Dogs
are naturally social beings who thrive on interaction with humans
and other animals. A dog kept chained in one spot for hours,
days, months, or even years suffers immense psychological damage.
An otherwise friendly and docile dog, when kept continuously
chained, becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and most often
aggressive.
In
addition to the psychological damage wrought by continuous chaining,
dogs forced to live on a chain make easy targets for other animals,
humans, and biting insects. Chained dogs are also easy targets
for thieves looking to steal animals for sale to research institutions
or to be used as training fodder for organized animal fights.
Finally, dogs’ tethers can become entangled with other
objects, which can choke or strangle the dogs to death.
In
many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered
with sores, the result of improperly fitted collars and the
dogs’ constant yanking and straining to escape confinement.
Dogs have even been found with collars embedded in their necks.
The Humane Society of the United States, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, and numerous animal experts have deemed this
constant confinement as cruel and inhumane.
Rarely
does a chained or tethered dog receive sufficient care. Chained
dogs suffer from sporadic feedings, overturned water bowls,
inadequate veterinary care, and extreme temperatures. What’s
more, because their often neurotic behavior makes them difficult
to approach, chained dogs are rarely given even minimal affection.
Chained dogs become a part of the scenery and can be easily
ignored by their owners.
Chained
dogs are forced to urinate, defecate, sleep, and eat in a single
confined area. Most owners of chained dogs are less likely to
clean the area. Where there may have once been grass in an area
of confinement, it is usually so beaten down by the dog’s
pacing that the ground consists of nothing but dirt or mud.
The
final word is that chaining doesn’t work - except to serve
as a form of confinement that is easy for the owner but cruel
for the animal. Chaining is not an acceptable practice. It’s
a long-overlooked form of cruelty that must be stopped. When
living chained, they are not pets - but prisoners.
If
you pass a chained dog with a sadness in your heart, please
have the courage to do something about it. Try to politely encourage
owners of chained dogs to make a change. Offer to walk or play
with the dog. Offer help in building a fenced area. Offer a
donated doggie bed and toys. Set an example by keeping your
own dog inside. If all else fails, call your local animal control
agency. If they determine that the dog is being neglected and
that the owner refuses to comply with providing the most basic
care, they can impound the animal and possibly give it a second
chance at life by adopting it to a responsible owner
.©
2003, Alachua County Humane Society, Inc. All rights reserved.
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