Dear Tammy,
 We were still stuffing envelopes when calls came in. "My
dog is too big for the house!", "My dog is a Husky and likes it outside!", "What
you people don't understand is my dogs are chained in the yard to keep coyotes
away from my livestock!"
Yes, some people do get testy when they receive a DDB
Valentine.
365 days a year we suffer knowing that dogs are chained/penned
24/7 with no one hardly ever looking after them, so I don't feel terrible if
someone gets heated just one day a year when we try to educate them.
Just look at Maggie helping us with Valentine's at State College. Maggie lived 14 years on the end of a
chain before being rescued.
The Valentines were fantastic this year. One grade school child made a Valentine that
went like this: "If you are reading this
card and you have a chained dog, then it got into the right hands..." or an adult
who simply said, "Every morning when you awake, better choices are yours to
make..." all ending with the same message, "Bring your dog into your home and
family".
Not everyone gets angry and some even promise to take
better care of their pets, while others ask for help. However they express their opinions, we are
thankful that because of your help and Dogs Deserve Better, we give a voice to the voiceless and cause caretakers to think
about their backyard dogs when they open the mail on Valentine's day. Donate to Help us eliminate chaining, and substitute a kinder, more loving life for our best friends!
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Donte's Journey
A Journey of Love
 You may remember Donte as a DDB Holiday
dog. Donte went from living chained 24/7
with a tight chain around his neck, to being boarded where he was bitten by a
poisonous spider on his foot, to major abdominal surgery to remove the bandage
he ate off his foot, to spending weeks in the hospital, to falling in love with
a kennel mate at the hospital, to being adopted with his new girlfriend, Molly into a great home with a mom, dad, and 4
brothers and sisters. It was quite a ride but seeing him now makes every minute
of it worthwhile. Read More
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To see more cartoons by Rocky Shepheard, visit:
http://www.shepheardillustration.com
To buy attire and gifts with this cartoon, visit the DDB Cafepress store at http://www.cafepress.com/dogsdeserve
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DDB Rep Rescues Abandoned Dogs Left in Home Forecloser: Dogs Deserve Better - Ohio
 Dogs Deserve Better Representative, Marla Dakes, rescues
three dogs left in foreclosed home. When
a family abandoned their dogs and the neighbor called Marla, as always she
sprang into action!! Watch Channel 5 Dogs Left In Foreclosed Home
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The
Transformation of Peetie
A
DDB Indiana
Fencing Success
 2
dogs were in one pen with 2 dog houses and in a terrible mess. A Pittie named Peetie and a Husky/Shepherd
mix named Harley were living in the pen. There was straw and of course it was
soaked in urine and thick with feces. Peetie acted as if he wanted nothing more
than to rip through the kennel and kill us. He was very violent ... nonstop.
With
Dogs Deserve Better's help, we fenced in the yard. I was absolutely amazed to
watch the transformation in Peetie. He is now a sweet, gentle, tail wagging
normal dog. He sniffed us as if to say "Thank You " and went off to
investigate the rest of the yard." -Marie
Belanger, Indiana Rep
Read More
Donate for fence building
Note:
Some organizations offer to build a doghouse for a backyard dog for $265.00, five
dogs houses for $1,325.00 or 10 for $2,650.00 complete with straw. At Dogs Deserve Better, Reps fill doghouses
with straw, give food, treats, toys and leashes to guardians as we speak to
them about bringing their dogs inside, all of the time, not only once a year.
With
your help, we can help build a fence and sometimes even provide doggie doors to
those who will bring their dogs off the chain or out of the pen and into the
family. For those with multiple dogs, we
build fencing so the dogs can play and sleep together as well as interact with
the family. Please, when donating to
lonely dogs, help us help them with long term solutions.
Together we are making a difference and
breaking chains.
http://dogsdeservebetter.org/fencing
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Why My Dogs Love
Me - Cash and Brody
 I have 2 dogs,
Cash and Brody, who are both inside. They love me very much and I think the
main reason is I give them food and tons of treats. These two love to eat better than anything! Cash
loves for me to play ball with him and Brody is more into tug of war. They love to go for walks and to the
park.
You mention the words "Bye-Bye" and
they are ready to hit the road for a trip! They love to curl up on the couch
with a chew bone and snuggle with me while I watch T.V. When it's time for bed,
Cash enjoys lying on my stomach and Brody is at my feet.
