Raina Spaziani and Animal Support Project,
Connecticut, Chained

Photo by John Shishmanian/Norwich Bulletin
From left, Raina Spaziani of Griswold, Angela Adams of Voluntown and Renee Jowett of Griswold, with her English bulldog, Spanky, chained themselves Tuesday as part of an effort to stop chaining dogs for long periods.

Raina Spaziani
Animal Support Project
Griswold 
Voluntown Rd (Rte 138)
Tuesday July 3rd, 2007 
8 am - TBA
860-376-5756 
Raina@sunauctions.net

Women in Griswold wear chains to show dogs' plight

By JULIE A.
VARUGHESE
Norwich Bulletin

GRISWOLD -- For eight hours Tuesday, three women chained themselves in the front yard of Renee Jowett's home on Route 138 to make a point about the cruelty of chaining and tethering dogs.

In the yard was a doghouse, snacks, books to pass the time and signs advertising "Chain Off 2007: Unchain the 50" campaign, a nationwide effort by the nonprofit group www.DogsDeserveBetter.org to raise awareness and pass bills in states that do not have laws againt chaining and tethering dogs for extended periods of time.

Four states, including Connecticut, have laws prohibiting chaining. Many more communities across the country prohibit chaining or tethering.

The Animal Support Project, whose original goal was to raise money to build a new dog pound and a dog park in Griswold, already raised $950 in pledges for DogsDeserveBetter.org before the day began. Its goal was to raise an additional $50 Tuesday.

Unlike the lightweight chains the women had attached to their neck collars, the chains worn by dogs usually are much heavier.

"And we weigh more than most dogs," said Raina Spaziani of Griswold.

Spaziani said the women received mixed reactions Tuesday.

"Some people think that you're nuts," she said. "And other people, once you tell them, you get, 'Oh, there are dogs in my neighborhood that are chained.' "

On its Web site, DogsDeserveBetter.org notes isolated dogs are 2.5 times more likely to bite and between October 2003 and August 2005, at least 46 U.S. children were killed or seriously injured by chained dogs.

Connecticut has a law that prohibits chaining or tethering for an "unreasonable period of time." Spaziani said an extended period means more than six hours. The first offense carries a fine of no more than $100.

Spaziani said California recently enacted a law that prohibits chaining and confinement for more than three hours.

"That is huge," she said. "California will eventually set the precedent for the rest of the country."

The Animal Support Project's next goal is to free a Rottweiler that has been chained for six years.

"Why even have a dog?" Adams asked. "Our dogs are part of our family."

Reach Julie A. Varughese at 425-4217 or jvarughese@norwichbulletin.com

 

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