|
| Let
The American Kennel Club Know that
How
does this Airedale look, AKC? He moved, is probably From the AKC Gazette: "Date of Article: April 03, 2007 The Canine Legislation Department is currently monitoring numerous state bills proposing laws that would ban, restrict, or limit the practice of tethering dogs. In response to the consideration of these bills, many constituents have contacted AKC regarding how best to respond to and oppose these proposals. The American Kennel Club believes that dog owners bear a special responsibility to their canine companions to provide proper care and humane treatment at all times. This includes an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship, and training in appropriate behavior. The American Kennel Club also believes that dogs should not be kept in circumstances or numbers where these needs can not be adequately fulfilled. Additionally, anyone convicted of animal cruelty involving a dog will have all AKC privileges suspended. With substantive animal cruelty statutes already in place, states simply need to enforce existing law in cruel tethering cases. The already-existing cruelty laws make these proposed tethering bans or restrictions unnecessary."
We guarantee you this...no matter WHAT your favorite breed, they are living on chains somewhere. When you cuddle up with your angel at night, imagine his brother or sister sleeping outside, alone, hungry, thirsty, cold, hot...Labs, shepherds, pits, retrievers, boston terriers, poodles, airedales...EVERY BREED. Even the small ones. Marilyn Faughner of Save a Yorkie rescue was an area rep for us because she knew a yorkie who died on the end of a chain. A YORKIE! If they will chain a yorkie, they will chain ANY breed of dog. The
current laws in their states or local communities
A recent documentary called Dogs that Changed the World on PBS taught that man wouldn't be here today without the dogs who helped, guided, and protected him from ancient times. We've gone very far from this vision of early man who relied on his dogs to a place where we ostracize them for life to the backyard, alone and unhappy. It is the very nature of the dog, bred into them by man, to want to live with us as packmembers.
We are sure the AKC knows that...and we'd like your help to continue to remind them that dogs DO deserve better than life on the end of a chain. Laws are necessary to protect them, as waiting for people to behave in a responsible manner could take 100 lifetimes. Our best friends don't have that long to WAIT.
We've heard people are going so far as to burn their AKC papers as a result of this irresponsible stance on tethering. If you have an AKC registered purebred dog, and you, like us, know that others of your breed are living their lives on the end of a chain, with nothing to protect them and no one to speak for them, please stand with us and raise your voice to be heard with the AKC. Please call or e-mail them today and tell them you'd like them to change their position on opposing laws to protect chained and penned dogs. Call AKC’s Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org
Some
letters sent to the AKC on behalf of "Dear
AKC Canine Legislation Department, ************ "I'm appalled that the AKC will not stand up and speak out against chaining and tethering precious dogs. I will not support any AKC function again, until you change your stand. I have three AKC registered dogs, two Newfoundlands, and one Bernese Mountain dog. I will never again register a dog with the AKC. I was totally shocked to think that your organization was not out there fighting to change the laws in every state to protect our dogs." ************ "To
Whom It May Concern: Are
you kidding me? Do you realize that its not only the mutts
but some purebred AKC dogs that spend their entire lives at the
end of chain? We need to educate people that chaining dogs
is so inhumane. Some states do NOT have any animal
cruelty laws in effect. What about the dogs who live in
those states? And let's be honest here, there are NO substantive
animal cruelty statutes anywhere. At best, those statutes
are mediocre. The news of the AKC's position on tethering has
not been received well in several different animal communities.
I know for a fact that in the Dog Show community, there is very
serious concern. Won't you please change your stance? The AKC
could be such a leader and would make an unimaginable impact by
denouncing tethering. ************ "I
am an owner of an AKC registered Boxer and I wrote the AKC and
shared with them my disgust on their views on the anti-tethering
legislation. I have also utilized one of your reps in Philadelphia
about a group of chained guard dogs. ************ "If you think the existing tethering laws are sufficient you are sadly mistaken. They are not addressed by local cruelty laws in many states and Pennsylvania is a classic example where loopholes allow dogs, even the size of a German Shepherd to be legally kept in a 4 foot square cage, in all temperatures with no exercise as long as it is fed & watered. Authorities can do nothing about it. By not supporting legislation the American Kennel Club is abdicating its responsibilities to animal welfare. This affects all dogs, whether from the expensive pure breeds which are seen at the Westminster show to the poor rescue dog, ill-treated yet again. Just because most dog owners are not of the wealthy, breeder variety represented by the AKC, does not make it right for the AKC to turn its back on the plight of the majority of dogs in this country. Shame on you." ************ "I am writing you today to plead with you to change your position on opposing laws to protect chained and penned animals. It is unfathomable to me that people would acquire an animal only to later decide they no longer have any use for it and place it at the end of a chain or in a pen to live out its remaining days. God forbid those days be many. Animals are beautiful, loving, caring creatures placed here by God for us to care for. They give us more love than we could ever give them in return, but to someone who does not respect life, I guess that would not matter. If many of us would, for a moment, imagine a life at the end of a chain, living daily without exercise, proper care or even human touch, maybe we'd come to understand the loneliness these dogs feel. It is a very sad society that does not take the time to care for something that God has created for us. A gift given to us. I am not asking for much, only that you think enough of these animals, respect them enough to protect them. Please don't make it okay for them to live each day of their lives in a pen or at the end of a chain." ************ "Would you please explain your stance on dog tethering/chaining to me? I hope that your stance is the same as mine that no dog, purebreed or mutt should ever be left on a chain for any length of time. A dog's place is in the home with the family, if it isn't, then why have a dog? I would like to tell you about what happened in my town a couple of weeks ago. A dalmation was chained and lived its life on the end of a chain. The dog ended up biting a lady on her ankle. The dog had to be destroyed because of this. Evidence shows that chained or penned dogs will be more aggressive. This could have been a small child, what a tragic thing if it would of been, that child would have a fear of dogs probably for the rest of his/her life. I am asking you to please support all legislation on no-chaining laws. No dog deserves to live its entire life in a confined area with a chain around its neck. I have 3 dogs, rescues from shelters. They all have dog beds next to mine. ************ "I just got done reading an article that stated that your position on chaining dogs was : 'tethering bans or restrictions are unnecessary.' I can’t tell you how upset that made me. Especially living in Alaska, we see SO much of that nonsense. I too, did not want to believe that people would chain dogs for life. 24/7. That people that say they ‘love’ their pet wouldn’t do such things, Right? Up here in Alaska, there are sled dogs that are chained, however, the ‘good’ mushers take those dogs off chain and work them. They are not the problem. We do, however see multiple problems with ‘other’ dogs living their lives out on chains. Especially any dog that has husky in it, or heavy shedders. It is horrible. And as long as they get food and water thrown at them, ‘no harm done’. I disagree. You don’t have to be a ‘dog fanatic’ to understand what is ‘humane’ and what is not. No interaction with a dog other than feeding it IS inhumane. You know that they are pack animals. I have seen dogs get so messed up by being chained all the time…I have watched them turn into manic barking nutcases. I have literally watched their owners walk out and shoot them for barking. Legal! Yes! You don’t have to take a dog to the vet to put them down here, as long as it is a quick death…SO avoidable. Please reconsider your posture on this issue. Thank you for your consideration in this matter." |
