Dogs Deserve Better

by Katie Marsico

Nationwide contestants support Dogs Deserve Better in Chain Off 2006

On July 1, eleven participants from across the nation began competing in Chain Off 2006, a grueling but realistic contest in which they attempted to live chained to doghouses in Mundys Corner, Pennsylvania, for thirteen days. The event was organized by Dogs Deserve Better (DDB), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, that strives to educate people about what life is like for chained canines.
   
    Though contestants were provided with unlimited water, they faced other numerous restrictions and challenges. Their meager provisions included a sheet of plastic, a sleeping bag, sunscreen, insect repellent, and access to food and a journal twice a day. Many participants found their doghouses cramped, and a few weren’t even able to completely fit inside. But competitors braved the elements, a no-talking rule, general boredom, and several elimination games in the hopes of winning a new Chevy Aveo. DDB founder Tammy Grimes is confident that, despite their rugged and often uncomfortable experiences, those involved in Chain Off 2006 helped raise awareness about the stark existence of chained dogs.
   
    “Our ultimate goal was to grab the public’s attention in a way that made them really get what life is like for these animals,” says Grimes. To help support DDB, musician Cheryl Hill and actor Adrian Zmed were present at the July 1 kickoff. Their encouragement spurred on contestants such as Ann Arbor’s Heather Ann Shirley, who remained chained for approximately 144 hours.
   
    On July 13, eighteen-year-old Pinckneyville, Illinois, resident Aija Nicole Gillman was named winner of Chain Off 2006. As for next year, Grimes hopes the contest will be even bigger and take place in a more prominent city. She is also optimistic that it will touch just as many—if not more—lives.
   
    For participant Don Lee McKendree of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the Chain Off resulted in a major change in his attitude as a pet guardian. While McKendree formerly chained his dog Niki, the competition allowed him to realize the daily struggles and tremendous sadness that an animal in such circumstances experiences.
   
    “Don was by  the most affected of all the contestants,” attests Grimes. “When he returned home, he immediately removed Niki from her chains. He admitted that taking part in the Chain Off was one of the hardest things he ever did—a very intense and powerful demonstration of what life is truly like for a chained pet.”
    

For more information on DDB’s Chain Off 2006, please see www.DogsDeserveBetter.com.

Trenton shelter receives $50,000 donation for new facility

It’s not every day that Leland Gordon receives a check for $50,000. To say that the executive director of the Animal Friends Humane Society (AFHS) in Trenton was pleasantly surprised at the donation to his shelter is an understatement.
   “It made me feel absolutely amazing,” says Gordon, who knows the donor’s identity, even though she requested to remain anonymous to the public when she wrote the hefty check in mid-July. “This particular woman has given to us before, but I never imagined anything this sizable.” The gift comes only about a month after AFHS went public about its goal to open a new and improved facility. Currently in charge of the oldest, largest non-profit animal shelter in Butler County, Gordon emphasizes that an upgrade is an absolute necessity.
   “We’re a fifty-four-year-old shelter operating out of a fifty-four-year-old building. We receive approximately twenty-four animals a day, and we’re forced to euthanize thousands each year. In a word, conditions are not good.” Stacked kennels, inadequate ventilation, and an inefficient septic system are just a few of the many problems that make sanitary conditions and disease control difficult at AFHS. Space is also at a premium, which in turn necessitates less holding time and more frequent euthanasia.
   “We have an open-admission policy here,” says Gordon. “We take everything from strays to aggressive animals to those that are sick or simply unwanted. Our limited space equates to that many more animals that we don’t have the means to care for.” Keeping in mind the present challenges he faces, Gordon estimates that the shelter will need between $2 million and $3 million to build another facility, which he aims to keep in central Butler County. Once constructed, it will have a kennel system, quality plumbing and ventilation, and space to house 20 percent more animals. The generosity of the anonymous donation is another step on a path that will save lives, as Gordon estimates the dogs and cats he houses are running out of time.
   “Some shelters take ten years to raise funds for this kind of project,” he says. “We don’t have that luxury. I see animals arrive at the shelter that actually become ill because of the conditions there. We’re doing the absolute best we can, but change needs to be imminent.” In addition to making the public aware of the dire urgency of relocation, Gordon also hopes that people will be inspired by the vast contribution, even if they remain in the dark about who gave it.
    “Pets bring so much joy to so many people,” he explains. “It’s critical that more individuals stand up and support shelters like ours. What better legacy can you leave than helping animals in need?”
   
For more information on Animal Friends Humane Society or to make a donation, please visit www.AnimalFriendsHS.org or use the following contact information: 5225 Trenton Road, Trenton, OH, 45067, (513) 867-5005.

Local dog-friendly park receives a few upgrades

Want to give your pooch some outdoor fun? Otto Armleder Memorial Park and Recreation Complex on the Little Miami River is just east of downtown Cincinnati and features a 10-acre dog park with separate areas for canines of varying sizes. Amenities such as a doggie drinking fountain and shower area are also available. These and other recent renovations are a result of local government entities signing an agreement to improve the park in February 2005.  

For more information on the park, please see www.HamiltonCountyParks.org/parks/armleder.htm.

Legislative Alerts!

Pending legislation related to animal welfare in the Ohio Valley area includes:

OH H.B. 189
This bill proposes that breed-specific verbiage be removed from Ohio’s Dangerous Dog Law. The bill was introduced by Representative Kathleen Walcher on May 20, 2005.

OH H.B. 613
This bill proposes that penalties be increased for
individuals found guilty of cruelty to animals. Addition-ally, it would necessitate that perpetrators under age fifteen undergo court-mandated psychological counseling. The bill was introduced by Representative Brian G. Williams on June 16.

For more information related to pending animal-welfare legislation in your state, please see:

ASPCA: Lobby for Animals!
www.ASPCA.org

The Humane Society of the United States:
Legislation and Laws
www.HSUS.org/legislation_laws

Indiana General Assembly
www.IN.gov/legislative

Kentucky Bill Watch
www.Kentucky.gov/services/billwatch

126th Ohio General Assembly
www.Legislature.State.OH.us/search.cfm