Group Frees Doggies of Their
Chained Lives
Local woman offers owners alternatives
By Whitney Ross
The Chronicle-Tribune
March
2, 2007
Thinking
about a dog living on a chain for most of its life puts tears in
Marie Belanger's eyes.
"Dogs
are the most sociable animals on the plant," she said. "Just
to imagine the dog is penned and chained for 24 hours, they get
lonely, they get aggressive."
After
having seen several dogs in the Marion area chained, it began to
tug on her heart. Instead of constantly driving past the dogs, Belanger
began researching to see what she could do to help.
Now,
two years later, Belanger is the Region 6 representative with Dogs
Deserve Better, a national nonprofit organization. She said she
is the only representative in Indiana.
As
an area representative, Belanger is responsible for evaluating how
often owners leave their dogs chained. She does so by taking drives
on the weekend or whenever she has time. If she notices dogs that
always seem to be chained outside, Belanger will talk to the owner
or send some Dogs Deserve Better literature.
If
the owners say they can no longer take care of the dog, Belanger
said the organization would help find a suitable home for the dog.
"I
haven't really met anybody that gets mad about it," she said.
"More or less, I'm offering help. I'm not saying, 'You treat
your dog horrible.'"
Belanger's
efforts have had such an effect that Mike Grayson, owner of Art
in Motion Pets, has one of her fliers hanging in the store, above
the city's ordinance on animal control.
"I
really believe in it," he said.
Although
Grayson does sell chains and tie-ups, he often asks his customers
purchasing those items if and how long they keep their animal tied
up.
"I
usually ask if they live in Marion. I tell them they need to look
at the ordinance," he said. "Animals have got to be taken
care of. That's all there is to it."
Since
she's started the volunteer work with DDB, Belanger said she has
seen the number of chained dogs go down.
Belanger
also was vocal when the Marion City Council made amendments to the
animal ordinance section on proper restraints.
In
2005, when the council began meeting about the animal ordinance
and sought input from the Marion-Grant Humane Society, Belanger
brought along facts and pictures about the consequences of keeping
dogs chained for more than three hours.
"I
believe tying animals up does make them more aggressive," Councilman
Dave Homer, R-Ward 1, said about the amendment.
According
to the ordinance, restrained animals must wear a properly fitted
collar or harness made of leather or nylon. The tying device shall
be attached to the animal's collar or harness and shall be at least
12 feet of free length.
The
ordinance also states that no animal will be tethered for more than
three hours during any 24-hour period.
Homer,
however, said he agrees it's an issue that is hard to enforce.
"Are
there probably more changes that can be made down the road? There
probably are, I would agree with that," he said. "Is it
something down the road we should probably revisit? I'm not opposed
to that."
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