Chained, unhappy, pets turn dangerous

By TAMMY GRIMES
Published on: 07/19/07 Dogs Deserve Better, a nonprofit working to end the suffering endured by dogs kept chained or penned for life, had more than 100 people in 36 states and Canada chain themselves to doghouses as part of the organization's Chain Off 2007 event. Criticized as "not important, foolish" by some commentators, our campaign turned deadly serious only 12 days later when 5-year-old Tiffany Pauley lost her life to a chained Rottweiler in Atlanta.

Atlanta had been the site of the largest Chain Off; 15 people chained themselves to doghouses in Piedmont Park for up to 30 hours June 30-July 1 to bring awareness to the horrible life of chained dogs and the threat that these unhappy animals can pose to children.

Tammy S. Grimes is founder of Dogs Deserve Better, www.dogsdeservebetter.org.
Tiffany, a child with Down syndrome, had wandered off from her home and was found hours later lying dead under a tree near the Rottweiler in a neighbor's yard. Three chained dogs were removed from the home and two penned dogs remain on the property.

We chained ourselves to doghouses to not only advocate for the dogs, but for innocent children such as Tiffany who may wander into their path. As I read the articles about Tiffany, I was enveloped with a staggering sadness at a loss that could have been so easily preventable, if only America understood the dangers in chaining a large breed dog; if only Americans were forced to take responsibility for their "family pets."

These dogs, unsocialized, unneutered, unhappy, become the equivalent of a loaded weapon in a neighborhood backyard. I am most disturbed by the quote in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article in which the mother of the dogs' owner said, "Nothing wrong happened here."

Nothing wrong happened here? A child just lost her life and no one sees the irresponsibility inherent in leaving a Rottweiler, a shepherd and a pit mix chained in the backyard where any child can easily gain access to them. Lawmakers must wake up to the dangers inherent in chaining a dog, as it becomes more and more apparent that people who chain their dogs will not.

Last year, California became the first state to pass a statewide law specifically limiting the amount of time a dog may be tethered to a stationary object. Texas passed a bill in June setting tighter restrictions on chaining, and anti-tethering bills are under consideration in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. More than 100 local governments, including Gwinnett and DeKalb counties and the city of Gainesville, either ban or limit how long a dog may be chained, recognizing that dogs are intelligent, social, active animals that suffer greatly if kept chained or penned for their lives.

Yards must be fenced for both the protection of the dog and the protection of our nation's youth. When we mistreat our animals, the human race pays the price in the end

What ticks me off is she only mentions chained large breeds as being a danger.

ALL sizes of chained dogs live a miserable life and pose a danger. (I had to word that carefully because there are those dogs that despite the ...life they lead (???) are still total sweethearts.)

I pains me to know of a dog no bigger than a large Pomeranian that lead a chained life and with the "right" training was turned into a killing machine. Other than the dog it lived with any other animal was dead meat. No matter the size of that other dog. Thankfully i never witnessed the gruesome acts themselves but i heard it from several people that is what the dog was used for. (Hrrrm... second story I've told in the past three days of "If i knew then, what i know now.") I remember the dog when it was a friendly little fluff ball, and i remember the dog when it was nothing but a tormented shell. (It was PTS when it was too mean for the owner to get anywhere near the dog. Gee guy, what did you think was going to happen?) (And before you judge me for inaction... I was three or four when this dog was alive.)