HSUS North Carolina Director Erica Geppi said tethering could cause physical and psychological harm to dogs. Geppi said with the chain, it could tangle or get tied up, which could bring dangers to the collar cutting up parts of the dog’s neck.

While most dogs may be given access to food and water, some chains may tangle up and prevent the dog from accessing it. As for psychological effects, she also said tethering could cause a mental toll on a dog that would otherwise not be exuding those types of behavior when it ends up living its whole life on a chain.

“Tethering can cause a series of changes in the dog’s behavior,” Geppi said. “And that’s when we consider the practice inhumane.”

Smith said she had seen some of the tethered dogs in her neighborhood go on to have behavioral changes like biting or attacking neighbors. In other cases, she has seen wild animals attack these tethered dogs.

Smith added that dogs should never be forced by its owners to be outside and in isolation.

“It’s just very cruel,” Smith said. “We all know that dogs enjoy being around people. These dogs are forced to stay outside in all conditions. Snow or rain, they don’t get much attention from their owners. They’re just left out there and are occasionally thrown food.”