|
"I'm Here for Their Law"
"I'm
here for their law," DDB Founder and CEO Tamira Thayne repeats often to
media, passersby, and most-importantly herself as she sits in the
scorching sun in front of the Harrisburg, PA Capitol building. Dogs Deserve Better's team, first started by rep Kathy Slagle and PLAN's Mary Jo McClain with help from other reps, volunteers, a lobbyist, and a coalition formed exclusively to pass the law, has been working for legislation for chained dogs in Pennsylvania for the past six years. Legislation is once more on the table, SB1435, yet time is running out in this session, and November elections will put us once again back at the drawing board.
Thayne has pledged
to spend Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. for the foreseeable future chained
to a doghouse in front of the Capitol, fasting for those dogs who go
without food and water on a daily basis, and advocating for the
legislature to finally pass a bill giving these dogs some relief.
"I'm not gonna' lie to you," Thayne states. "It's been hell out there. I've spent 5 days so far, endured a heat index of 104 degrees, and am set to spend plenty more before this is all done. But, it's creating a lot of awareness for this bill, and people are calling their Senators and telling him/her what they expect them to support. That's my goal: empower the people to realize THEY work for US! Don't be apathetic! We can get this law passed if we all work together. Please call your state reps today and tell them "I'm here for their law. Support SB 1435."
Thayne is twittering, facebooking, and blogging daily. To follow her on twitter, find her @tamirathayne. To follow the campaign, Operation Fido's Freedom, fan it on Facebook. And follow her blog by viewing the blog archives by date at the bottom of the campaign website at http://www.fidosfreedom.com.
Download this flyer: Think Your Doghouse provides Interior Shade for Your Dog in the Summer Heat? Think Again.
Dogs Deserve Better Area Rep Melody Whitworth created an experiment with doghouses and interior temperatures:
“Plastic
dog houses are sold by many prominent pet stores and small garden and
feed stores alike. These very same plastic dog houses are also approved
by most City, County, and State officials as ‘sufficient’ shelter from
the elements for dogs that are left outside to endure extreme
temperatures. Because these dog houses are sold by popular stores and
approved by officials, a false sense of comfort and safety is given to
the community. Caretakers and ‘owners’ of these dogs assume that if they
have one of these dog houses in their yard, their dog has protection
from the extreme elements such as the record setting temperatures that
have covered our entire country this summer. To show how protected these
dogs really are with these dog houses I decided to run a little
experiment...
On August 5, 2010 I put a plastic
dog house in the sun with a temperature guage in it. I left for work and
came home at noon to check the temperature. The actual air temperature
according to the Columbia, Missouri Weather Website was 94 degrees. The
temperature in the dog house? 112 degrees at 12:10 in the afternoon!” Download the flyer to hang around, give to those who chain their dogs.
Dog Days of Summer Rescue Challenge Surpasses Goal of 90 Dogs a Month Ahead of Schedule! Already Rescues 99 Dogs!
The Dog Days of Summer continue...and dogs across the country will languish, suffer, even die in the heat.
DDB has a unique challenge for the second summer in a row: Let's
Rescue a Chained or Penned Dog a Day! That's 90 Chained or Penned Dogs
in need of foster and vet care, not to mention new, inside, loving homes
and families. Can we do it?
So far we have rescued 99 dogs that have lived their lives at the end of a chain!
Here is Tank's Story:
Dog #85. Tank - One dog that was claimed to be a wildly aggressive German Shepherd and one lanky young girl fighting for his life.
Tank’s story starts out badly. Chained by a 5 foot, padlocked heavy
chain to a ramshackle dog house baking in the sun. No water in sight
and only a mud hole for company. Tank probably wondered why his toenails
were so long and uncomfortable, why no one would brush him, or why
every time he went to lie down his prong collar would stab into his
neck. Most of all, he probably wondered why he was forced to live his
life in loneliness and misery, away from his pack he so longed to be
with.
Tank’s owners put him up for sale on Craigslist. “Vicious Dog,”
they said. “Only one person is able to touch him,” they said. “Buyer
Beware” they said. Enter lanky young girl. Read the rest of Tank's Story
See the stories of the other 98 dogs rescued so far...
From the Mailbag: Thank you for Bre!
Dear Dogs Deserve Better,
We
just wanted to say " Thanks" again for caring about the dogs. We
adopted Bre in March 2005 and he's still a wonderful dog. He has had a
great life with us and our extended pet family of 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2
tortoises. We go camping at the beach, mountain and lakes with the
dogs. They think our camper is just a big dog house.
He sleeps in
our bedroom and goes in and out of the house as he likes. We have a
fenced yard. He also enjoys his daily walks around the neighborhood.
We have a 9 yr old son, so the dogs and cats double as his
siblings. Bre's having a wonderful life for a wonderful dog. (He's a
cockerspaniel mix old name was Fraggle.) Best Wishes to you and all you
help.
Dale
Read more stories from our Mailbag
7 Pit Bulls Rescued From Near Death in Bainbridge CA
Do
You Use eBay? Did you Know you Can Help DDB When You Buy and Sell?
Plus, August 16-22 DDB Will be Featured at Checkout, which has raised
over $27,000 in the past for Chained Dogs!
Sell your unwanted items on eBay and donate 10-100% of the final sale price to Dogs Deserve Better. You’ll get a tax deduction and a credit on your basic eBay selling fees.
Buy items listed on eBay to benefit Dogs Deserve Better. You’ll get a great deal and Dogs Deserve Better will get funds from your purchase.
Donate Now! You can make an immediate donation using PayPal, too, without buying or selling.
Make us your Favorite Nonprofit and you’ll be invited to donate $1 (or more) whenever you checkout on eBay.
Get started today by visiting our dedicated page on eBay [http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=3033].
Congrats to Pembroke Pines, Florida for a Great Law Banning Chaining of Dogs!
On
Wednesday August 4, 2010, the city of Pembroke Pines, Florida passed
one of the most progressive anti-tethering laws in the country. It
essentially precludes the chaining of your dog unless you are outside
with them and within reach of their tether. It also addresses the
chaining of dogs inside a garage.
Chain-ging Lives:
How We Break Free from Chains of the Past
4 Hour Seminar
1st Hour:
Why
chain dogs? History of chaining, current movement to stop the chaining
of dogs, why people chain dogs, what is 'bad' about chaining. Q&A
2nd Hour:
How to interact with dog chainers. Role playing, handouts, what not to say, what not to do. Q&A
3rd Hour:
Laws for Four Paws. How chaining laws are sweeping the country, how you can change the law too. Q&A
4th Hour:
Building
an effective, targeted anti-tethering campaign which includes
education, legislation, fence building, and rescue and rehabilitation.
Q&A
|
| IN THIS ISSUE |
|
|
Thayne's Been Chained for 5 Days at the PA State Capitol
Download the Doghouse Thermometer Flyer
Dog Days of Summer Beats Goal One Month Early!
Letter from the Mailbag
Buy and Sell to Benefit DDB on eBay with MissionFish
Upcoming Montana Seminar
|
|
