Jamie
Oswalt, Marion, Indiana

Jamie
Oswalt
Marion
Court House Square
July 6, 2007
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
sunnystorm0727@yahoo.com
Excerpt
from Variety
makes event success
Photo
and article BY ANDREW NEEL
aneel@marion.gannett.com
July's
edition of First Fridays can best be described in one word: diversity.
A
Miami Indian led an American Indian chant on the stage at the
west end of the courthouse square early Friday evening as a preview
of this weekend's pow-wow festival.
While the sounds of the American Indian drums reverberated in
the air, Jamie Oswalt was sitting on top of a doghouse at the
north courthouse steps.
She
was chained to the structure from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday to raise
awareness for Dogs Deserve Better, a nonprofit organization dedicated
to helping chained and penned dogs.
"Now
I know what it feels like to be a dog that is chained up,"
Oswalt said. "It's very hot and exhausting. I am very fortunate
that tonight I get to leave. I get to unchain myself."

Marion
Chronicle Tribune article, and pasted below in case the link
no longer works:
GUEST
COLUMN
Jamie Oswalt guest column: Education, help available for local
dog owners
First Friday will play host to fundraiser
I
am an area representative with Dogs Deserve Better, who educates
and assists dog owners with chained and penned dogs.
This
organization is nationwide and evolving faster than what the founder,
Tammy Grimes, had expected.
Our position is to educate dog owners of the cruelty, isolation
from family members and mental and physical effects it has on
the dog.
We
have owners who welcome the education and assistance we offer
with fencing, basic obedience, house and crate training. Other
dog owners who don't care about their dogs relinquish their ownership
to us. In this situation, the organization pays for medical bills,
including spay/neuter, heartworm test and vaccinations and deworming.
The
overwhelming amount of chained/penned dogs alone in Marion has
created a need for foster homes. Me and Marie Belanger, my fellow
representative, are the only two representatives in the entire
state and need the public's assistance. There are requirements
and paperwork to fill out in order to become a foster parent.
If you live in the city, county or surrounding area and are interested
in becoming a foster parent, please contact Marie at chainsoff@sbcglobal.net
or myself at oswalt74@yahoo.com. If you do not have access to
the Internet, you can reach Marie, 1-765-517-1532, or me, at 1-765-506-0607.
Please
join Marie and me on July 6 at First Friday in downtown Marion
for the Dogs Deserve Better fifth annual "Unchain the 50"
chain off. I will be chained to a doghouse from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
at the courthouse square. As a nonprofit, we struggle to make
ends meet. Monetary donations and sponsors for my "chaining"
are so greatly needed and appreciated.
You
also can go to our Web site and click on "Unchain the 50,"
scroll down until you see Indiana and sponsor me. Merchandise
will also be available for sale. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization,
and any donations you make will be tax-deductible.
Thank
you, Marion, for your dedication and love to our four-legged family
members. They do deserve better.
Jamie
Oswalt is the Marion representative, Region 6, for Dogs Deserve
Better.
Originally published June 25, 2007

Excerpt
from July's
First Friday includes old, new activities
BY
ANDREW NEEL
aneel@marion.gannett.com, www.chronicle-tribune.com
July's
edition of First Fridays will include both the familiar and the
unusual.
The
monthly community festival will be today at the courthouse square.
In addition to the food vendors, rides and activities present
at every First Fridays, July's event includes a woman chained
to a doghouse, a bench press competition and a newlywed game.
Marion resident Jamie Oswalt will chain herself to a doghouse
on the square from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today to raise awareness for
the nonprofit organization Dogs Deserve Better.
Oswalt
is one of 104 people in 34 states participating in Chain OFF 2007,
an event designed to educate people about the neglect of chained
and penned dogs.
"Dogs
that are constantly chained don't get any socialization,"
said Marie Belanger, DDB's regional representative. "They
become lonely and frustrated and that causes a lot of bad behavior.
Eventually, a little kid could wander too close to their chain
and get attacked."

We
can now accept donations over the phone
using a major credit card at 1.877.636.1408.
If
you'd like to donate via regular USPS mail, you may print
out this
form in .pdf
format, and send to P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684