Is Your Dog the Love of Your Life? Help Dogs Deserve Better Make Other Dogs as Lucky During our Have a Heart for Chained Dogs 2009 Valentine Campaign.  We are striving to raise awareness for chained and penned dogs in a positive way...by delivering Valentines, a brochure and a treat coupon to dogs living outside, all over the U.S. and into other countries where we have representation, such as Canada and Australia.

What can you do to help?



1. Make Valentines. Teachers, Students, Scout Leaders, Group Leaders, and Individuals--please make Valentines! Please note: Sizes should be no bigger than 4"x8.5" so they can fit in a mailing envelope. The valentines can say anything along the lines of 'Bring us into the home and family'. Send them to us by February 5th at P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684.

2. Mail Coupons for Free or Reduced Cost Treats or dog food. Last year we did not have enough treat coupons to fill all the Valentines. Can you help us out this year by mailing any and all treat or dog food coupons you have to us at P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684?

3. Send addresses for Chained or Penned Dogs. This is so CRUCIAL! Please, take the time to find out the address of that chained or penned dog near you, even though it takes a little time...To make our goal, we need to mail at least 12,500 Valentines.

Send addresses via mail, call 877.636.1408 to report addresses, e-mail them to info@dogsdeservebetter.org or fill out the form at http://dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2009.html and visit the link to find out more.

Read Humane Society of the United States - "Sending Love To Chained Dogs"

Kylah started out being an inside/outside dog and was only chained up a few hours a day.  At 9 years old she had been spending the majority of her time alone and chained up in the back yard.  After receiving a DDB brochure in the mail her guardians finally believed she did indeed deserve better and asked for our help finding her a new home.
 
From her guardians:"We are not providing Kylah the home she needs or craves for anymore.  I can tell she is not as happy as she used to be.  She really needs a home where she can be primarily inside.  She is pretty much a big lap dog."
 
Shari Strader, a North Carolina DDB Rep found a couple that, sadly, just lost 2 of their elderly dogs in the past few months. They have one dog now, only adopt rescued dogs, and provide the best home you can imagine. So Kylah was unchained and her former caretaker relinquished her to Shari and DDB.  Kylah went to meet her potential new parents and their 10 yr old adopted Lab.  "Kylah is really is a great dog.... very sweet, loving, and it's easy to see that she wants so much to be able to live with a family and never be chained again.", Shari told us. 
 
Dogs Deserve Better spends a major amount of funding on postage, sending letters and brochures to chained/penned dog caretakers, but dogs like Kylah are proof that this is a much-needed program.  Now that our Valentine Campaign is about to take off, we expect to mail out 12,500 Valentines and brochures to educate caretakers.  If you would like to help with this phenomenal project please donate  and help more dogs like Kylah come into the home and family. 

1.  Lower-Ear Noogies
At the base of the ear, gently rub your knuckle in a "noogie" fashion.  (To make a noogie, form a half fist with your knuckles sticking out.) This can also be done for the "inner ear noogie by using the knuckle of your middle finger, rub the piece of cartilage that just out at the entrance to the inside of your dog's ear)
 
2.  Make a "Hand-Sandwich"
When your dog is lying on its side, slip your hand between your dog and the floor, starting at the shoulder, and run you hand slowly along the length of the body. The ripple will result in canine ecstasy. Your dog will probably roll onto the flat of it's back, which means you can do this again, using both hands-one on each side.
 
3.  The Full-Body Massage
Starting at the snout, thoroughly and methodically massage the entire length of your dog's body.

These dogs are among an estimated 1000+ living permanently "chained-out-in-the-back-yard" in Fulton County.... isolated and neglected. Please be their voice by asking the Fulton County Commissioners to outlaw chaining. Gwinnett, Dekalb, Cobb, Cherokee and Douglas counties are the metro-Atlanta counties among the 15+ in Georgia who've already outlawed chaining. It's shameful that Fulton County, the State Capital, is lagging behind. See more Fulton County Chained Dogs  Warning:  photos may be disturbing to some.

