Texas Gov. Abbott vetoed a state animal cruelty bill, saying the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act was 'micro-managing'

A Bernese mountain dog looking tired on a couch. — Bernese mountain dog
Jena Ardell/Getty Images

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 474, a state bill expanding animal cruelty laws.
The bill banned pet owners from leaving pets outside without water or shelter, and regulated tether and collar sizes.
Abbott called the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act a form of "micro-managing" and "over-criminalization."
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill Monday that would have expanded animal cruelty laws in the state.

Abbot said in a statement that Senate Bill 474, known as the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, was a form of "micro-managing" and "over-criminalization."

The bill would have made it a misdemeanor for a person to leave a pet outside unattended in a place without proper water and shelter.

It would also require pet owners to ensure collars "fit properly," and said owners couldn't use a chain or too short of a tether to restrain an animal.

Abbott said that Texas already has laws in place that prohibit "true animal cruelty."

"Senate Bill 474 would compel every dog owner, on pain of criminal penalties, to monitor things like the tailoring of the dog's collar, the time the dog spends in the bed of a truck, and the ratio of tether-to-dog length, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail," he said. "Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization."

Author of the bill, state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr told CBS Austin he was "completely blindsided" that Abbott vetoed the bill. Lucio added that Abbott did not ask him about the bill and said he did not believe that the bill would lead to over-criminalization.

"We don't have enough in the books to make sure we protect these animals from harm, mistreatment and possible death," he said.

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