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Animal advocates to spend 24 hours chained to doghouses
Chicago, IL
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Dogs Deserve Better Founder, Tammy Grimes, chained to dog house.
Video Clip: Click to Watch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Animal advocates to spend 24 hours chained to doghouses
Chicago suburb will host the largest of the national "Chain Off" events, June 28-29 at the Dupage County Fairgrounds
Tipton, Penn., June 2, 2008 -- Hundreds of animal advocates will chain themselves to doghouses in locations across the country from June 27 through July 7 as part of non-profit Dogs Deserve Better's annual "Chain Off," a one-of-a-kind event – part protest, part performance art – designed to raise awareness about the suffering endured by the millions of dogs that live out their days in chains.
The Dupage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Ill. will be the site of this year's main Chain Off event with 24 hours of festivities and educational outreach, June 28-29. Volunteers will live chained to doghouses on the fairgrounds for 24 hours. The provocative, yet upbeat event will include food, drink, music, demonstrations by dog trainers, and information booths from rescue groups, pet food vendors and others. People are encouraged to bring their leashed, vaccinated, socialized dogs.
Nationwide, supporters of the anti-chaining cause will observe Chain Off by tethering themselves in parks, private yards, and other places between June 27 and July 7.
Dogs Deserve Better holds Chain Off, now in its sixth year, around the July 4 holiday when "freedom" is on the national consciousness. The Pennsylvania-based non-profit is focused exclusively on ending the antiquated practice of keeping a dog tied up for its life, or for extended periods of time. Although increasingly recognized as abusive, 24/7 chaining is still prevalent and accepted in many places in the United States, including in Illinois, where existing animal welfare laws allow dogs to be chained for their entire lives.
"Living chained to a doghouse for 24 hours will be grueling," said Cynthia Drobitsch, a Naperville resident and principal organizer of this year's Chicagoland event. "But the participants' 24 hours of discomfort is nothing compared to the daily suffering of so many dogs that spend their entire lives at the end of a chain, living in a small patch of mud, their chains wrapped around a tree, baking in the summer sun or freezing in the cold, desperate for affection or even just a walk. Most of us can barely begin to imagine the agony and loneliness of such a life for a social, intelligent animal like a dog.'"
Because of the humanitarian and public safety issues posed by chained dogs (perpetually chained dogs are responsible for hundreds of attacks on children every year), a number of states, cities and counties have started passing laws addressing how long people can chain their dogs. California and Texas recently passed statewide laws that put specific time limits on chaining and a number of other states, including Pennsylvania and South Carolina, are currently considering similar legislation. Several hundred cities and counties nationwide also have so-called anti-tethering laws, some banning the practice entirely.
Who: Dogs Deserve Better
What: Sixth Annual Chain Off, National Main Event
Where: Dupage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton
When: From 11:15 a.m. June 28 to 11:15 a.m. June 29, 2008
For more information: www.dogsdeservebetter.org or www.unchainourworld.org.
Members of the press only may contact Cynthia Drobitsch at 630-210-1303 or Dawn Asbhy at 217.324.5250)
Why:
+ Because an estimated 6 million dogs live most or all of their lives in chains in the U.S. alone, many of them growing insane and aggressive at the end of their tethers, with countless females getting pregnant and giving birth while chained, giving rise to yet more unwanted animals.
+ Because today most reasonable people understand that dogs are social, intelligent animals that require exercise, grooming, vet care, stimulation, and compassion – all of which many perpetually chained dogs never receive.
+ Because chained dogs often become neurotic and aggressive, thereby posing a danger to children and adults.
+ Because there are numerous, humane methods of confinement that do not involve chaining a dog by its neck for months or years at a time.
+ Because the national trend is away from a tacit acceptance of this method of confinement, with hundreds of cities, states, and counties passing laws that limit or ban the practice of perpetual chaining.
