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Get
your
Chain Off 2007 Attire!
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Lanya
Bailey-Harrell Woman chains herself to dog house to draw attention to animal cruelty ANDREA
MOSS - Staff Writer, www.nctimes.com FALLBROOK ---- Lanya Bailey-Harrell will tell you it breaks her heart to think of any dog being kept on a tether or penned up for long periods because the practice is cruel. On Saturday, the De Luz resident chained herself to a doghouse for nine hours in an effort to bring others around to her view. Waving a bright-yellow sign with a photo of a chained dog and the words, "Dogs Deserve Better," in front of the Fallbrook Fertilizer Feed and Farm Supply store on West Fallbrook Street, Bailey-Harrell said she hoped the shock of seeing a human on a chain would prompt people to question the wisdom of limiting dogs' freedom in that fashion. "I'm trying to be the voice for those who can't speak for themselves," she said. "They are pack animals, so they need to be socialized and they need to be around people and other animals." Her effort earned her thumbs-ups, cheers and other encouragement from many people headed into the feed store or passing on the road. Others just stared or barely glanced at her. A state law that took affect Jan. 1 made chaining a dog to a stationary object for more than three hours at a time a misdemeanor. California was the first state to restrict the practice. Bailey-Harrell's action was part of a national protest organized by the nonprofit organization Dogs Deserve Better. The group is trying to get more states to limit or ban the practice. Bailey-Harrell said that 108 people in 35 states participated in the protest, dubbed "Unchain the 50" in a reference to the 50 states. An owner of several dogs, Bailey-Harrell said she questioned her decision to chain herself up Saturday, as she drove to the feed store. "I thought, 'What am I doing,' " she said. "But there are dogs that go through that all day." Equipped with a cooler stocked with cold water, a padded dog bed and bales of hay to sit on, and an umbrella that provided shade within the range of her chain, Bailey-Harrell said she had it better than many chained or penned canines. Some of those animals end up with their chains embedded in their necks because they are tethered so long, she said. Dogs secured that way also cannot escape coyote attacks, she said. Those threats aside, keeping a canine chained or penned most of the time is cruel because dogs are social creatures that need interaction with humans and other animals, Bailey-Harrell said. People can provide that by bringing their pets into their homes or walking them, she added. Passers-by who stopped to chat with her seemed to agree. They included Michael Fox of Fallbrook, who said his own two dogs live "privileged lives, unchecked." "I think you're very brave, and I applaud that," he told Bailey-Harrell. "(Chaining is) really very cruel. If you want me to sign a petition or something for that, I will." Bailey-Harrell sent Fox home with Dogs Deserve Better pamphlets. "They give us so much, (they're) so loyal," she said about canines. "Why not bring them inside and spend some time with them. And if you didn't want a dog in your home, then why get one? Adopt it out." Contact staff writer Andrea Moss at (760) 739-6654 or amoss@nctimes.com.
Woman chains herself up like dog www.thevillagenews.com Photo: Fred Chase FALLBROOK — On July 7, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lanya Bailey-Harrell of Fallbrook chained herself to a doghouse at Fallbrook Fertilizer Feed & Farm Supply to bring awareness to perpetually chained canines. Bailey-Harrell participated in the annual “Chain Off” organized by the nonprofit Dogs Deserve Better. The organization has held this event around the July 4 holiday for the last five years in order to raise awareness about a practice that is still widely accepted but increasingly recognized as one of the worst forms of abuse to which a dog can be subjected: keeping it chained or penned for its entire life. “Living chained to a doghouse will be grueling and unimaginable for those of us who are so used to coming and going as we please,” said Susan Hartland, organizer of the Atlanta and Seattle events and a Dogs Deserve Better area representative. “But the discomfort we will endure is nothing compared to the daily suffering of many of our nation’s dogs who spend their entire lives at the end of a chain, living in a small patch of mud, their chains wrapped around a tree, baking in the summer sun or freezing in the winter cold.” Last year, California became the first state to pass a law limiting the amount of time a dog may be tethered to a stationary object. Note from Lanya I wanted to send you a special "thank you" for all your support and donations in this event. It was a success in the fact that we raised approximately $827.00 and got the word out to many regarding the importance on not chaining/penning your dogs. I could not have done it without all your donations and morale support. I really appreciate the folks that were able to stop by for my support also. It was a long day, but nothing compared to what numerous dogs go through every day of their lives. I had more luxury accommodations than most dogs, such as cold water and shade. It is one thing to know that it is inhumane to confine dogs for their life time, but to experience it for one day brings it closer to reality. Don't forget to help educate others out there on this issue (and the state law). If you need any brochures or information, please contact me. I think one day in the dog house was enough for me, but it was a day well spent. Thanks again! Lanya
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