The Ban on Dog Chaining in Fulton County has been introduced and NOW IS THE TIME to have your voice heard for all these dogs. There are 3 chances to be heard:

1. Wed Jan 14 2pm -
Meeting with Com. Nancy Boxhill District 6.
Her district is Grant Park, Capital view, Candler Park, Cabbagetown, Castleberry Hill, Inman Park, Midtown, Vine city, VA Highlands - If you are a resident she cares more about you.

 2. Tues Jan 20 9:30am -
Meeting with Com. Rob Pitts - At Large
At large means he covers all Fulton County.

3. Wed Jan 21 10am -
Commission meeting open to Public
Need people for 2 minute public comment. I have photos, facts, scripts ready to make it easy. Tell your story, why you want this law passed. This is your chance to be heard in front of everybody. I need LOTS OF PEOPLE to show up for this!!!! Contact Denise  if you can speak. 
 
If you can't attend a meeting, please at least send an email to the Commissioners expressing your support of the proposed ban on long-term tethering (aka "chaining"). Commissioners addresses are:
 
john.eaves@fultoncountyga.gov  robb.pitts@fultoncountyga.gov  lynne.riley@fultoncountyga.gov  Tom.Lowe@fultoncountyga.gov  Emma.Darnell@fultoncountyga.gov  district6@fultoncountyga.gov  William.Edwards@fultoncountyga.gov

Contact local news stations and ask for reports on the horrors of dog chaining in Fulton County at http://myfoxatlanta.com or email Randy Travis, Reporter for Fox 5 Atlanta News with a blog about Fulton County,  http://community.myfoxatlanta.com/blogs/RandyTravis

Amanda Green has been a Hobbs, NM area rep with Dogs Deserve Better since September 2008 and in that time she has worked hard to network with local and state law-makers to help set a humane standard for dogs in New Mexico.  She has also created an awareness in her community about the plight of chained/ penned dogs by sending letters to the editor, getting put on the front page of her local paper for a 2008 DDB Christmas project, canvassing neighborhoods and talking to owners of chained/penned dogs, and showcasing DDB at monthly tabling events at her local pet supply store.

Amanda became a DDB rep because in 1999 she knew of a little girl in Arkansas that was killed by a perpetually chained and unsocial dog that lived next door to the veterinary clinic she worked at. She was glad that she finally found an organization rooted in the same beliefs she had- an organization that equipped her with everything she needed to drive this passion.

Amanda lives in Hobbs, New Mexico with her supportive husband, Weston, and their beautiful eight month old daughter, Savannah, and four faithful canine friends, Shania, UNO, Memphis, and Bella. She also fosters, Sunny and Petey (which are listed on the DDB Adopt Me page). When not involved with DDB activities, she likes to spend time with her family, travel, walk her dogs, advocate for pit bulls, and volunteer at the school that she used to teach at before being a stay at home mom.

The New Have a Heart for Chained Dogs design features a starving pit bull looking pitiful at the end of her chain and can be purchased on a variety of great items. 

A portion of all purchases helps Dogs Deserve Better and Chained/Penned dogs. 

Order on a Ceramic Travel Mug or Denim Shirt!

Testimonial from Pauline Larsen, Columnist, Humane Education, DDB Rep: "I just received Puddles On The Floor, and have read it three times. I am convinced that we need to get copies of this book in as many elementary school libraries as possible. What an awesome educational tool this is!! I will be sending a donation to get multiple copies to distribute to schools, and hope my action will encourage others to do the same. Education is the key to improving the plight of needy dogs, and this book can change attitudes.I AM IMPRESSED, and I encourage YOU to order multiple copies to distribute in your area!"

Dawn Ashby, Rescue & Public Liaison dawn@dogsdeservebetter.org
1.877.636.1408 · http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org