My dogs are very important to me. I love them
very much and I could not imagine my life without them. They make me smile and laugh more than any
person ever could. They are always in a kind and loving mood.
GOD BLESS YOU!
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!!
RHONDA
RAINS
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Guardians to Give Up Chained Dogs After Receiving Valentines-North Carolina and Pennsylvania
Max
- North Carolina
 "I received a letter regarding our dog being on a chain. My husband got this
dog for our 4-year-old, who immediately did not like her. We kept her in the
house and took her on twice-daily walks for months (in addition to playing with
her in the yard daily). She would not stop peeing on our couch, or stop chewing
the furniture, or stop snapping at my son. ..She came from an abusive situation
and I don't anticipate having the resources or the patience to deal with her." If
you can help foster or have ideas how to help, please contact NC Rep Shari
Strader sdstray40@yahoo.com
Mackenzie - Greencastle, PA
 On Valentines
Day a woman
called me and said she received our Valentine again this year. She
had received them in previous years and called the police to
report harassment. I sent one again this year and she
called and said "come get her." Not because she was angry with us,
but
with her family for wanting to keep the dog chained. Her daughter
has severe allergies which is why Mackenzie was out there in the
first place.
She did the brave thing and went against her family's wishes and surrendered
the dog to us. She told her husband and children "how would you like to
be chained?" She read the brochure and looked at the website and she now
believes that chaining is cruel and inhumane and is going to try to teach
her family.
Mackenzie is about 9 years old
spayed, submissive with other dogs. She comes when called off-leash. We took her for a walk. We can help
transport almost anywhere. Contact Bobbie loddx@comcast.net to foster or for more
information
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Featured
DDB Reps
Alisa Rhodes and Chauncy Zwicker, Plainfield,
Illinois
 Chauncy
and I have been dating for over a year, when we started dating I had 1 dog I
adopted. His name is Romeo and he is an 85 pound yellow lab Airedale terrier
mix. He is 5 years old. Last January we decided to add to our family and
add a black lab boxer mix, her name is Riley and she is 55 pounds of pure
excitement. Now she is a year old and between the 4 of us, we make a
great team for rehabilitating outside dogs and raising new puppies.
We
got into DDB because a coworker of mine already was a volunteer for the
organization and when she heard we were looking to help out and rescue she told
me of the mission of DDB and we were instantly hooked. It took us a little bit
to get into the swing of things but in August of '08 we pulled our first
rescues and had 2 momma dogs along with their 13 puppies.
There was no
stopping us at that point. We went to every event we could, and from the
networking we did we wound up with our second rescue being local. It was
another pregnant momma dog who had 12 puppies. Right now we are on our 4th
litter of puppies that we recently pulled and are still loving every second of
it. We have also rescued a Golden Retriever, a Rat Terrier, a Catahoula and a
Chihuahua. Everyone has been placed in loving homes and people are
calling, emailing and stopping us in the stores we frequent asking us how
things are going and interested in what we have next because they want another
dog.
Overall
our experience with DDB has very much been a learning one and we wouldn't give
up the monthly carpet shampooing for anything. People might think we are nuts,
but the adventure of taking a dog from a life that is not the best for them and
giving them to a family that will love and cherish them for the rest of their
lives makes this the most rewarding thing we could ever think of. Thank you DDB. Volunteer!
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Dog's Life Magazine
Subscribe to Dog's Life today and 50%
of your subscription fee will be donated to Dogs Deserve
Better! Order Today
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This gorgeous Have a Heart Design by Tracy Copes will make anyone think twice about chaining a dog! Click HERE to order.
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One of our favorites, brings happiness and hope to a sad message! Design by Tracy Copes. Click HERE to oder.
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Dogs Deserve Better Checks and Credit Cards!
Help Spread the Word, No More Backyard Dogs!
 
And PLEASE SUPPORT the work of Dogs Deserve Better. Watch
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Our movement is growing, expanding, making HUGE strides, thanks to your help. Please stick with us, we really CAN change the world for chained and penned dogs.
Sincerely,
Dawn Ashby, Rescue & Public Liaison dawn@dogsdeservebetter.org
1.877.636.1408 · http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org
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Dogs Deserve Better Checks and Credit Cards!
Help Spread the Word, No More Backyard Dogs!
Visit www.dogsdeservebetter.org/donations
to find out more!
And PLEASE SUPPORT the work of Dogs Deserve Better. Watch
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