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HOW MANY CHILDREN HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THE NATION CHANGES LAWS REGARDING THE CHAINING OF DOGS? From the Spartanburg, South Carolina Herald Journal: "When Crystal Sinclair looked out to check on her 2-year-old daughter Thursday morning, all she saw was a toy. She went to her next-door neighbor, Patricia Hancock, to ask for help. Soon, she and Hancock came upon the body of Makayla Paige Sinclair where EIGHT of Hancock's nine Great Danes were kept CHAINED TO A TREE. . . . Hancock called 911 at 10:05 a.m., and when EMS arrived, Makayla was dead." Dogs Deserve Better, an organization working to get dogs off chains and into the family, insists that it's time American woke up to the dangers of chaining a dog. Karen Delise, author of Fatal Dog Attacks, has researched and chronicled the circumstances surrounding every fatal dog attack in the United States since 1955. "Chained dogs have killed at least 98 people. Of the 98 people, 92 were children that either wandered into reach or attempted to play, tease, feed, or untangle a chained, tied or similarly restrained dog." She also states in her book: "Statistically, chained dogs are more dangerous than free-running packs of dogs." America needs nationwide laws prohibiting the chaining of dogs to the nearest tree, post, or doghouse. Says Tammy Sneath Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, "How many children have to die before people realize this is a serious and nationwide problem? The chaining of dogs has been ongoing generation after generation, and this outdated and irresponsible method of guardianship must stop. Not only is it dangerous for the dog, but it's dangerous for anyone unlucky enough to wander into the sphere created by an angry dog's chain." Chained dogs are often unsocialized, in physical distress, and territorial. Dogs are pack animals, and humans have become their pack. To ostracize them from that pack is not only cruel, but creates a danger to society. Connecticut is the first state in the nation to have any state-wide laws limiting chaining. Julie Lewin, instrumental in the Connecticut law, is founder of The National Institute for Animal Advocacy, and is now conducting training all around the country to mobilize citizens to change chaining laws as well as other outmoded laws. Grimes continues, "It's a shame that we need laws to dictate common sense. If you¹¹re going to bring a dog into your life, you¹¹ve got to be willing to take responsibility for it's care and well-being. Allowing a dog to run free around the neighborhood or chaining it to the nearest tree are both irresponsible behaviors, and can and do end in death for the dog or, as in all too many cases, a small child. A responsible caretaker's dog lives inside, and has a fence high and sound enough to protect both the dog and children passing by or walks the dog on a leash for the safety of all. We are attempting to educate society, one by one if necessary. But we must also stand NOW to insist on the laws being changed to protect the innocent, both humans and dogs. It's too crucial to NOT do so. The lost life of Makayla Sinclair stands as further proof." To contact Dogs Deserve Better go to their website at www.dogsdeservebetter.com, and to contact Julie Lewin at NIFAA in Connecticut call 203-453-6590.
Tammy Sneath Grimes, Founder ************
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