You can help Dogs Deserve Better anytime you shop online through iGive.com.

Bear lived chained to this 'shiny new doghouse' in PA, but was still very sad and lonely, which is why sponsoring a doghouse is NOT the answer. Bear's family received our information via mail. Six months later they decided chaining to give him up to rescue.

DDB strongly believes that national groups should not provide doghouses for those who chain their dogs. We have stood against Noah's Wish and the Today Show in this, and we are now standing against Peta. Please do not confuse this stance with a hatred for or opposition to these groups and their work as a whole. We admire other organizations who fight daily for the animals. We must, however, stand against ANY program that is providing doghouses to those who chain their dogs. Dogs Deserve Better's mission is to get dogs OFF CHAINS and into the home and family. Everything we do and everything we stand for must be in alignment with this higher purpose. This is why we work to ENFORCE already existing shelter laws for dogs, and promote freedom for dogs in the form of a fenced yard and life within the dog's pack.

Laws in most states, counties, and cities require shelter. Therefore, we as groups and citizens have to make sure these laws are being enforced, thereby requiring the dog chainer to buy his OWN doghouse. We should not buy it for him, sending the message that we agree with leaving his dog chained outside for life.

Dogs Deserve Better's Open Letter to Peta:

Dogs Deserve Better is asking Peta to STOP Building Doghouses and asks Animal Lovers to Sponsor a Fence instead!

Peta's Campaign Entitled "Sponsor Shelter for a Needy Dog" sounds innocuous enough, but will damage both Peta's and Dogs Deserve Better's campaigns to stop chaining of dogs.

This program enables the chainer to continue the chaining lifestyle, apparently now with the blessings of Peta. It also enables them to chain not only this dog but all future dogs to their new doghouse. Lastly, Peta, by providing this house, could be keeping children in danger, as the dog remains unsocialized and angry despite his new doghouse, still able to reach any child wandering into his territory. See http://www.mothersagainstdogchaining.org/dolanmiller.html for photos of a child lucky enough to survive such an attack.

On their site page http://www.angel4animals.com/indexn.asp, Peta states they have built and delivered 571 doghouses "IN POOR COMMUNITIES NEAR THEIR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS." 571 new doghouses handed out in what is likely a two-hour radius near Norfolk Virginia and nearby North Carolina.

How much education would that have paid for?

Given their estimated cost per doghouse of $205, they spent $117,055 building doghouses last year. At a conservative estimate of $500 per billboard, that would have paid for 234 educational billboards for that area in ONE year. This would have literally saturated the area with education, and the repeated message would have convinced more than 571 people to never chain their dog again. That would have been $117,055 well spent.

How much spay/neuter would that have paid for?

Once again, given the estimated $117,055, at a clinic cost of $50 each, they could have spay/neutered 2341 dogs in a small area. In one year, who would be left to chain?

How much fencing would that have paid for?

Dogs Deserve Better provides fencing at $150.00 per fence, getting dogs off chains and keeping children safer. This same amount would have fenced 780 yards, allowing even multiple dog families to be together and no longer isolated.

So far this year, at least 337 doghouses have been sponsored since their e-mail went out, by kind people who only think they're helping. That's $69,085 dollars, buying 138 educational billboards, 1381 spay/neuters, or 460 fences.

Dogs Deserve Better provides fencing help at $150.00 worth of welded wire fencing from Lowe's or Home Depot for anyone agreeing to bring their dog into the home to live. If there is more than one dog, the fencing is provided even if the dogs aren't brought into the home to live, so they can at least play together, live together, and sleep as a pack at night. Doesn't that sound like a better way to spend your money? This money is available as fencing help for any dog nationwide and in Canada as long as funds permit.

Please sponsor fencing and not doghouses; force caretakers to provide their own doghouses!

We don't buy puppymillers new cages. We don't buy pig farmers new gestation crates. We don't buy puppies from pet stores. And we don't supply dog chainers with doghouses. Write Peta today at info@peta.org and ask them to ask them to 1. Force officials to enforce shelter laws (it is up to US to make sure laws are enforced by not allowing officials to ignore them) and 2. Stop building houses, build fences, spay/neuter, or educate instead.

Thank you,
Tammy S. Grimes, Founder, Dogs Deserve Better

Your help provides fencing to dogs like Black, in Atlanta, Georgia, first chained and then showing off in his new fenced yard, enjoying his freedom.

Oklahoma Fencing Success Story

"I'm a pet dog trainer (clicker style) and a board member for Pet Helpers, Inc.
Pet Helpers, Inc mission statement is; helping people help pets. We do low cost S/N programs for low income families, community Ed and awareness, promote adoptions and assist other rescue groups and orgs. We are a very small group that started meeting one year ago. However my four legged family and I have been doing Ed programs in Western OK for four years now. We believe it takes all of us working together to make a difference.

Tammy, you and DDB are my heroes: without you small groups like Pet Helpers wouldn't be able to help. About three months ago a family called my dog training business asking for help with an aggressive dog. For this issue I like private lessons in the home, where I can see as much as possible what's going on. Snicker's a big beautiful Newfoundland mix; history had nipped 3 people and one very serious bite to dad. The serious bite to dad was under distress. They came home to find Snicker's tangled up in his chain. The chain was wrapped around Snicker's and a post; he was wrapped up so tight his front legs couldn't reach the ground. Well in the process of trying to free him, dad was bitten; very bad about 50 stitches were needed.

When I arrived at the house, I found Snicker's and Scout (Border Collie) chained with a pickup topper/shell for shelter, plenty of food and fresh water. Snickers and Scout both allowed me to approach and pet them. Meeting the family was another thing; Dad, Mom, three kids, grandpa one small house dog (Pixy) and I believe three cats. The family has just moved here from TX, all adjusting to the change.

When I walked in the house the first thing I heard was "Snickers is my dog, if he bites you, are you going to make us kill him?" What a thing for an 8 to 10 yr old boy to worry about! I told him No, I was here to see if I could help him not hurt him. I've been working with them every week now, they are all doing great Snickers and Scout are now in the house with the family, learning good house manners. Snickers is much calmer now. Thanks to DDB a very nice fence has been put up for nice outside romps.Without DDB this wouldn't have turned out this way! Thank you so much!"
Vicky Adams
Pet Helpers, Inc.
Waggin Tails Dog Training

We Take Phone Orders at 1.877.636.1408

Yes! I want to Sponsor a Fence

$150.00

I can't Sponsor an entire Fence,
but I want to Contribute to this Cause!

We can now accept donations over the phone
using a major credit card at 1.877.636.1408.

If you prefer to sponsor by mail, send check or money order to P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684, making sure to let us know quantities and shipping info.

If you would like to receive fencing help,
please call us at 1.877.636.1408 so we can get you started.

Contact Info: Dogs Deserve Better, Inc. • P.O. Box 23 • Tipton, PA 16684 • Toll Free 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447
email: info@dogsdeservebetter.org • Website designed and maintained by Crescent Communications