A meeting in Stamford Tuesday night centered on whether to outlaw leaving dogs tied up alone unsupervised.

Rep. Jonathan Jacobson is hoping Stamford will be the first community in Connecticut to outlaw tying up a dog without supervision.

He said other places in the country have similar rules and that tying up dogs and leaving them alone leads the canines to develop behavior problems such as barking.

"This turns good dogs into difficult dogs, timid dogs into aggressive dogs, and aggressive dogs into dangerous dogs," Jacobson said.​

His proposal set off a lively debate at a public hearing online, with some saying that the bill is extreme.

However, Jacobson said there would be exceptions.

"You need to go change a sprinkler, answer the phone, feed your baby, that's fine. We are not trying to punish people from temporarily leaving their dogs," Jacobson said. He believes the shift will lead to a happier life for the city's pets. "They're part of our lives and they're social beings. They shouldn't be left outside."

A committee approved the bill which will go to a final vote by the board of representatives on July 12.