Is It Illegal To Walk Your Cats In South Dakota?
The weather is finally starting to get warmer (well, most days!) which means more opportunities to enjoy the fresh air especially with our four-legged friends.
We all know that dogs are more than happy to take a couple of walks a day outside. But what about our fancy feline friends? Can you walk your cats in the state of South Dakota or even here in Sioux Falls?
Well, it turns out, you actually can take your cats out for walks in Sioux Falls! They just need to have the proper leash before they can strut their stuff in the sunlight.
The Sioux Falls Police Department recently released a cute photo of a cat wearing a harness with a leash attached to it. Even though they are allowed to walk outside on leashes, cats can't do one particular activity that's a neighborhood trend. To my surprise, cats are NOT permitted to freely roam around outside. That means you just can't let your cat outside to stroll around the neighborhood.
Cats escape from houses to get fresh air all the time, so why is this such a big deal? The Sioux Falls Police Department explains, "Be a good neighbor and keep your cat from using your neighbor’s sandbox and flower beds as their litter box. If you do allow your cat outside, you should monitor it and make sure it stays on your property." It's also super important to microchip your pets and to stay up to date on both city licenses and rabies vaccinations in case your cat does run away.
State laws in South Dakota appear to be very pet-friendly when it comes to walking your cats. There are leash laws that are implemented in the state. Hartford, South Dakota, for example, has leash laws that require you to leash your animals on walks. If not, you are facing fines anywhere between $50 to $100. Even Pennington County has its own set of ordinances for allowing animals outside.
So go ahead and let your cats be wild and free...on a leash.