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December
2005
Many
dogs spend their whole lives in “solitary confinement,”
fastened by the neck to the end of a chain. "Chaining"
or "tethering" a dog .... fastening a dog to the end of
a chain or tether that's attached to a tree, a dog house, a stake
in the ground, or other stationary object ... is a cruel, inhumane
practice that's all too common.
Sometimes
people who shouldn't have a dog in the first place get upset when
a new dog does not become instantly house trained. Instead of one
person at a time being responsible for watching the dog and taking
it outside at regular intervals, there is a daily blame game. The
carpet gets soiled because no one bothered to take the dog out.
A dog needs attention and becomes bored and destructive without
it. A young dog needs chew toys and chews anything within reach
when it has none. The dog sheds too much but no one takes time to
brush him. Eventually everyone decides that it's all the dog's fault
and that dog becomes an "outside dog"... out of sight...
out of mind. Since no one could spare five minutes every few hours
while the dog was inside, no one will take the time to buy or build
a secure fenced area for the dog after it's outside either. Everyone
is too consumed with all the important things in their busy lives
to worry about a dog who is no longer a cute little puppy anyway.
A chain is a cheap, instant means of confinement.
Pet
owners who have their dogs chained outside 24/7 might say the confinement
is temporary, until they have more time to deal with house breaking
problems and other lack of training. But... being chained leads
to more behavior problems. It forces dogs to walk through puddles
of urine and defecate in the same area where they must eat and live
day after day. That destroys their natural instinct to eliminate
away from their living space. People might say they are waiting
until the dog matures and settles down, but since dogs desperately
want to be with the people they love, young active dogs become hyperactive
when isolated. They become frantic for attention and when they see
people they react by wildly jumping up and down, far too happy and
excited to listen to commands. Since that kind of behavior makes
them difficult to approach, they never get to enjoy the pats, hugs,
belly rubs, playing fetch and physical attention other dogs thrive
on. Being chained can also discourage coming when called and encourage
running away, since some dogs who are finally released from the
torture of a chain will want to run as far and as fast as they can
to avoid being chained again.
Other
people might justify subjecting their dog to life on a chain by
claiming the dog will protect their property and alert them to trespassers.
The problem there is that many chained dogs, out of boredom, will
bark at almost anything that moves. They often bark at anyone they
see, hoping to get attention. Although the barking of an outside
dog will disturb the neighbors, everyone becomes so used to the
noise that they wouldn't notice if the dog were barking at a real
intruder. The sound of a barking dog inside a house might scare
a potential thief away, but a barking dog who is securely chained
outside is no threat.
Some
dog owners simply do not realize the consequences of chaining a
dog. Because it's done so often they just assume it's acceptable.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), The Humane Society of
the United States, and many other humane organizations have issued
statements against the practice of chaining or tethering dogs.
Chaining
is not okay. Chaining is cruel and here are some of the reasons
why....
- Perhaps
the most compelling reason why a dog should not live outside is
because dogs are loving, sociable beings. They live for and crave
love, attention, and companionship from their humans. Dogs who
must live outside, alone, on the end of a chain, suffer immense
psychological and emotional trauma.
- Chained
dogs can't escape if they're attacked.
They can be attacked by roaming dogs and other animals. If they
do survive the wounds, dogs who are victims of attacks by raccoons
or other possibly rabid animals must often be euthanized. Since
dogs who live their lives outside have usually not been immunized,
they have no protection against rabies or other preventable diseases.
- A
chained dog can't escape if it's being hurt by people. Some kids
will tease, torment, and bully a chained dog. Misguided kids who
think violence is cool may intentionally hurt a helpless dog while
trying to impress other kids. Sleepless, angry neighbors, annoyed
by constant barking and howling, might decide to eliminate the
source of their frustration.
- Although
a chained dog cannot attack a would be criminal, it could be a
real danger to a small child who wanders into it's territory.
Dogs eventually become anxious, agitated, even territorial and
aggressive when they are constantly chained and alone. According
to "Dogs Deserve Better", a nonprofit organization dedicated
to freeing the chained dog, "Chaining is not only inhumane
for dogs, but has taken a severe toll on this nation’s children
as well. In the period from October 2003 through December 2005,
there were at least 62 children killed or seriously injured by
chained dogs across the country."
- Many
chained dogs live outside through pouring rain, frightening thunder
storms, oppressive sun, heat and biting insects in summer. Chained
dogs frequently spill their water, leaving them with nothing to
drink for hours. Hot summer weather can be fatal to dogs without
shade and not enough water. They may not have access to a warm,
dry shelter in winter. Chained dogs endure bitter cold, ice and
snow in winter, often without drinking water, since that's frozen.
They may even suffer from frostbite.
- Chained
dogs who are not spayed or neutered can mate with any roaming
dog, increasing the number of unwanted dogs and adding to the
problem of overcrowded shelters and dogs who must be euthanized
because there's no one to love and care for them. (Spaying or
neutering greatly increases a dog's health and quality of life
as well.)
- When
dogs' constantly pull and strain to escape confinement, depending
on the type of collar they're wearing or how the collar fits,
their necks can become painfully raw and covered with open sores.
Their collars can become deeply embedded in their necks.
- A
dog's chain can become entangled with tree branches, shrubs, or
other objects and the dog can strangle to death. Chained dogs
have also been accidentally hanged to death when they tried to
jump over a nearby wall, fence or other structure.
- Chained
dogs are easy prey for thieves looking for animals they can sell
to research labs or to the vermin who buy bait animals for dog
fights.
Copyright
2005 BellaOnline
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