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.

Bedtime

Every night at bedtime, Bruce and I head to the bedroom. When we get to my bed, I give him a head rub and a kiss on the nose and tell him "Goodnight, baby." Then he goes under the bed and gets comfy. 

Tonight we headed for the bedroom and he raced to the bed. Then he stopped and looked back at me as if to say "Are you coming?"  When I reached him I gave him some love and as soon as I said "Goodnight, baby" and stood straight up he dove under the bed. 

I just love him. 

Bruce's Bad Hips

It was raining last night.  It was nice and cool and the plants needed a break from the heat.  But I noticed Bruce was walking a little slower than usual.  His back end did a kind of hop and his hind legs were stiff.  He walked almost as if he had a volleyball between his hind legs.  His hips hurt when the weather cools.  It made me sad to see him hurt.

Dogs are so good at masking pain.  Even though Bruce was obviously hurting, he followed me outside.  When I sat on the couch, he laid on the floor at my feet.  It didn't matter where I went, if he thought I was going to be in a certain room for longer than a minute, he was at my side.  Regardless of his pain.  I gave him a kiss on the nose and decided I'd try my best to help him.

I heated a compress and applied it to his hips.  He was curious about it at first and at times he'd squirm away but overall he was a good sport and he let me massage him for a little while.  I felt his legs loosen up a little while I rubbed him down.  Every once in a while his legs would tremble.  After a while, however, he relaxed enough to fall asleep.  And, as I often did whenever I massaged him, I fell deeply in love for him and regained an appreciation for dogs that people often fail to have.

My dog would walk with me throughout the house with stiff legs and painful hips.  Not because I ordered him to.  Not because I lured him around with treats.  But because in his mind he is my dog.  And as a dog, I am his priority.  I ask myself, if he were a human would he do the same?  Probably not.  I wouldn't.  And not because I wouldn't care for my other human.  But because as a human, we have to really work hard on ourselves to be as dedicated to others as our dogs are--while dogs do not.

I truly believe dogs were given to us by God to show us how to love.  They love unconditionally.  The way we cannot.  We are so blessed to have been given such a gift.

As I headed to the bedroom for the night, Bruce followed me and stood by my bed.  He waited for me to get in the bed before he crawled under it for the night.  Laying on my belly, I reached under the bed, found his head and gave him a gentle scratch.  "Goodnight, baby," I told him.  A few thumps of his tail on the carpet told me that he said it back.

Lessons From Dogs #5

Be as goofy as you can.

Life is meant to be filled with love, kindness, mistakes and learning.  It is GOOD to be goofy. 

 

Dance whenever you can-- it is proven to be healthy for you. 

 

Sing when it gets quiet-- it's contagious! 

 

Be silly when you play with your kids. 

 

Get down on the floor, lay on your back and grin as if life couldn't be any better.

 

 

Hang out with your dog as if he really is your best friend. 

Besides, you're HIS best friend.