An animal tether system and method wherein the rate of extension and retraction of the tether and/or the length of the tether can be actively controlled at least in part as a function of the angular direction and/or speed and/or length of which the tether extends/retracts. The system can be used to maintain an animal in a non-circular boundary, such as a rectangular space, by controlling how far the tether can extend at certain angular positions. The system also allows a user to block off certain areas within a space from access by the animal.