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Me and Pudgie -- chained no more!

June 27, 2007, 12:0AM MT

By Laura Allen

Michael Mountain's story of adopting a formerly chained Sheltie.

Michael Mountain's story of adopting a formerly chained Sheltie.

When Pudgie, a handsome Sheltie, came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he’d spent seven years on the end of a chain in someone’s backyard. That’s no more of a life for a dog than it would be for you or me.

With nothing more to do with his life than pull at the chain and bark, that’s what he did. Day after day after week after month after year. He barked and barked ... until his family had him de-barked. That’s a surgical operation to cut his vocal cords.

With no voice and no way of getting away, Pudgie was defenseless. When people – usually kids – came up to him, often to taunt him, he tried to defend himself by snapping at them. They would stay just out of reach and laugh at him – perhaps throw things at him. Eventually he just shut down and went into depression. Just like you or I would. His family got fed up with him and gave him up.

Here at the sanctuary, it was difficult to place Pudgie in a new home. Although it was a huge relief to be off that terrible chain, he’d developed a seven-year automatic instinct to snap at any hands that came too near his face. So if you walked up to him to pet him, he’d suddenly snap at you. He couldn’t help it.

We found a secluded home, so I took him home myself to my house at the back of the sanctuary. He'd be safe there, and I'd be able to warn visitors not to wave their hands in front of his face. But it still took another two years for Pudgie to feel safe. At first he was terrified even of going outdoors. (“Are they going to put me on a chain again?”)

Three years later, he’s still liable to snap at hands waving too near his nose. And when something excites him, he twirls in circles (as though he were on a chain) and barks in the only whisper of a voice that remains after that operation.

Still, he’s a happy old thing now, and he seems to have let go of much of the past.

But there are hundreds of thousands of dogs who are not so lucky. They’re still chained and tethered and going crazy from boredom and anxiety in the back yard, often without any shade in the blazing heat of summer, and often without even a water bowl. (Often their owner doesn’t even notice that they’ve stepped on the water bowl while straining at the chain and have been without water all day.)

The American Veterinary Medical Association says, “Never tether or chain your dog because this can contribute to aggressive behavior.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, a chained dog is 2.8 times more likely to bite than an unchained dog. Also according to the CDC, “The dogs most likely to bite are male, un-neutered, and chained.”

About two-thirds of attacks by chained dogs involve children – the same kind of kids who were taunting Pudgie.

Chained dogs can also choke when their chains became entangled with other objects. They can develop infections and severe wounds when their collars become embedded in their necks.

So please join in this year's Chain Off event. Here are the details:

This year Best Friends Animal Society is joining Dogs Deserve Better in its 5th Annual Chain Off beginning June 30, 2007. This year the event is called Unchain the 50. It is hoped people from all 50 states and Canada will chain themselves from 8-24 hours sometime between June 30, 2007-July 8, 2007.

The two main locations are Atlanta and Seattle. But people are organizing their own Unchain the 50 events all across the U.S. and Canada.

Best Friends is a sponsor and is also participating in this event to raise awareness about the cruelty and danger of chaining or tethering dogs. Best Friends will be present at the location in Seattle and will also put on an Unchain the 50 event near its sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

The Best Friends event will run from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 30, 2007 at Laid Back Larry’s in Kanab. Tom Corrigan, manager of nearby Fredonia, Arizona and president of the Fredonia Humane Society will chain himself for the event!

We need your help to make this event a success and help tethered or chained dogs around the country and in Canada.

The goal is to raise awareness about the cruelty and danger of chaining or tethering dogs.

For more information and how you can participate in Unchain the 40 or otherwise help chained dogs, visit this site: Unchain The 50 Kicks Off June 30

Comments

Posted June 29, 2007, 11:12 by Merl

When I went to the Virgin Islands I noticed many dogs chained outside all day in the hot sun; some on very short chains; so sad. And, in third world countries like the Middle East dogs are despised and used as targets or for hideous experiments.
In Palau, Micronesia, natives entertain themselves by rocking or stoning dogs. Poor dogs.

Posted July 01, 2007, 8:22 by smcclung

chained lawn ornaments! I live in the South and I thought our ignorance was regional. How horrible to find out it is "normal" across America. I work with several rescue groups and rehoming a chained dog is a very long and sensitive but rewarding adventure. Good for you for understanding the fears that beset a "chained" creature. Sometimes you wish the owners could experience what they subject dogs to by chainging them. The parents teach it to their kids and it becaomes generational. Keep fighting the good fight.... one creature at a time.

Posted July 02, 2007, 10:12AM by isabel

Tammy Grimes and her team of Dogs Deserve Better reps and volunteers are awesome.

Thank you for your story of Pudgie. I hope one day that people that do these cruel acts to dogs would feel geniune remorse and spend the rest of their life trying to make it up to the animals. It would never make up, but it would be a great start. Think of how many volunteers we would have then!!

Posted July 02, 2007, 12:26 by leela2099

I just want to thank the Best Friends Network for doing this chained no more event. I saw a story about it on the news yesterday and was delighted that your organization was able to get some much needed coverage. This is an extremely important topic that the public needs to be educated on. I think pet owner ignorance is a big part of why dogs end up on the chain. Don't they realize dogs are pack animals? Anyway, I'm so glad you are getting the word out on this. Thank you!

