Hiking With Bruce

So I've fallen in love with hiking.  After Eagle Peak and the Incline, I am in love with the outdoors.  And I have a dog who loves it too.  So I had a day off and decided to spend it only with Bruce.

 

It was a great day.

 

Bruce had a blast!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Goal To Pursue

Bruce was an owner surrender who lived 3 years tied up outside.  He was dog aggressive, 20 lbs underweight and suffering from hip and elbow dysplasia.  He ate sometimes and was petted when he was remembered.  We don't want this to happen to other innocent dogs.
 
Bruce and I are committed to saving dogs who suffer at the hands of cruel and/or uneducated humans.  We are currently researching a good way to change or improve our state's laws (Colorado) and hope to help you do the same.  In the meantime, we will be posting notes here and/or on our Facebook that can be helpful to our cause.
 

This is a list of resources that can help you save our dogs from chaining, abuse, neglect, etc.
 

• A printable flyer to pass around or even just share online:  http://www.unchainyourdog.org/documents/Info_For_Owners.pdf
• ASPCA:  http://www.aspca.org/
• Humane Society of the United States:  http://www.humanesociety.org/

 

A note from www.dogsdeservebetter.org :

 
Heather Carpenter, former Orlando Florida Dogs Deserve Better rep, compiled a basic 'to-do' list for changing laws:
 
1) SELECT AN ISSUE. Like chaining of dogs!!
 
2) EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE ISSUE. You should be well informed on the issues surrounding your cause, and not just from a cruelty aspect. Government officials are concerned about public safety, public health, and of course animal welfare.
 
3) RESEARCH YOUR COUNTY'S CURRENT LAWS. They may have some aspect of a tethering ordinance in place. If not, they may have an ordinance regarding the confinement of animals. Tethering could be added onto this already existing ordinance. Remember that http://www.municode.com is a good resource to look up your county's ordinances, if they're on-line. Its really easy to use. If your county does not have on-line codes, go to your local library or clerk of court for a copy of the local ordinances.
 
4) FIND A MODEL ORDINANCE. See our Model Laws page for the best laws to model yours on. The Helping Animals website, as well as Unchainyourdog.org, have the ordinances from other counties listed. Your commissioners want to see what's going on in other communities and probably write their ordinances based on one already existing. The original six communities all enforce the law, as well.5) FIND ALLIES. Your local humane society or even your local animal control could be helpful. Also any animal rights or welfare groups, wildlife or environmental groups may be supportive. Dog obedience trainers or vets may be supportive.
 
6) KNOW YOUR OPPOSITION. Its important to think about the type of people or groups that may oppose your ordinance. Know their arguments and be ready to counter. These might be hunters or low end breeders, or if you live in Alaska or the cold climates, sled dog groups. These people have large packs of dogs and frequently keep them chained. They are a working animal to them, not a companion.
 
7) INTRODUCE YOUR ORDINANCE. Find the local commissioner who has either supported animal friendly laws or introduced animal friendly laws previously. You can also go to YOUR local commissioner. If your's is not interested, go to the next one. Find someone to "sponsor" your ordinance. 8) LOBBYING. Once you have a sponsor and bill number, lobby the other commissioners. Provide informational packets to all of them. Mobilize your group of supporters to contact their commissioners about the ordinance. You can also get national organizations to write letters for you.
 
9) PUBLIC HEARING. Once the ordinance is introduced, a public hearing is frequently held. Arrange for speakers on your behalf from different areas, such as animal control, cruelty investigators, dog bite victims, or a dog trainer or animal behaviorist. If there is not a public hearing, just a vote, get as many people as possible to speak.
 
10) THE VOTE. When you know the commissioners are going to be voting, get as many phone calls, faxes, letters, emails to go to them as possible. Make sure they know the majority of the public wants this. Enacting legislation takes a long time, maybe even years, but its worth it. Even if you lose, the public will be better educated and you can try again.