WHITEHALL (WCMH) — Dog owners living in Whitehall will soon have to keep their pets inside at night or face serious consequences. 

Earlier this month Whitehall city council approved a new tethering law saying dogs cannot be tethered between the hours of 10 pm through 7 am. 

Steven Brown has been the animal control officer in Whitehall for a year. 

” I’ve always been the kind of stepped up for the animals,” said Brown. 

Brown, a retired Whitehall police officer says he’s always been a voice for the four-legged voiceless. 

“If you have a dog hopefully that is the family pet and not just a piece of property you keep in your backyard,” said Brown. 

Now he’s asking the city for help to protect dogs left outside at night.

“We went to city council and got the night time tethering ban,” said Brown. 

City council unanimously adopted the law early this month adding to the city’s already existing law saying that no dog can be chained or tethered for more than 12 consecutive hours in a 24 hour period. 

“I can’t watch a dog for 12 straight hours. This nighttime tethering law allows me to see if a dog is tether between those hours and I can enforce that,” said Brown. 

Dog owners we spoke with say this law is far overdue. 

“You don’t know random people could do, your dog can chew out of its leash and get out, I just think it is terrible if your dog isn’t inside,” said dog owner Julie Armstrong. 

Those who violate the law can face a fourth-degree felony punishable by a $250 fine and up to 30 days in jail. 

“I think that is a much better alternative than leaving your dog outside. I know there is some lifestyle that prefer to have their dogs outside if you are on a farm. But if you are living in a neighborhood you should bring your pets inside because you bought them to be a pet, not just some animal that is outside,” said dog owner Kara Blackwell. 

 The law will go into effect on March 27th.