For Immediate Release to the Media

Woman spends 52 days chained to doghouse on Steps of Pennyslvania State Capitol in Harrisburg: Sits through 105 Degree Heat Index and Pouring Rain

October 22, 2010, Tipton, PA — A Pennsylvania woman spent 52 days chained to a doghouse at the bottom of the Capitol steps in Harrisburg, PA in an effort to push a law limiting the chaining of dogs for life.

Tamira Ci Thayne, 46, describes herself as a dog warrior, and is the founder and CEO of Dogs Deserve Better, an award-winning national nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing dogs out of the backyard and into the home and family.

"I sought to bring the suffering of chained dogs to the legislators, who live privileged lives in privileged settings, and do not understand the pain that is occurring on a daily basis."

Thayne sat through days of 105 degree heat index, when she could find not a spot of shade to cool her, and days of solid rain and cold, when she wore two shirts, two sweaters, gloves, lined pants, and a winter coat and still shivered. She used no umbrella or rain gear, nor did she create artificial shade outside of a hat to shield her head.

"I became weather obsessed, checking the weather 15 times a day to see what I had to endure each hour, and I sympathized more and more with the plight of the chained dog. I knew could leave anytime I wanted, but they don't have that choice," she continues.

She spent ten hours each workday from August 2nd to October 14th on her chain in front of the Capitol, except two days she had to travel for her nonprofit, when other supporters stepped in and took her place. When the session ended on October 14th without any action from the legislature, the bill died and the organization will have to start over next session.

"I'm incredibly disappointed in our legislature, and I apologize to the chained dogs of Pennsylvania for yet another freezing winter they will have to endure. Chaining is not only inhumane for dogs, but dangerous to children and painful for neighbors, who suffer right along with the dog by being forced to watch the abuse," says Thayne, who's rescued over 150 chained dogs herself, fostered them, and found them new, inside homes and families.

So far four states have passed time limitations on chaining: California, Texas, Connecticut, and Nevada. Hundreds of cities and counties have passed limitations or flat-out bans.

Please visit the website at FidosFreedom.com to read daily blogs and watch videos of her chaining. Visit DogsDeserveBetter.org to learn more about dog chaining, the reasons it is cruel to dogs and dangerous to humans, and to find a local area representative.

Contact: Tamira Ci Thayne • CEO, Dogs Deserve Better • 814.941.7447 • info@dogsdeservebetter.org

P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 814.941.7447 • www.dogsdeservebetter.org

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.
To follow me, fan me, or read the nightly blog, check out the links below:

Follow the campaign, Operation Fidos Freedom on:

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.

Dogs Deserve Better is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
To donate by mail, send check made out to Dogs Deserve Better,
P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684