WV HB5550

Establishes specific structural requirements for outdoor dog shelters, mandating four-sided structures with roofs, single openings, moisture-proof and windproof construction, floors raised at least two inches off the ground, and appropriate bedding materials like hay, straw, or cedar shavings

Prohibits dogs from being tethered or kept outside for more than 30 minutes during extreme weather, defined as temperatures at or above 85°F, at or below 32°F, or during severe conditions including thunderstorms, hail, ice, snowstorms, tornadoes, or floods

Requires each tethered or roaming dog to have an individual shelter, with confined dogs allocated approximately 100 square feet of floor space per dog over four months of age

Specifies that inadequate shelters include lean-tos, metal or plastic drums, cardboard boxes, vehicles, and exposed porches or decks

Exempts working dogs from the 30-minute extreme weather restriction, provided an animal control officer or humane officer can inspect and verify the dog is safe from predators and equipped to tolerate its environment