Alabama legislature passes bill setting statewide rules for outdoor dog tethering

On 2026-04-08, the Alabama House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 361 after amending it to set statewide rules for tethering and confining dogs outdoors. The bill was carried by Rep. Phillip Ensler and had the backing of Senate pro tempore and sponsor Sen. Garlan Gudger, according to the article. The measure also creates enforcement authority for animal control officers and law enforcement and adds a tiered misdemeanor penalty structure.