Press Release Summary: During Have a Heart Week, animal lovers encourage compassionate, responsible care of pets.
Press Release Body: Rolling in the snow and playing outside in winter is fun for dogs and kids alike, but only when they both can come in from the cold and curl up with family afterward. With frigid temperatures, snowstorms, and the wind chill factor sometimes reaching 30 degrees below zero, it\'s important to remember that the best place for dogs is indoors, with their human companions. February 7 - 14 is \"Have a Heart for Chained Dogs\" week, during which animal lovers strive to cultivate kindness and respect for animals, to create a culture of empathy and caring, and to encourage dog owners to responsibly care for their pets, rather than continuously chaining them.
Many would argue that dogs can endure harsh weather because their fur keeps them warm in any temperature; but consider whether this makes sense. When a man wears a warm fur coat, can he stay outside and sleep on the ground in freezing temperatures and blizzards, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
Every winter, rescuers find dogs that have frozen in the snow or suffered frostbite because of the longstanding misconception that it is appropriate to chain a dog outside in any kind of weather. Even though Arctic breeds, like Alaskan malamutes may enjoy spending longer periods of time outdoors, according to numerous animal experts, they should spend the majority of their lives indoors as part of a family. It goes without saying that shorter-haired dogs, as well as older dogs, puppies and arthritic or sick dogs should not be confined outside in the cold. Water bowls freeze, dogs get stuck to their metal chains and even die, frozen to the ground.
From my understanding of the laws governing animal welfare, dogs are supposed to have access to drinking water AT ALL TIMES. The law says \"water\" not \"ice.\" A dog cannot have access to drinking water in freezing temperatures. Eating snow lowers the dog\'s body temperature and, therefore, increases their risk of serious harm from the cold.
Rarely does a chained or tethered dog receive sufficient care. They usually suffer from sporadic feedings, overturned water bowls, and inadequate veterinary care. They must eat, sleep, urinate and defecate in a single confined area. Owners who chain their dogs are also less likely to clean the area. Although there may have once been grass in an area of confinement, it is usually so beaten down by the dog\'s pacing that the ground consists of nothing but dirt or mud.
Rescue workers see thousands of chained dogs who have inadequate shelter for the weather conditions and no access to clean water. Their coats are matted and dirty, and they are infested with fleas, ticks, and internal parasites such as heartworm and roundworm. They are forced to exist in a tiny space where often they cannot avoid their own bodily waste. The chains or leashes by which they are tethered are often so short or so tangled and knotted that they can barely move. Frequently, the dogs have terrible injuries where too-tight or too-heavy collars have cut deeply and become embedded in their necks. Some die from these painful open wounds, which amount to continuous torture that goes on for months. In one case, a veterinarian had to euthanize a dog whose collar, an electrical cord, was so embedded in the animal\'s neck that it was difficult to see the plug.
A dog kept chained in one spot for hours, days, months or even years suffers immense psychological damage. An otherwise friendly and docile dog, when kept continuously chained, becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious and often aggressive. Because their neurotic behavior, such as jumping, makes them difficult to approach, chained dogs are rarely given even minimal affection. These loving companions, who thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals, must sit alone as prisoners on the end of a chain or rope, frustrated and denied companionship that they crave. The helpless dog suffers the anxiety of watching the world go by in isolation-a cruel fate for what is by nature a highly social animal.
The Humane Society of the United States states that \"continuous chaining or tethering dogs is both inhumane and a threat to the safety of the confined dog, other animals, and humans.\" Dogs forced to live on a chain make easy targets for attacks by animals like wolves, coyotes, bears and stinging or biting insects. Pets who live apart from their human family day after day, feel vulnerable, which increases their anxiety and aggression. This makes a single, lonely dog more dangerous than a pack of wild dogs. Chained dogs are likely to bite when someone wanders into their minuscule space in the world or when their chain breaks and they are suddenly roaming alone. In 2007, there were at least 112 children killed or seriously injured by chained dogs in the United States. Any city, county, or state that bans tethering is a community that\'s safer and more humane for dogs as well as children.
The good news is that legislators and towns are passing laws and ordinances in great numbers. Hundreds of communities in over 40 states have passed laws that address the issue of chaining, with more passing every day to regulate the practice. Some towns completely prohibit the unattended tethering of dogs. Many others have made it against the law to tie up a pet for long periods, such as between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or during extreme weather. Why is Wisconsin so far behind the majority of states addressing this issue? Are we cold hearted, uncaring citizens?
Dogs have the most human-like emotional response of any animal on the planet; and it is our responsibility to treat them accordingly. Unlike humans, domesticated companion animals can\'t dial 911 or ask for help. As helpless creatures, they are entirely dependent on and at the mercy of human compassion. It\'s often said that a dog is \"Man\'s best friend.\" But, unfortunately, man is often not a dog\'s best friend.
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Contact Details: P.O. Box 56 Harshaw WI 54529 hugsandhope@gmail.com
2025
