog legislation has been ongoing since February of 2024, when Jennifer Jewett, of Champlain, started campaigning for it.
Since then she has been to dozens of meetings asking the legislature to pass a county-wide dog tethering law. Jewett was hoping for the county to pass legislation that would mirror Essex County’s existing tether law, which has been in place since 2016.
She made some progress last fall after spending months crafting legislation she thought legislators would feel comfortable with, but they eventually voted it down before it could make it to a public hearing.
Since then, Jewett’s support for the cause has only grown stronger. That strength was on display Wednesday night.
‘COME ON, COME ALL’
After Henry made it clear the tether law was off limits, he said he would allow other topics.
Jessica Murnane, one of the many who was at the meeting to show support for a tether law, said she wanted to speak on the transparency and accountability of the legislature. Henry allowed it.
“Most of the stuff that I think we’re looking at is protection rights, and whether that’s for animals or for humans, it needs to make sense how … this legislative body gets a law in front of them, when it’s discussed, who’s voting on it, why is it allowed that there’s votes when there’s only seven or eight people here,” Murnane said.
“If I come to you and I say … ‘these are my concerns,’ how am I to know when that’s being talked about amongst you all? Am I being contacted by my legislator to say this is being discussed? When is it being discussed? How is it voted upon? Public hearings shouldn’t even be a matter of a vote, a public hearing should be: come one, come all.”
Shortly after, Murnane was interrupted by Henry, who said her time was running out to speak. The exchange quickly got heated and she was told to sit down. Jewett asked to speak about the First Amendment but was denied.
Unsurprisingly, those series of events did not sit well with the crowd, who were visibly upset at the legislature’s attempt to continue on with business as usual, trying to talk over the crowd’s mumblings in the process.
“You people are unbelievable,” someone finally yelled out.
The outburst prompted Legislator Bobby Hall (D-Area 10, City of Plattsburgh), a long-time supporter of a tether law, to interject.
“I don’t think it’s right at all not to hear anybody speak,” he said.
“The public ought to be able to tell me what’s going on, what’s not. I represent you. You vote for me or you don’t vote for me. I think what’s happened tonight is totally wrong. I’m not in favor of it at all. Miss (Patty) Waldron and myself are working very hard to get it passed for a public hearing.”
Hall is term-limited out after this year and has less than a year left in office. He told them to give him some time to work with the other legislators and pursue the law further.
“You people have the right to have a public hearing,” Hall said to claps from those in attendance.
“It’s not going to do any good to come here and talk about this law, talk about this law, the same people, the same people, night after night. All it does is make animosity. I’m asking you to give Patty and I a chance to get enough votes … We are going to fight like hell to get you a public hearing.”