Operation Fido's Freedom: Dogs Deserve Better: No Chains

Day 22, sitting for Elk County dogs, again, because I forgot to bring a new sign with me...I figure they were in desparate need of some divine intervention anyway, and needed two days!.

Day 22, August 31, 2010. Operation Fido's Freedom.
It's a "No Brainer"

Why is it that most people in America, and nearly all people in England, France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland call a law against chaining dogs a "No Brainer?"

Could it be because it's a "No Brainer?"

I know California is advanced, or more 'liberal' as most of the country would say, yet they passed a law limiting chaining to THREE HOURS a day THE FIRST YEAR THEY TRIED. In fact, this issue was chosen by an animal coalition specifically because it was the most likely to get passed. Why? Because it's a—SAY IT WITH ME—"No Brainer."

It would be brainless of me to call those I'm trying to solicit a law from brainless, and I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing, but really, six years?

SIX YEARS? And they still tell me we have little hope of getting it passed this year?

Come on.

Yesterday we were thanked for exempting the farmers from the bill, and to be perfectly honest, we all know that was only done because their lobby is so strong. Not because farm dogs deserve to be chained.

I've learned that when you're working for a law you make compromises that Christ wouldn't want to make. They don't go down easy.

So, let's review: Your farmers are exempt, and we've given up 2/3 of the time that a dog deserves to be free. And yet you want more?

There's no more left to give.

I heard from one woman with a working farm dog who was worried that the law would impact her. She told me that her dog (I forget what breed he is) lives to herd the sheep. He thrives on it, and requires very little human interaction because he is intense about his job. The ONLY time he is tethered is when a new sheep is introduced, and only until he understands that that sheep is part of his herd so he doesn't kill the sheep.

Her dog is working, doing what he was bred to do. He's not chained up on the pretense of being a working farm dog, he's active and fulfilled.

I live near a farmer with a working farm dog, a chocolate lab who can be seen daily either riding on the tractor or running along beside his caretaker in the fields. Now THAT is a happy dog.

Most farmers who know the value of a dog rarely chain their dog anyway. Those who use the dog as a cheap alarm system learn to ignore his barks because he barks at animals, people, thunder storms, and sometimes even the wind. The alarm system is ineffective.

I grew up on a farm. I survived seeing horrible things done to many animals, including my father killing all our cats because my mother complained they were trying to come in the house, and the daily sight of our beagle named Maggie chained and languishing at her doghouse.

Maggie was supposedly a hunting beagle, but she never got trained, and the one time my brother did take her hunting he lost her in the woods, never to be seen by us again. God knows what fate befell her.

I'm sure we'd have been exempt from the law.

Then I grew up. I realized that just because my family chained our dog didn't make it right. It was wrong, and they've learned enough now not to do it.

In fact, most of those who used to chain their dogs wouldn't do it now, but there are still those who really need a law to learn the difference between right and wrong.

Just because so and so has always chained his dogs, and his father before him chained his dogs, doesn't make it right. It's time for America to grow up.

We've compromised all we will compromise. We have given all we can give. I'm here for their law, and I call on all those who love their dogs to LET PENNSYLVANIA KNOW YOU ARE WATCHING THEM.

Europe, California, dog advocates nationwide, TELL PENNSYLVANIA NO MORE. There's a woman sitting on your doorstep who has had enough, and you have had enough.

Stop the bullshit excuses and give us our law. That's why we're here.

It really is a No Brainer.

Various and sundry daily stuff:

1. Second day in a row of mid nineties heat. It's still supposed to be as hot through Thursday. I cried this morning when I woke up, because I just didn't know how I could survive the day. I got lucky and finally figured out that there's a tiny patch of shade in the little stairwell that my chain reaches until 1:00 p.m., so then I only have two hours until the shade again reached that stairwell. During the time there's no shade, I have to stand at the pillar to get just a little bit, which is hard on my ankle.

2. Today Cathie brought me a big cheesy poof container filled with ice, which I used to cool myself down. Great idea, Cathie, thank you! I felt a little guilty because I know the dogs don't have such 'luxuries,' but I enjoyed it anyway.

3. Two ladies I didn't know brought me a juice this morning from Juicy Rumors, which was very kind. When I went to the CPAA fundraiser tonight, one of the ladies was there, and she said "Didn't I bring you a juice this morning?" and I said "Yes, I thought that was you, but then I said, nah, she'd have remembered me!" Small world.

4. We are really wondering now who has hijacked my mail. All these people are telling me they sent me cards and letters, but I haven't received mail for three days…by some odd coincidence since I got the publicity for getting the mail. Now, I know the mail room guys had no problem with it…but seems to me someone above may have put the kibosh on the mail thing? Trouble with that is, isn't that pretty petty? And, it's a federal offense to mess with the mail…so if you're not going to give it to me, shouldn't you have to return it to sender? If you sent me mail and get it back, please drop me a message and let me know. I'd like to see a pic of it to see what it says.

5. A 15 year old girl and her mom came up to meet me, and her mom said they are talking about my chaining more than their shoes at the mall…so I guess that's a good thing! I doubt MY son is talking about it, but at least some teenagers are.

6. Special thanks to Mark Shaffer who's been showing up in the mornings to help me unload. Me, Mark, and his wife Barb (pictured above, helping me pack up) all got ripped off by a local guy who talked us out of money. hehe. Live and learn! It was a cheap $10 lesson.

7. Everyone, please contact your Senators and especially Mike Brubaker's office! We want that bill out of committee and onto the floor for a vote!

Tami with Zella Anderson, Director of CPAA, at a fundraiser for Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance

Find your Senator and House Rep at: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/
Please contact them TODAY and tell them “I’m here for their law.”
Remember, they work FOR us. Insist that they support SB1435.

I will be actively blogging, facebooking, and tweeting daily from my chain.
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Can you donate for this campaign which aims to save tens of thousands of dogs from life at the end of the chain? To donate by phone, call 814.941.7447.

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