Contacts:
Dawn Ashby
Dogs Deserve Better Public Liason and Chain Off Organizer
217.324.5250; e-mail: dawn@dogsdeservebetter.org
Cynthia Drobitsch
Dogs Deserve Better Volunteer and Chain Off Organizer
630.210.1303; email: cynthiadrobitsch@sbcglobal.net
Animal advocates to spend 24 hours chained to doghouses
Chicago suburb will host the largest of the national "Chain Off" events, June 28-29 at the Dupage County Fairgrounds
Tipton, Penn., June 2, 2008 -- Hundreds of animal advocates will chain themselves to doghouses in locations across the country from June 27 through July 7 as part of non-profit Dogs Deserve Better's annual "Chain Off," a one-of-a-kind event – part protest, part performance art – designed to raise awareness about the suffering endured by the millions of dogs that live out their days in chains.
The Dupage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Ill. will be the site of this year's main Chain Off event with 24 hours of festivities and educational outreach, June 28-29. Volunteers will live chained to doghouses on the fairgrounds for 24 hours. The provocative, yet upbeat event will include food, drink, music, demonstrations by dog trainers, and information booths from rescue groups, pet food vendors and others. People are encouraged to bring their leashed, vaccinated, socialized dogs.
Nationwide, supporters of the anti-chaining cause will observe Chain Off by tethering themselves in parks, private yards, and other places between June 27 and July 7.
Dogs Deserve Better holds Chain Off, now in its sixth year, around the July 4 holiday when "freedom" is on the national consciousness. The Pennsylvania-based non-profit is focused exclusively on ending the antiquated practice of keeping a dog tied up for its life, or for extended periods of time. Although increasingly recognized as abusive, 24/7 chaining is still prevalent and accepted in many places in the United States, including in Illinois, where existing animal welfare laws allow dogs to be chained for their entire lives.
"Living chained to a doghouse for 24 hours will be grueling," said Cynthia Drobitsch, a Naperville resident and principal organizer of this year's Chicagoland event. "But the participants' 24 hours of discomfort is nothing compared to the daily suffering of so many dogs that spend their entire lives at the end of a chain, living in a small patch of mud, their chains wrapped around a tree, baking in the summer sun or freezing in the cold, desperate for affection or even just a walk. Most of us can barely begin to imagine the agony and loneliness of such a life for a social, intelligent animal like a dog.'"
Because of the humanitarian and public safety issues posed by chained dogs (perpetually chained dogs are responsible for hundreds of attacks on children every year), a number of states, cities and counties have started passing laws addressing how long people can chain their dogs. California and Texas recently passed statewide laws that put specific time limits on chaining and a number of other states, including Pennsylvania and South Carolina, are currently considering similar legislation. Several hundred cities and counties nationwide also have so-called anti-tethering laws, some banning the practice entirely.
Who: Dogs Deserve Better
What: Sixth Annual Chain Off, National Main Event
Where: Dupage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton
When: From 11:15 a.m. June 28 to 11:15 a.m. June 29, 2008
For more information: www.dogsdeservebetter.org or www.unchainourworld.org.
Members of the press only may contact Cynthia Drobitsch at 630-210-1303 or Dawn Asbhy at 217.324.5250)
Why:
+ Because an estimated 6 million dogs live most or all of their lives in chains in the U.S. alone, many of them growing insane and aggressive at the end of their tethers, with countless females getting pregnant and giving birth while chained, giving rise to yet more unwanted animals.
+ Because today most reasonable people understand that dogs are social, intelligent animals that require exercise, grooming, vet care, stimulation, and compassion – all of which many perpetually chained dogs never receive.
+ Because chained dogs often become neurotic and aggressive, thereby posing a danger to children and adults.
+ Because there are numerous, humane methods of confinement that do not involve chaining a dog by its neck for months or years at a time.
+ Because the national trend is away from a tacit acceptance of this method of confinement, with hundreds of cities, states, and counties passing laws that limit or ban the practice of perpetual chaining.
Contacts:
Dawn Ashby
Dogs Deserve Better Public Liason and Chain Off Organizer
217.324.5250; e-mail: dawn@dogsdeservebetter.org
Cynthia Drobitsch
Dogs Deserve Better Volunteer and Chain Off Organizer
630.210.1303; email: cynthiadrobitsch@sbcglobal.net
Dawn Ashby
Public Liason
Dogs Deserve Better
Illinois
217.324.5250
First Url: Web site for event
