CHAINING YOUR DOG--

GOOD OR BAD?

As rescuers we have seen the worst of the worst when it comes to animal abuse and neglect.  In most situations, chaining or tethering a dog for more than an limited time can be considered abuse by certain authorities.  We here at rescue are completely against it and consider it abuse. 

  The worst I have personally seen was a 8 pound dog, chained to a pole that only had a three feet all the way around, which didn't make a difference because, the chain he was chained to weighed over 12 pounds.  He nearly strangled himself one day trying to reach his water bowl.   Unnecessary and cruel.  Thankfully, the person that was responsible was brought up on charges and received jail time and probation for cruelty to animals. 

The worst rescue has ever seen was a small dachshund who was chained to a pole with approximately a five foot radius, his food and water, when he had food and water was always out of reach and because he was hungry and cold, he would bark.  In retaliation, the owner would walk out, scream at the dog, and while the dog ran around away from him, he would catch up and kick the dog, beating him, at times, unconscious.  This was witnessed by several, and I mean several neighbors.  It was a regular occurrence.  Unfortunately, he lived in an area, where the authorities were not concerned to much because there was no proof. (he was always tipped off when authorities were coming and he would unchain the dog and bring him inside, which was the only human contact he ever received other than beatings).  After witnessing too many times, a neighbor, while the owner was out on a bender, actually hopped the fence with bolt cutters and cut the dog free and turned the guy over to rescue (which we did not know about until after she turned the dog over and do not recommend ever, always call authorities first).

The poor guy, which was a little guy.  Underwent so much damage he almost had to be put down.  His back legs had been broken so many times from the beatings that he could not use them.  The collar he had on which was a chain had to be cut away from his skin.  He had no control over his bowels and bladder because of the beatings, but when the woman picked the dog up the first time, she found a small kiss planted on her nose.  With a lot of determination and a great vet, he was able to  survive for many years.  He had to wear a diaper and he had to used a wheely cart, but this little guy was a fighter and a survivor.  Although he always showed signs of the beatings, when you bent down to pet him, he would cower and sometimes even whimper.  That was the worst we knew about.  Unfortunately, there are far worse cases out there, some you find too late.  But like we say here in rescue, YOU have a voice, the animals do not.  They cannot call the police and tell them that they are being mistreated and beaten.  YOU CAN.  

If you cannot spend enough time with your animal and feel the answer is to chain them up in the back yard or wherever, then please consider giving them up for adoption or to a shelter where they can find a new home where they can be loved and doted over.

 Animals remember everything and scar mentally as well as physically from the heavy chains that they wear because owners feel it is easier to leave them like that.  Not to mention the danger or possible strangulation, the possibility of becoming prey, if you live in an area with coyotes or mountain lions, and in certain areas, large birds of prey.

Please read and if you know of someone doing this to an animal, please speak up!

Reprinted by permission of The Humane Society of the United States." 

 The Humane Society of the United States

Tethering or chaining dogs.

 1. What is meant by "chaining" or "tethering" dogs?

These terms refer to the practice of fastening a dog to a stationary object or stake, usually in the owner's backyard, as a means of keeping the animal under control. These terms do not refer to the periods when an animal is walked on a leash.

2. Is there a problem with continuous chaining or tethering?

Yes, the practice is both inhumane and a threat to the safety of the confined dog, other animals, and humans.

3. Why is tethering dogs inhumane?

Dogs are naturally social beings who thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals. A dog kept chained in one spot for hours, days, months, or even years suffers immense psychological damage. An otherwise friendly and docile dog, when kept continuously chained, becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and often aggressive.

In many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered with sores, the result of improperly fitted collars and the dogs' constant yanking and straining to escape confinement. Dogs have even been found with collars embedded in their necks, the result of years of neglect at the end of a chain. In one case, a veterinarian had to euthanize a dog whose collar, an electrical cord, was so embedded in the animal's neck that it was difficult to see the plug.

4. Who says tethering dogs is inhumane?

In addition to The Humane Society of the United States and numerous animal experts, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a statement in the July 2, 1996, Federal Register against tethering:

"Our experience in enforcing the Animal Welfare Act has led us to conclude that continuous confinement of dogs by a tether is inhumane. A tether significantly restricts a dog's movement. A tether can also become tangled around or hooked on the dog's shelter structure or other objects, further restricting the dog's movement and potentially causing injury."

5. How does tethering or chaining dogs pose a danger to humans?

Dogs tethered for long periods can become highly aggressive. Dogs feel naturally protective of their territory; when confronted with a perceived threat, they respond according to their fight-or-flight instinct. A chained dog, unable to take flight, often feels forced to fight, attacking any unfamiliar animal or person who unwittingly wanders into his or her territory.

Numerous attacks on people by tethered dogs have been documented. For example, a study published in the September 15, 2000, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reported that 17% of dogs involved in fatal attacks on humans between 1979 and 1998 were restrained on their owners' property at the time of the attack. Tragically, the victims of such attacks are often children who are unaware of the chained dog's presence until it is too late. Furthermore, a tethered dog who finally does get loose from his chains may remain aggressive, and is likely to chase and attack unsuspecting passersby and pets.

6. Why is tethering dangerous to dogs?

In addition to the psychological damage wrought by continuous chaining, dogs forced to live on a chain make easy targets for other animals, humans, and biting insects. A chained animal may suffer harassment and teasing from insensitive humans, stinging bites from insects, and, in the worst cases, attacks by other animals. Chained dogs are also easy targets for thieves looking to steal animals for sale to research institutions or to be used as training fodder for organized animal fights. Finally, dogs' tethers can become entangled with other objects, which can choke or strangle the dogs to death.

