Animal News

Fantastic new animal law means no more dogs on chains in Texas

This is now illegal.

Photo courtesy of SPCA

A new law goes into effect across Texas on January 18, which will help animals who unfortunately spend their lives outdoors.

Called the Safe Outdoors Dog Act, it lays down basic safeguards for outdoor dogs, as follows:

Defines "adequate shelter" to protect dogs from extreme temperatures, inclement weather, and standing water. Previously, there was no definition for shelter, and dogs that were tethered could (and did) die from exposure.
Requires access to drinkable water. Before the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, state law did not include this vital requirement.
Requires safe restraints. The Safe Outdoor Dogs Act bans the use of chains. Other tethering options such as cable tie-outs can be used, as long as they are correctly attached to a collar or harness.
Removes the 24-hour waiting period previously required that prevented animal control or law enforcement officers from taking immediate action when they found a freezing or suffering dog.

Unfortunately, the Safe Outdoors Dog Act does not prevent owners from tethering dogs or from keeping them outdoors. But it does define base-level requirements to ensure the dog gets adequate shelter and water, and limits the types of restraints allowed to be used.

The Safe Outdoors Dog Act was made possible due to the work of Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN), and signed into law on October 25, 2021, after what THLN calls "the most contentious Texas legislative session in memory." The organization has been working on this legislation for six years, during which it was targeted by an extremist lawmaker and unexpectedly vetoed.

Of all the changes, the organization views the removal of the 24-hour warning period as the most significant change, allowing animal control officers to take immediate action for tethered dogs in distress.

The other big win is the banning of chains, which can tangle, rust, and break, and often cause pain and injury.

The Safe Outdoor Dogs Act does not apply to dogs who are:

Attached to a cable-tie out or trolley system
Camping or using other public recreational areas
Herding livestock or assisting with farming tasks
Hunting or participating in field trials
In an open-air truck bed while the owner completes a temporary task

To encourage dog owners to get on board, THLN has created the following list of nonprofits and civic groups who will help:

DALLAS/FORT WORTH: SPCA of Texas’ Russell H. Perry Pet Resource Center provides temporary support to pet owners in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex who are experiencing financial hardship and are at risk of having to surrender their pets. Contact: helpmypet@spca.org

NORTH TEXAS: The Love Pit is a Dallas-based nonprofit that improves the quality of life for pit bull-type dogs through rescue, education, and outreach in the DFW area. Contact: info@thelovepitrescue.org

BASTROP & TRAVIS COUNTIES: Dejando Huella ATX – donates dog houses & specializes in outreach to Spanish-speaking dog owners. Contact: dejando.huella.atx@gmail.com

CORPUS CHRISTI: People Assisting Animal Control organizes pet wellness & educational events, distributing cable tie-outs. Contact: cmmutt70@aol.com

MCLENNAN COUNTY: Cribs For Canines provides dog houses to under-resourced dog owners. Contact: Cribs for Canines (cribs4canines.com)

MIDLAND: Fix West Texas donates dog houses and other pet supplies to under-resourced dog owners. Contact: karen@fixwesttexas.org

TRAVIS COUNTY: The City of Austin Fencing Assistance Program donates fence material to under-resourced dog owners in Travis County. The city also donates dog houses to qualified residents. Contact: Amber.Harvey@austintexas.gov

TYLER: The SPCA of East Texas donates doghouses and other pet supplies to under-resourced dog owners. Contact: spca@spcaeasttx.com

VICTORIA: South Texas Tales – donates dog houses and other resources to under-resourced dog owners. Contact: southtexastails@yahoo.com

WICHITA FALLS: Chain Off Wichita Falls – donates fencing materials and labor for under-resourced dog owners. Contact: chainoffwf@gmail.com

WILLIAMSON COUNTY: Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter – serving Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Hutto, and rural Williamson County. Donates dog houses and other items to under-resourced dog owners. Contact: wcras@wilco.org

Fences for Fido also provides support and mentorship to groups dedicated to getting dogs off chains. Contact: katrina.FencesForFido@gmail.com

pets

closing the gaps

Texas no longer leads U.S. for racial progress, new report says

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Dallas

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center/Facebook

WalletHub's report is released annually ahead of MLK Day.

Texas has been overtaken as the No. 1 state that has made the most racial progress, according to a new study.

The Lone Star State led the nation in 2025, but now ranks in third place behind Georgia (No. 1) and Mississippi (No. 2). It also ranked No. 5 nationally in the list of states with the most racial integration.

WalletHub's "States That Have Made the Most Racial Progress" study is released annually ahead of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The report compares all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 22 relevant metrics divided into two main rankings: racial integration (which the study defines as "the current integration levels of white people and Black people") and racial progress (defined as "the levels of racial progress achieved over time").

The report's author clarifies that the study focuses only on the racial integration between Black people and white people "in light of racial tensions in recent years that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement."

"We released this report ahead of the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement to end segregation and discrimination against Black people," the report says.

The study further divided each ranking into four main categories measuring the gaps between white people and Black people over time; spanning employment and wealth, education, social and civic engagement, and health. Texas performed the best in education and health, ranking No. 4 nationally in both categories, and it ranked in sixth place for its social and civic engagement. The state ranked 16th in the category for employment and wealth.

According to WalletHub, Texas has "done a lot" to reduce gaps in health outcomes for white and Black residents, such as reducing gaps in health insurance coverage, and reducing the share of Black Texans suffering from "poor health" and diabetes. It also notes that Texas "made the second-most progress when it comes to obesity," but it did not acknowledge the racial bias in body mass index (BMI) that has been increasingly flagged in recent years.

The report further praises Texas for reducing the gap in business ownership between white and Black Texans, and for its improvement in reducing discrimination in the parole system. WalletHub does not offer data behind the parole claim.

"It’s encouraging to look at the data and see that some states have made significant strides toward racial equality over the past few decades," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo regarding the overall report. "This change demonstrates that state-level policies and residents’ attitudes regarding equality have grown considerably better."

Though racial disparity gaps are closing between white and Black people, racial profiling and discrimination is still a major issue affecting Black people and other people of color across the country.

In 2023, a senate bill banned public Texas universities from having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs, prompting warnings of discrimination against Black, Hispanic, and other marginalized students, including those with disabilities.

The top 10 states with the most racial progress in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Georgia
No. 2 – Mississippi
No. 3 – Texas
No. 4 – North Carolina
No. 5 – Maryland
No. 6 – Florida
No. 7 – New Jersey
No. 8 – Massachusetts
No. 9 – Louisiana
No. 10 – New Mexico

wallethub texas report mlk day