Hello supporters, I'm officially declaring victory on this petition. Several news outlets are reporting the bill's passage and we have word that Governor Northam supports it, so we fully expect him to sign it. I'd like to thank all of you for staying with this process through the highs and lows (more lows than highs). As many of you have stated in the comments, this should have been common sense legislation. But, politics and laws are not always based on what's right; they're often based on money, contributions, and deals. Some of you have also stated that our bill isn't restrictive enough and that we should have pushed for a complete tethering ban or more stringent temperature parameters. While all of us would love to see a complete tethering ban, you must understand the political culture of Virginia and how miraculous any kind of statewide tethering law is. Several counties throughout Virginia already have tethering laws in place, but in rural areas where people hunt and keep 25 beagles outside in the snow because they don't have space in their home for them, it's unrealistic for those county legislators to restrict their constituents. A state law was/is the only way to go. And it doesn't mean that this is the end. This was a massive step in the right direction. Parameters can always be tightened more down the road. It took years for us to get this passed. Now, we have to educate animal control officers on enforcement. But at least we have definitive language in place instead of a loosely-worded law that can be interpreted 5 different ways. Thank you for your support. Gary