7. Are these dogs dangerous to other animals?

In some instances, yes. Any other animal that comes into their area of confinement is in jeopardy. Cats, rabbits, smaller dogs, and others may enter the area when the tethered dog is asleep and then be fiercely attacked when the dog awakens.

8. Are tethered dogs otherwise treated well?

Rarely does a chained or tethered dog receive sufficient care. Tethered dogs suffer from sporadic feedings, overturned water bowls, inadequate veterinary care, and extreme temperatures. During snow storms, these dogs often have no access to shelter. During periods of extreme heat, they may not receive adequate water or protection from the sun. What's more, because their often neurotic behavior makes them difficult to approach, chained dogs are rarely given even minimal affection. Tethered dogs may become "part of the scenery" and can be easily ignored by their owners.

9. Are the areas in which tethered dogs are confined usually comfortable?

No, because the dogs have to eat, sleep, urinate, and defecate in a single confined area. Owners who chains their dogs are also less likely to clean the area. Although there may have once been grass in an area of confinement, it is usually so beaten down by the dog's pacing that the ground consists of nothing but dirt or mud.

10. But how else can people confine dogs?

The HSUS recommends that all dogs be kept indoors at night, taken on regular walks, and otherwise provided with adequate attention, food, water, and veterinary care. If an animal must be housed outside at certain times, he should be placed in a suitable pen with adequate square footage and shelter from the elements.

11. Should chaining or tethering ever be allowed?

To become well-adjusted companion animals, dogs should interact regularly with people and other animals, and should receive regular exercise. It is an owner's responsibility to properly restrain her dog, just as it is the owner's responsibility to provide adequate attention and socialization. Placing an animal on a restraint to get fresh air can be acceptable if it is done for a short period. However, keeping an animal tethered for long periods is never acceptable.

12. If a dog is chained or tethered for a period of time, can it be done humanely?

Animals who must be kept on a tether should be secured in such a way that the tether cannot become entangled with other objects. Collars used to attach an animal should be comfortable and properly fitted; choke chains should never be used. Restraints should allow the animal to move about and lie down comfortably. Animals should never be tethered during natural disasters such as floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, or blizzards.

13. What about attaching a dog's leash to a "pulley run"?

Attaching a dog's leash to a long line—such as a clothesline or a manufactured device known as a pulley run—and letting the animal have a larger area in which to explore is preferable to tethering the dog to a stationary object. However, many of the same problems associated with tethering still apply, including attacks on or by other animals, lack of socialization, and safety.

14. What can be done to correct the problem of tethering dogs?

At least 25 communities have passed laws that regulate the practice of tethering animals. Maumelle, Arkansas; Tucson, Arizona; and New Hanover, North Carolina, are a few communities that prohibit the chaining or tethering of dogs as a means of continuous confinement. Many other communities allow tethering only under certain conditions; Jefferson County, Kentucky, for example, prohibits dogs from being tethered for more than eight hours in any 24-hour period.

15. Why should a community outlaw the continuous chaining or tethering of dogs?

Animal control and humane agencies receive countless calls every day from citizens concerned about animals in these cruel situations. Animal control officers, paid at taxpayer expense, spend many hours trying to educate pet owners about the dangers and cruelty involved in this practice.

A chained animal is caught in a vicious cycle; frustrated by long periods of boredom and social isolation, he becomes a neurotic shell of his former self—further deterring human interaction and kindness. In the end, the helpless dog can only suffer the frustration of watching the world go by in isolation—a cruel fate for what is by nature a highly social animal. Any city, county, or state that bans this practice is a safer, more humane community.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT A DOG THAT

 IS LEFT OUTSIDE?

The HSUS strongly recommends that all pets be kept indoors with the family. We do not discourage pet owners from letting their dogs spend time outside, as long as the animals are supervised and under control at all times. But leaving a dog outside for long periods, especially if he or she is chained or otherwise tethered, can be physically, emotionally, and behaviorally detrimental. Dogs need companionship, care, exercise, and attention.

Tethering or otherwise leaving a dog outside for an extended period without supervision not only deprives the animal of these things, but can also lead to behavior problems (including aggression). It may place the dog in serious physical danger: A confined or tethered dog is unable to escape the harsh effects of weather (heat, cold, storms, etc.), attack by other animals, or theft or abuse by humans. The HSUS receives countless calls and letters from pet owners and neighbors about dogs who have died from exposure or been stolen, abused, or even killed while left tied outside.

If you are concerned about a dog who is frequently tethered or otherwise left outside without proper shelter, food, or water, please contact your local humane society or animal control agency. A growing number of anti-cruelty laws and ordinances include "adequate care standards" that make it illegal to keep a dog outside without proper shelter in inclement weather or dangerous temperatures. (A few communities have even enacted ordinances prohibiting the tethering of dogs.)

Your local animal care and control organization will be familiar with the laws and ordinances that apply to your particular area and situation. Even if the dog's owner is not violating any laws, an animal control officer or cruelty investigator may be able to persuade and empower the dog owner to take steps to improve the situation. In some instances, persuading the individual to voluntarily give up the dog is the best solution for the animal.

The easiest way to find your local humane society or animal control agency is online at www.Pets911.com. Here you can enter your zip code and find a list of animal shelters, animal control agencies, and other animal care organizations in your community. You may also want to call Information or look in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under listings such as "animal shelter," "humane society," or "animal control." Public animal care and control agencies are often listed under the city or county health department or police department.

If you are interested in getting a law enacted to ban the practice of tethering in your community, or if you would like to strengthen other animal protection laws already in place, please contact The HSUS at 2100 L Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037; 202-452-1100.

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT LOCAL AUTHORITIES IF YOU BELIEVE AN ANIMAL IS BEING MISTREATED AND ABUSED...IF YOU NEED INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US AT Duranie@dslextreme.com or CeeJAYS03@aol.com.