A Small White And Brown Dog On A Leash — Photo by Anastassia Anufrieva on Unsplash

SB 361, more commonly known as Beau’s Law, has made its way through the Alabama legislature, officially giving approval to a ban of tethering dogs to stationary objects without providing adequate shelter, food or water.

The bill is now headed to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk for it to be signed into law. If signed, Beau’s Law will go into effect Oct. 1.

The legislation requires:

If dogs are tethered outside, they must be provided with shelter that shields them adequately from the elements + inclement weather.
The tether must:
- not be unreasonably heavy in relation to the dog’s weight.
- not allow the dog to leave the property of the person responsible for the dog.
- be attached to a properly-fitted collar or harness + have a swivel on both ends to minimize tangling.
- not extend over an object or edge that could potentially hurt the dog or strangle it.
- not be attached to a logging chain, choke collar or pinch collar.
The shelter must:
- have a roof, walls + floors.
- have space for the dog to stand up, lie down, turn around + stretch.
- be made of durable materials (including chain-link + electric fencing) with all four sides enclosed + provide ventilation.
- be free from accumulated waste, standing water + debris.
The dog must have unlimited access to the shelter.

The bill, which passed with a 69-23 vote, is designed to only apply to dogs that are pets, or “companion dogs.”

The tethering and shelter provisions will not apply to:

Certain occupational purposes:
- a licensed vet practice.
- a boarding kennel or public or private animal shelter.
- a licensed grooming shop or facility.
Dog shows + exhibitions.
Dogs lawfully used to hunt or retrieve wildlife.
Service + assistance dogs.
Any emergency circumstance during which tethering or confining a dog is necessary but not exceeding a reasonable amount of time with respect to the weather.
An individual walking a dog on a leash.

No part of the bill applies to:

Dogs whose purpose is directly related to the business of shepherding or herding livestock, cultivating agricultural products, hunting or retrieving.
Someone tethering or confining a dog near a place of business while the individual is inside or otherwise interacting with the business, so long as the dog is tethered or confined:
- for a reasonable amount of time with respect to the weather.
- in a reasonable location near the place of business.
The temporary tethering or confining of a dog at any campsite, recreation area or home.

Six amendments were added after going through the House and Senate to further tailor the bill. Some of these amendments include:

Defining what a commercial dog breeder is.
Creating a three-tiered criminal punishment measure.
Allowing law enforcement officers to, with probably cause:
- remove the dog from the owners care if they believe its life is in danger.
- order the owner to provide care to the animal at the owner’s expense.
Protecting property owners in the event unintentional harm is done to animal control or law enforcement representatives who try to remove the dog.

Advocates of the bill said an updated standard is needed for the health and wellness of dogs across the state.

“If you have a dog, they should be provided shelter. Because over the course of the past few years, there have been so many dog attacks in many different counties where dogs who have not been taken care of, who are who are allowed to just run wild on properties that have gotten away.”
Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham)

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society was among the organizations and individuals who championed the bill after Beau, a young dog, was found outside shivering by neighbors as he tried to balance on an overturned pot in an effort to not touch the snow in Jefferson County. The January 2025 video of him went viral.

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society brought him into their care, and he was eventually adopted into a loving home, but his story highlighted a lack of legal definitions for adequate shelter.

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