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Thousands
of dogs in South Florida and throughout the country are sentenced
to life imprisonment with no possibility for parole. These dogs
have done nothing wrong and have never committed a crime. Yet they're
subjected to a punishment worse than death - life at the end of
a chain. Many of these dogs are chained up 24/7 and some remain
incarcerated like this for their entire lives. Most of these dogs
have never been for a walk nor played a game of fetch. They have
never enjoyed a ride in a car, and have never known a moment of
love.
Dogs are pack animals and possess a strong need for social interaction.
The cruelest thing you can do to a dog is to force him into solitary
confinement. I find it difficult to comprehend why anyone would
acquire a dog and then choose to ignore the animal for the rest
of his life. You would not banish your human family member to the
backyard or the garage for life, so why would you do this to your
canine family member. Dogs are members of the family, too, and in
some cases they are the nicest ones. Dogs are loyal, patient, affectionate
and sensitive. They are non-judgmental and provide unconditional
love, something most humans are unable to do. They are always there
for you, yet millions of American families are not always there
for them. Dogs do so many things for humans. They rescue them in
disasters; they sniff for bombs, so humans will be safe. They lead
the blind, assist the police and help heal the sick. It is time
we help them!
Animals
experience the same feelings that humans do such as pain, fear,
joy and sadness. Dogs chained for extended periods of time suffer
from immense psychological damage. Some bark incessantly out of
frustration, loneliness and boredom. Others become depressed, sad
or withdrawn. And many develop aggressive behavior. According to
a study by the American Veterinary Medical
Association many fatal attacks and numerous dog bites involve animals
who have been restrained. The Humane Society of the United States
reports that dogs forced to live on a chain are defenseless against
other animals that enter their territory. They are often subjected
to harassment and teasing from insensitive humans and they are easy
targets for thieves looking to steal animals for medical research.
Further, many tethered dogs often strangle to death on their chains
and others have been found with chains embedded in their necks,
as a result of years of neglect. Aside from the severe emotional
and social deprivation these animals experience, they also suffer
from exposure to extreme temperatures, medical neglect, dehydration,
and parasite infestation. Many dogs are forced to eat, sleep and
deposit their own waste in a single confined area.
In
addition, some chained dogs are used for dog fighting, an activity
usually associated with other criminal behavior. And contrary to
popular opinion, chained dogs do not make good watchdogs. Dogs instinctively
protect their own territory, which in thiscase, is their yard, not
the house where they are never invited. Chaining a dog 24 hours
a day is simply cruel and barbaric. It is unacceptable treatment
for man's (and woman's) best friend and it should be abolished.
Thankfully at least 25 communities have recently passed laws that
restrict or prohibit the practice of tethering animals, including
Okaloosa County, Florida.
Dennis
Fetko, Ph.D., summed up the situation best when he said, "
An outside dog has an address, not a home." It is time for
all of us to take action tohelp our best friends so they don't have
to live their entire lives at the end of a chain. Encourage your
neighbors to bring their family member inside.
Offer
to take their dog for a walk. Educate them about the animal‚s
needs and about the dangers of keeping a tethered dog. And check
and make sure their dog has ready access to food, shelter and water.
If they are not providing these basics, then call the local police
or animal control. And consider
approaching your local legislators about enacting a law in your
community that prohibits this barbaric practice.
To
learn more about how you can help go to www.dogsdeservebetter.com
—Judith
Fish is a free lance writer and animal advocate. She holds a Master's
degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland,
OH. She is employed as a School Social Worker with the Broward County
Schools (FL) and is a member of the Broward Schools' Character Education
Program.
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