Just Say No To Chains

Throughout the year I read stories about bad things happening to dogs who are chained outside, sometimes due to neglect and cruelty, other times not. Like the story in today's Trib about the young pit bull who was stung more than 1000 times by bees and died a horrible death. The owner had no idea there was a huge bees' nest under her neighbor's trailer. She loved her dog and considered it part of the family. She mourns the loss of her pet. I sympathize with her, but I also find fault with anyone who ties a dog outside. What chance did her beloved dog have of escaping those bees? From the sounds of it, he wasn't even near their nest. He was stuck in a place the bees chose to come to. My dogs have been stung by a single bee or wasp and let me tell you, they run for momma. That dog would have at least had a chance of surviving if it had not been on a chain.

Dogs Deserve Better is a non profit group dedicated to freeing chained dogs nationwide. According to their website, besides being a miserable existence for the animal, chained dogs are often unsocialized and can become territorial and aggressive towards other animals and humans. DSB claims that chained dogs have been responsible for the death of over 200 children since 2003. DSB makes it easier to educate people you encounter who are chaining their dogs. They offer a printable version of a letter or door hanger that features the photo of a beautiful canine and reads "Please don't shut me out. I want to be with you." It offers gentle words to encourage the dog owner to reconsider their practice of chaining. If you see a chained dog and are not comfortable leaving literature yourself, you can send the owners name and address to DSB and they will send a letter.

Unchain Your Dog is a beautiful website about a couple in Arkansas who have done an enormous amount of work towards freeing chained dogs. You can read about the most recent work to pass laws, plus what laws are being passed in different areas of the country. There's a link to an article about the city of Miami passing an ordinance against chaining. There's also a poignant comic strip about chained dogs done by Mutts creator, Patrick McDonnell. Chaining dogs is no more acceptable than chaining humans. If a person does not have a fenced yard and intends to put their dog outside on it's own, then fencing should be installed before they adopt a dog. There are dogs who live in cities like New York, who live healthy, happy lives being walked on leashes and visiting dogparks. But a dog is not happy, healthy or safe tethered outside for long hours without human interaction.

*Update on the story of the dog that died from bee stings: Today the Trib reported that someone is donating a puppy to the family. People tend to react impulsively when they're moved by sympathy. But this tells me that the owner of the puppy who has a fresh litter of 11 pit bull mixes, is willing to give her dogs to people who will tie them outside. My hope is that the woman who lost her dog to bee stings has learned a hard lesson and will not subject the new puppy to the same circumstances. Along with the person giving her a puppy, Pet Angel Memorial Services offered her free cremation and memorial services for her dog. I think a fence company offering free services is what she needs.