Posted July 09, 2007, 8:36 by pupluv4

I agree about chaining dogs. Thay all deserve better lives than that. However, please don't look down on people who debark their dogs. Sometimes it's the best option ... people who live in apartments and can't be with their dogs every minute or people who even though they keep their dogs inside, would like to let them out in their fenced yards to run and not disturb the neighbors. Debarking is a simple proceedure, when done by a vet who knows what he/she is doing. The dog is anesthesized, the cords are notched and the dog is free to go home. There is no blood or stitches and after a week of being kept quiet so there is no scarring that would cause the loud bark to come back, the dog is normal and can bark to his/her hearts content and not disturb anyone. I would much prefer to see this done than for the person to get rid of the dog or have to move.
I'm so glad Pudgie found a wonderful home.

Posted July 09, 2007, 11:5AM by olivialove

God Bless Pudgie and Best Friends!!!

Posted July 26, 2007, 12:8 by Bipedal

pupluv4: I can think of some people who might
be better off without a voice, but never, never would
I take away the voice of any dog. If you have to so
dramatically alter an animal, perhaps thinking of
an alternative to living in an apt would be a much
better option. Debarking is never a choice in my
world.

Posted June 30, 2007, 3:9 by pnmili

I didn't even know that they can surgically debark an animal. That's horrible. I'm glad that Pudgie is safe now at Bestfriend. ;-)

Posted July 05, 2007, 11:27 by CEM

I feel for the dogs like Pudgie that are chained up, however, in my town there is a leash law which has been enacted to protect humans as well as other animals. My two cats were terrorized by my neighbor's dog who when unchained would chase them. My 19 year old cat spent her last summer in the house, afraid of the dog. It's unfortunate that some dog owners don't consider the reponsibilities that they entail before they get one. My neighbor blames me for "having to leash" his dog, but he refuses to fence in his yard. Education is the key here. Good luck with event!

Posted June 28, 2007, 12:6AM by marla

It is so sad. It is amazing the amount of people who put their dog on a chain.

Posted June 29, 2007, 1:15 by ratmom

That's just great. The owners didn't have time to play with him, but they had the time and money to debark him. Chained no more.

Posted June 29, 2007, 1:40 by rmlamasney25

Why do these people have a dog in the first place?
We need a national law: animal basic bill of rights.

Posted June 29, 2007, 3:52 by Morrisonb

What a beautiful dog Pudgie is. Thanks, Best Friends, for giving him a chance at a life, other than at the end of a chain.
People that can't take care of a pet should not be allowed the privlage of having one.
Thanks, Best Friends, for always doing your best.

Posted June 29, 2007, 6:21 by katyd

Oh bless you guys for saving him. I have one these beautiful dogs and they are so smart and such good compnaions iIcannot imagine what type of perople think this is okay for any dog.

Posted June 29, 2007, 11:14 by Merl

In China, dogs are considered a delicacy. They are kept in horrible conditions; many dogs jammed into tiny cages. Some dogs are skinned alive for fur. Poor dogs.

Posted June 30, 2007, 8:30AM by maxxmom

you know what tho, in the end all those countries and mean people who do all those mean things to dogs, they will get theirs in the end..i prat for that all the time...and i wish they would get theirs the same way they did to the dogs/animals

but this chained out idea is awesome!!!! i wonder if anyone is doing this around northern va/fredericksburg area?
karenkrs99@yahoo.com

Posted July 02, 2007, 11:49 by Zoe333

Pudge gives hope that there can be a happy ending to a very terrible beginning. Thank you to Best Friends for giving Pudge a second chance at a better life! To the previous owners...no punishment could be harsh enough for such neglect. And to the Vet who performed the horrible debarking surgery, maybe we could have his/her voice taken away so they can experience what Pudge does everyday! Hopefully raising awareness and educating the public will prevent such incidences from repeatedly occuring and we no longer see dogs chained or tethered. What wonderful work you all do at Best Friends......you truly are inspirational!

Posted June 30, 2007, 7:28 by SheltieHaven

Hi Michael,

First of all, thank you so much for finding room in your life for Pudgie! Shelties have a way of leaving their paw prints all over your heart.

Spinning is a breed trait in Shelties. Most Shelties spin when they are excited. Interestingly, many are "handed spinners," i.e. they only spin left or right. Go figure.

We have found in Sheltie Rescue that, given time, patience, training and sometimes the company of other well-trained dogs, Shelties will learn good behavior and lose bad habits like snapping.

I've been in Sheltie Rescue for about 8 years and have four that were just too good to adopt out! (Yes, we're 'foster flunkies!')

Pudgie probably has another seven or eight years ahead of him. I'm glad he's in such good hands.

Bless you and Pudgie!
Gregg Bender
Northern VA Sheltie Rescue
www.nvsr.org

Posted June 30, 2007, 10:34AM by marys

Pudgie is beautiful, and so worthy of such a loving home. Thanks to Best Friends for getting involved in the "chain-off"! So exciting to see the word getting out to folks who think it is OK to chain a dog.
Educate, educate! Yes! How exciting to challenge every state to get involved. Thanks to everyone involved in this great work!

Posted July 01, 2007, 10:3 by ruthy92

Thank you so much for this story.

It pains me to think of the wonderful, loving dogs that sit at the end of the chains right now, freezing or burning.

The loneliness, the sadness.

We must end this ignorance. We must all let our legislators know that chaining or tethering must be limited.

No dog deserves to live or die at the end of a chain.

Posted June 29, 2007, 10:54 by tuckersmom

what kind of person can think that chaining a dog up is OK? we had neighbor who did this and one hot day, their dog's barking led me there to find she had no water because they just left the bowl in the dirt and the dog had of course knocked it over. she was dying of thirst. idiots. why have a dog if she is to be chained up?