Is Your Dog the Love of Your Life? Help Us Make Other Dogs as Lucky During our Have a Heart for Chained Dogs 2008 Campaign

Join us February 7-14th for Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week. OUR GOAL in our 6th Season is to SEND OUT 10,000 VALENTINES TO CHAINED or PENNED DOGS.

We are striving to raise awareness for chained and penned dogs in a positive way...by delivering Valentines, a brochure and a treat coupon to dogs living outside all over the U.S. and into other countries where we have representation, such as Canada and Australia.

Here's where you come in:

1. Make Valentines. Teachers, Students, Scout Leaders, Group Leaders, Individuals please make Valentines! Since last year we had more Valentines than addresses, we're asking you to stress quality over quantity this year...we'd rather have 10,000 awesome valentines that REALLY hit home with dog caretakers. To see what others have done, see the link above. The valentines can say anything along the lines of 'Bring us into the home and family.' Send them to us by February 5th at P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684.

2. Mail Coupons for Free or Reduced Cost Treats or Dogfood. Last year we did not have enough treat coupons to fill all the Valentines. Can you help us out this year by mailing any and all treat or dogfood coupons you have to us at P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684?

3. Send addresses for Chained or Penned Dogs. This is so CRUCIAL! Please, take the time to find out the address of that chained or penned dog near you, even though it takes a little time...last year we did not make our goal, and we'd really like to make the goal this year!! To make our goal, we need to mail at least 10,000 Valentines. Send address via mail, call 877.636.1408 to report addresses, e-mail them to info@dogsdeservebetter.org. or fill out the form, below (preferred). You remain anonymous! (Note: the form does not give you a thank you, but automatically resets to this page for those with multiple addresses...don't worry, the addresses are coming through fine. While it is now too late to send in addresses for this year’s Valentine campaign, if you still want to submit addresses, they will receive a letter and a brochure for educational purposes, so feel free to submit your addresses here.)

In 2007 we delivered over 7300 Valentines to chained or penned dogs!

Why do we do what we do, work so hard for the chained dogs? I'm Waiting...A Look Back at DDB may help you understand why. This slideshow was put together by Aubrie Kavanaugh, a DDB supporter in Alabama. It's a look back at our origins and some of the dogs we've rescued, and it really does touch the heart to see how everyone has pulled together to take in so many dogs and give them the life they deserve. Thank you, both to Aubrie for such a great production, and to every one of you who has reached out to a chained dog near you.

“Winter is a critical time to reach out directly to the people who chain their dogs, and what better excuse than Valentine’s Day to send these forgotten animals a little love,” says Tammy Grimes, founder and director of the five-year-old non-profit. “Every winter our rescuers see dogs that have frozen in the snow, suffered frostbite, or otherwise endured horrific living conditions because of the longstanding misperception that it is appropriate to chain a dog outside in any kind of weather.”

“This is the perfect opportunity for people who pass chained dogs every day, or who live next door to these poor animals, but feel powerless to make a difference,” continues Grimes. “People can anonymously provide us with the addresses of these dogs, or perhaps make a batch of Valentines, and we do the rest.”

Valentines are needed at the Dogs Deserve Better headquarters in Tipton, PA by February 5th. The group is also seeking coupons for free or low-cost dog treats to include with their packets. To participate by creating Valentines or mailing coupons, send them to P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684. Interested parties may e-mail info@dogsdeservebetter.org, or call 814.941.7447 for further details.

Dogs Deserve Better invites volunteers and groups nationwide to deliver Valentines to local chained dogs. The group is greatly in need of addresses for chained/penned dogs, and sponsors for the program.

If you sponsor a Valentine for a Chained or Penned Dog during this time, we will do one of two things: Mail a valentine, brochure and treat coupon out to a chained or penned dog of your choice, please provide the address in the message area; or, mail and/or hand deliver to another dog who needs a Valentine and treats.

All valentines will be sent anonymously, unless you specifically ask for your first or full name to be included. And any information that is sent out with the valentine will include only the name of the Dogs Deserve Better organization. Therefore, any information you give us is strictly confidential, unless you direct otherwise.

Dogs Deserve Better will Hold Two Valentine Stuffing Parties For all State College, Bellwood, Altoona, Pennsylvania volunteers:

PLEASE try to make one of these two Valentine stuffing parties! We hope to be totally swamped and overwhelmed with Valentines this year, and need as much help as we can get. Please forward to all your dog-loving friends. We try to make this a very fun party, and you're working for a great event: you could possibly save a life with each Valentine you stuff!

Dogs Deserve Better needs volunteers to stuff and ready for mailing as many as 10,000 Valentines for dogs this year! Two stuffing parties, one in State College and one in Bellwood, will be held to enable more people to participate.

Party #1
Bellwood Library
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Saturday, February 9th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Lunch and Drinks will be provided
If you'd like to bring a snack/dessert
to share, you're welcome to!

Party #2
State College, Pennsylvania
State College High School
Library, North Building
Thursday night, Feb. 7th at 7 p.m.

Sponsor Valentines

1 for $3.00

2 for $5.00

5 for $10.00

12 for $20.00

30 for $50.00

65 for $100.00

As always, you are more than welcome to sponsor by phone at 1.877.636.1408 or mail, just send a check or money order and ordering information—what, how many, etc. to P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684, and we'll follow your request! Be sure to provide contact information in case we have questions.

From Sallie, Wisconsin: "It is close to Valentine's Day, and could you send one of these cards to Ozzie, a 10 plus year old dog of mixed breed. The light has gone out of his eyes, and his bark is now nothing more than a small sound..." (Sallie, if you're reading this, please contact us, We have someone who wants to try to help Ozzie further. We cannot find your contact info.)

From Claudia Sisti, Pennsylvania: "I volunteer for Furry Friends Network, and my 4th grade ESL students made these cards. While I was explaining why we were making them, one of my girls, Alondra, cried. This cause really touched her. Sure hope the cards open other's eyes too."

Please help fund the project! It's a large undertaking, and we need your help today. Any donations you make will be tax deductible.

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