Can We Get A Woof Woof? DDB Closed on the Good Newz Rehab Center DDBe-News 6/07/11

THANKS TO YOU and everyone pitching in to donate, we closed on the DDB Good Newz Rehab Center on Friday, May 27th!** We have put down the 30% we all raised, got a loan for the property, closed on the property, and will be on the ground before July 1st. Our next goal is to fence the entire place and renovate the existing structure to house dogs while we pay it off and fundraise for our state-of-the-art facility. Will you help?

DDB has 90,000 Facebook fans. If each of our fans donated $5, we'd have $425,000! If you haven't donated yet, please consider a donation, large or small, today. If you have and can donate a little more, it is most appreciated. Your donations are tax deductible.

Again, we'd like to thank all our generous donors; without you, we would not be getting off the ground.

We took one of our rescued chained dogs with us to closing, Sloan, pictured above with Tamira, giving his paw of approval. Sloan is a German Shepherd who spent too many winters chained in the PA cold. Sloane indeed went from rags to riches when he not only came to live inside with us, but now will travel to be in a photo shoot for the Hampton Roads Magazine who is doing a story about the takeover!

Watch Sloan in his video, he is the first to step foot on the property and he gave us his approval..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_MhgYWQnpw

We currently have $184,916 in hand but need so much more to renovate the property, build fencing and build our state of the art facility. Can you please help?? If you've already donated, can you send another $10 to add to the pot? How about roll up that change and send it in? Whatever amount you can spare, is always greatly appreciated.

You can donate directly through our website, call us at 877.636.1408 to donate, or mail a donation to P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684:

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/ddbcenter.html

Thank you so much!

WHEN WE GET ON THE GROUND, WE WILL NEED YOUR HELP in the following ways! We have immediate need for the following volunteer services:

• Large truck to move all office materials and office foster family materials
• Volunteers to load truck in Tipton, PA
• Volunteers to unload truck in Smithfield, VA
• Fence materials and building team in Smithfield, VA
• Building renovation team
• A small temporary housing facility for dogs

PLEASE email volunteer@dogsdeservebetter.org if you can volunteer for any of these needed opportunities.

Please follow us on Facebook to keep abreast of all the latest news and information!

https://www.facebook.com/dogsdeservebetter?ref=ts

Please, Please, please go to Care2 and vote for DDB to win $15,000 for the center! Vote for Dogs Deserve Better, Zip Code 16686

http://tinyurl.com/3zmoepc

We have 40 people signed up for Chain Off but we need so many more of you. Will you consider taking the stand for chained dogs in your area? They need your voice.

Register here:
https://www.firstgiving.com/dogsdeservebetter/Event/chain-off-2011

Who's going to chain with us this year?

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, during which we hope to raise $30,000 to keep our programs going. Now we put the power to help fundraise for chained dogs directly into your hands! Make it fun for both you and your friends and family...Hold contests to see who can raise more funds, can you claim the leader board?

Rhonda Sims is in the lead with $1500.00 raised. Mare Horton and Tamira Thayne are hot on her trail with $500.00 and $482.00 raised. Get in there and donate for your favorite, or create your own fundraising page and get in the game!

https://www.firstgiving.com/dogsdeservebetter/Event/chain-off-2011

**You can fundraise even if you're not going to live chained to the doghouse...**

http://www.firstgiving.com/dogsdeservebetter

Get your chain off merchandise here:
http://www.cafepress.com/dogsdeserve/7770427

Visit the page to learn more, sign up or donate:
http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/chainoff2011.html

On June 20th, after she has been chained to a dog house during the Chain Off event on the Capitol Steps in Harrisburg, PA., DDB Founder Tamira Thayne will marry her fiance Joe Horvath.

This is a dream come true for Tamira, since she has always wanted to get married in an unusual way, and she thought, "What better way to combine my passion for my fiance with my passion for helping chained dogs?"

Joe has been an an amazing supporter of Tamira and Dogs Deserve Better and even jokes, "Guy starting his marriage off in the doghouse. Hmmmmm, but on the other hand, he can only move up from there..."

So their plan is as follows:

DDB is doing a Chain Off at the State Capitol Building in support of bills in committee in both the House and Senate for anti tethering from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 20th.

