Being locked in a room with no TV to watch, no radio to listen to and no computer to use. You have no newspaper or books to read and you don't have a telephone. You get no exercise because you are never permitted to leave your small room, so all you can do is pace the perimeter.
Once or twice a day, someone comes to your door and leaves a tray of food and water for you, (if you're lucky) and luckier still if that person spends five minutes talking with you.
During your long years of imprisonment, you will rarely, if ever, get the chance to bathe and you must sleep only inches from where you go to the bathroom, which is never cleaned up, only trodden down from your constant pacing.
Unfortunately, this is the sad and daily existence of thousands of dogs across America and the world that are chained or penned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in backyards for their entire lives, all but forgotten by their "owners".
Humans in this country used to be kept in chains while waiting to be sold at slave auctions. Slaves were treated as "objects" without feelings. Some slaves were tortured by cruel owners.
Similarly, some people now keep dogs in chains and treat them as "objects" without feelings. Dog fighters torture dogs in terribly cruel ways to make them mean.
The Facts
“Dogs thrive on human companionship. Dogs outside don't get a lot of time socializing with people."
“There is not much of a life on the end of a chain."
“Chaining” or “Tethering”
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.
Why Is Chaining Inhumane?
Dogs are naturally social beings who thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals. In the wild, dogs and wolves live, eat, sleep, and hunt with a family of other canines. Dogs are genetically determined to live in a group.
A dog kept chained alone 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. Some chained dogs have collars embedded in their necks, the result of years of neglect at the end of a chain.
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.
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 attacks by other animals.
Dogs' tethers can become entangled with other objects, which can choke or strangle the dogs to death.
Chained dogs are also easy targets for thieves looking to steal animals for sale to research institutions or to be used as training for organized animal fights.
Dogs should 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.
In January, Virginia Beach City Council made tethering dogs for more than three hours illegal.
Hampton, Suffolk and Williamsburg follow state law that allows tethering but requires dog owners to provide enough food, water and shelter and enough chain.
You Can Help
Bring your dog inside!
Call your local animal control office.
Put up a fence.
Replace ill-fitting, old collars.
Provide food and fresh water EVERY day.
Take your dog on walks!
Provide your dog with flea treatment, heartworm preventative, and annual worming.
Protect your dog from winter cold.
Provide shade in the summer.
Change the law.
Educate people about chaining!
Provide proper shelter.
Give your dog toys and rawhides
Bring Your Dog Inside!
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