Start A Chain Reaction

Dogs, just like human beings who get locked up for no reason, will get mean and bitter.
-- Dr. Roger Mugford, Vancouver Sun, April 28, 2003

Across North America communities are taking action to limit the number of hours a dog can be tied up outside. Municipalities in more than half of the 50 states in the U.S. now have "chained dog" laws and North Vancouver has recently passed by-laws pertaining to the chaining of dogs. However, New Brunswick dogs do not enjoy this kind of protection. While the provincial SPCA act requires dog owners to provide adequate food, water, shelter and care, nothing in the act protects dogs from being kept outdoors on a chain. The New Brunswick SPCA is launching a public education and awareness campaign to call attention to the plight of chained dogs across our province. The "Start a Chain Reaction" program is intended to give individuals the information, materials and moral support they need to act on behalf of dogs in their communities. The campaign has been made possible by a grant to the Fredericton SPCA from the McGrand Trust Fund and by private donations.

If you would like to receive a free information package, please contact the NBSPCA at:
P.O. Box 1412, Station A
Fredericton, NB E3B 5E3
Email: spca@nbnet.nb.ca
Phone: 506-458-8208
Fax: 506-458-8209

21 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP

If you are reading this, then you are concerned about a chained-up or neglected dog. Perhaps the dog is your own and you want to better his life. Perhaps the dog is one in your neighbourhood whom you are worried about. There are many things you can do to help end this form of animal cruelty!

1. Bring your dog inside! Dogs get bored and lonely sitting on the same patch of packed dirt day after day, month after month, year after year. Dogs want to be inside the house with their "pack" - their human family.

2. Get to know the dog’s guardian if you are concerned about someone else’s chained dog.

3. Call your local animal control office, humane society, or police department if you see a dog who is consistently without food, water or shelter; sick or infested with parasites; or too skinny. A city/county official or animal control officer is required to investigate the situation if the dog guardian is breaking your community’s animal cruelty law. Once you report the situation, don’t be afraid to follow up! Keep calling the authorities until the situation is resolved. The dog is counting on you to be his voice.

4. Offer to buy the chained dog from the owner. Just say something like, "I saw your dog and have always wanted a red chow. Would you sell him to me for $50?" You can then place the dog into a good home. Although some chained dogs are aggressive and difficult to approach, many are very friendly and adoptable. Do NOT offer to buy the dog if you think that the owner will just go right back out and get another dog.

5. Put up a fence. Fences give dogs freedom and make it easier for owners to approach their dogs, since they won't be excitedly lunging at the end of a chain. Fences don’t have to be very expensive if you are willing to do some work yourself. You can attach mesh fencing to wooden or metal posts for the cheapest fence. Chain link is easy to install, too. Check with fencing companies to see if they have leftover materials for donation.

6. Put up a trolley system if you can't put up a fence. A trolley system is cheap and will give the dog much more freedom of movement than a chain.

7. If your dog can escape your fence, consider one of these options: Install a 45-degree inward extension to the top of your existing fence. Most home improvement stores can help you with this. If your dog can climb over a short fence, extend the height of the fence with mesh fencing. You can also purchase inexpensive bamboo or reed fencing, which comes in 6-foot rolls. Attach the bamboo fencing to the existing fence. It is difficult for a dog to climb this slick fencing. To stop diggers, bury chicken wire to a depth of one foot below where the fence meets the ground (be sure to bend-in the sharp edges) or place concrete blocks around the bottom of the fence. You can also dig a trough under the fence and fill it with concrete (along the full length of the fence or only in "trouble spots").

8. Purchase a 15, 20, or 30 foot lightweight tie-out if a fence or trolley aren’t possible. Attach the tie-out to a strong stake that screws into the ground. Place the stake in a central location so that the dog can move around all sides of the stake.

9. Spaying and neutering a dog will help him to calm down and stay closer to home. A sterilized dog won’t try to escape to find a mate! Sterilization is healthy for your dog - it reduces his or her risk of contracting certain types of cancer . Sterilization won't change your dog's personality.

10. Replace ill-fitting, old collars with a new nylon collar. You should be able to easily fit two fingers between the dog's neck and the collar.

11. Provide food and fresh water EVERY day. Every day that you eat, your dog needs to eat, too. You can place a water bowl inside a tire or in a hole in the ground to keep it from tipping. You can also attach a water bucket to a wooden doghouse or fence. Stretch wire, a small chain, bungee cord, or twine across the bucket and secure the wire on either side of the bucket.

12. Provide proper shelter for the dog. If you can’t afford to buy a doghouse, you can make one. Doghouses should be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around comfortably, but small enough to retain the dog's body heat. Wooden doghouses should be raised a few inches off of the ground to prevent rotting and keep out rain. Flat concrete blocks are an easy way to raise a doghouse. Dogs enjoy having soft bedding to curl up on. The New Brunswick SPCA suggests you use a thick layer of clean straw which not only insulates, but also ensures that your pet stays dry. Towels and carpet can get wet and freeze and should not be used for bedding.

13. Give your dog toys and things to chew on. Dogs need the stimulation provided by toys, just like kids do. A big chew toy will occupy a dog for several hours. Even a knotted towel or ball can provide hours of entertainment. Toss toys over the fence if the dog belongs to someone else.

14. Take your dog on walks! It will mean the world to your dog to be able to get of the yard, see new things, and smell new smells. Walking your dog is great exercise for both you and your dog. If the dog belongs to someone else, offer to walk the dog yourself.

15. Take your dog to school! Obedience training can solve behaviour problems and help the dog learn how to be a good “inside” dog. 16. Provide your dog with flea treatment, heartworm preventative, and annual worming.

17. Protect your dog from winter cold. Dogs get cold in the winter just like we do, especially short-haired and small dogs. Dogs can even get hypothermia and frostbite. If it is too cold for you to sleep outside, your dog is going to be cold outside, too. If you can’t bring the dog inside, fill doghouses with hay or cedar chips to help your dog retain body heat. (Cedar chips are preferable because they are less likely to rot and do not contain mites.) To keep cold air from blowing through the doghouse, cover the door with a plastic flap. You can use a car mat, a piece of plastic carpet runner, or even a piece of carpet. Dogs need more food in winter, as keeping warm consumes calories. Check your dog's water bowl daily to be sure it isn't frozen.

18. Provide shade in the summer. Sitting in the hot sun all day is miserable for a dog. Bring your dog inside during heat waves if possible. Plant trees to provide shade. You can also create shade with tarps and pieces of plywood.

19. Fill up a plastic kiddie pool for hot summer months. Dogs enjoy cooling off in a pool as much as we do. What a cheap way to ease those hot summer days for a dog.

20. Change the law in your community to ban chaining!

21. Educate people about chaining. Keep some educational brochures and flyers in your car. If you see a chained dog, you can put a brochure in that person’s mailbox. You can find downloadable brochures in the "Chained Dog Material" section at http://www.spca-nb.ca/.

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