Tamira and Joe have obtained both a permit for the demonstration and insurance to have their wedding there as well at 5:00 p.m. They will be chained to doghouses all day, from 8:00 a.m. til 4 p.m., at which time they will slip off their chains and change into their wedding attire.

You're all welcome and invited to attend both Chain Off and stay to see one of the year's most unusual weddings.

Location:
Harrisburg Capitol Building
500 North 3rd State Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120

If you'd like to donate to Dogs Deserve Better in honor of their wedding, a fundraiser page has been set up:
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/tamira-thayne/horvath-thaynewedding

Congratulations, Tamira and Joe.

Christine Corrigan from Hickory Grove SC, had this beautiful 4x4 sign made for her front yard. She proudly displayed the sign in her front yard with the support of anti tethering and the cruelty of chaining.

Sadly, on May 22, 2011, in the late hours of the night, an unknown assailant drove on to her property and destroyed the sign.

She did report this to the York County Sheriff who reports they are "looking for the vehicle which will be damaged". We can only hope they do not allow this crime to go unpunished.

The sign will be rebuilt and Christina says "We will not be bullied and that sign will stand proud again, just in another location!".

Thank you Christina for the support..

Special Notice: The DDB Area Rep program is taking a break while the organizational headquarters moves from Pennsylvania to Virginia and get settled in and able to coordinate with and serve the reps again. We expect to be without phone or internet access for as long as a week while we move, making it impossible to coordinate with our reps effectively, and there will be at least a two month period while our offices in both places are in upheaval.

Reps are still running educational programs and booths as they see fit, traveling to help at headquarters, and continuing with any foster dogs and fencing projects they have already committed to during this time. No new rescue or fencing projects will be committed to unless in emergency situations and with prior approval of the organization.

Your patience during this time of great change for our organization is appreciated. Remember, we are here to empower YOU too to act on behalf of dogs chained near you. There is plenty you can do to educate and rescue neighborhood chained dogs on your own.

We expect to be back up and running on or around August 15, 2011. We hope our reps are gaining a much-needed rest and break of their own, so we can all start again fresh and ready for action.

We've rescued ourselves completely out of our annual budget for vet care just through the month of May. If you can donate so that when we start back up in August, we will have funds available for rescue, it would be most appreciated. Thank you!

Speaking of chaining yourself to a doghouse, Tamira Thayne's account of her 54 days chained at the Pennsylvania Capitol last fall, Capitol in Chains: 54 Days of the Doghouse Blues, is finished and ready for everyone to purchase a copy or two.

We hope you'll love it as much as we do! What we love most about it is the way it combines entertaining aspects of her days on a chain with educational components and calls to action on the part of the reader.

A must-have for every activist's bookshelf! Give as a gift to those activist's in your life and be sure to get a copy for yourself as well.

The books are in and ready for you. Get your copy NOW:

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/capitolinchainssponsorship.html

From some of the folks who have already received their copies:

"I got my book today, 54 day chains .Thanks for all you do."

"I just received my copy, amazing book, amazing organization."

"Tamira, you rock. Great book."

"Tami -- Just received my personally signed copy of "Capitol in Chains." I am deeply touched and profoundly honored...you shouldn't have. So proud of your work and accomplishments, and even prouder to be your friend. xoxo"

GET YOUR COPY TODAY! A must HAVE for everyone!

Thanks for bringing chained dogs into the home and family with us for the past nine years. We couldn't do it without your support.

Do you have a passion for helping chained or penned dogs? Do you have a dog in your community living this way, and you need to do something about it? Let us know what you'd like to do to help. Please complete the form below and submit, we will contact you with our volunteer opportunities!

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/volunteerform.html

Deana Whitfield,
National Volunteer Coordinator
Dogs Deserve Better

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/donations2.html

It's Official - We DID It! We Have Closed on the Good Newz Rehab Center

Let's All Get Excited about It! Chain Off Needs YOU!

Have You Heard? Look Who's Getting Married while Chained to her Doghouse at the PA State Capitol?

Do They Really Think This Will Slow Us Down?

We've Rescued Ourselves Completely Out of Our Annual Budget

Have You Ordered Your Copy Yet? Capitol in Chains is Now Available

Dogs DO Deserve SO MUCH BETTER, Don't They?