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[Zipper]

Day 33 Chained to the steps of the Capital Building in Harrisburgh:
 
Well, I've gotta hand it to him…Mike Brubaker is a consummate politician. He treated us with courtesy and respect at the town hall meeting (well, all but Gordon, who went first and ruffled his feathers a bit), all the while refusing to say that he supports the bill.
 
I am, however, grateful for the courtesy and glad that we spent that time together.
 
He told us the usual stuff…that there simply wasn't enough time in the session to get anywhere with our bill. Pulled out the "there's 4000 bills that come through our legislature each year, only 10% of which get passed…and that's the way it should be."
 
The implication here is that perhaps our bill just isn't one of those 10%, or there's not enough time to explore whether it can make the cut or not.  But we all KNOW it is…so what are we going to do about it? Are we going to sit here and cry in our cornflakes, or are we going to let them know just her serious we are about dogs and chains?
 
What will you do to show the senators how serious you are about passing a bill for chained dogs? You know what I'm doing. Will you stand beside me, figuratively if not literally?
 
Brubaker is definitely key to getting this bill out of committee, and he as much as said it's his job to vet the bills. Well, it's also his job to do what the majority of Pennsylvanians want….and haven't we all let him know what we want? Have you?
 
If you haven't, why not? If you haven't, I need you to go up to the nearest chained dog and tell him or her you're sorry….that you were too busy doing [insert excuse here] to take time to stand up for them, and they will just have to wait another two years until maybe someone decides it's time for PA to stop being so cruelty-ridden.
 
Let's hope they survive that long.
 
I can't do this alone…and I need YOU to step up and help me. That's the bottom line.
 
We had around 15 supporters show up for the meeting, not bad considering we filled about 1/2 the room. He gave us a block of time at 7:00, and we spoke until 7:45.
 
At least eight of us spoke up, and everyone was very passionate and caring. I think we did great, and I'm incredibly happy and grateful for those of you who came and made a difference.
 
Here's the gist of what I said at the meeting:
 
"I'm Tamira Thayne, the woman who's been chained in front of the capitol for 33 days. I know that you were instrumental in getting the puppymill legislation passed, and as a dog lover, I thank you.
 
In your newsletter you stated "I am proud that we've been able to ensure more humane treatment for animals that will someday serve as our beloved family pets." But see, that's the problem…there's all too many that are not beloved family pets, who will languish and die without ever knowing anything but life at the end of a chain. A chained dog who spends eleven years chained before dying will spend 96,000 hours chained.
 
96,000 hours.
 
Did you hear that Harrisburg city council passed a resolution last night requesting the Senate to pass SB1435? It passed by a vote of 7-0. I spoke to Animal Control officer Fred Lamke about it, and his response was "It's about time." He is willing to testify in front of the committee about the things he's seen.
 
You are quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as saying "There's nothing wrong with tethering in and of itself."
 
Yet chained dogs are 3X more likely to bite according to the Center for Disease Control. The absolute highest bite factor comes from a chained, unneutered, male dog.
 
I myself was attacked by a chained, unneutered male we tried to rescue and rehabilitate, but he was too aggressive to save. He sent me to the hospital in an ambulance, and I will never forgot how terrifying it was. He absolutely tried to kill me.
 
In the month and a half since I've been at the capitol, there have been three chained dog attacks on children that made the news. 2 year old Molina Reyes in Philly, an unidentified 11-year-old near Pittsburgh, and 6 year old Alaha Crutchfield, who was nearly scalped by a chained dog. She's lucky to be alive today.
 
So when you say chaining isn't bad in and of itself, I would say these children would disagree. And I wonder how the mother of Brianna Shanor, who died from a chained dog attack last January, would feel about that statement.
 
Also in the disagreeing column would be the humans who have to suffer as they watch the neighbor's dog pace frantically each and every day, knowing there's nothing they can do to help the dog.
 
And let's not forget the dogs themselves, who spend 96,000 hours on a chain. If they could speak, what would they say?
 
I've just spent 330, and it's been an absolutely miserable experience, so I feel I'm the one most qualified at this point to speak on their behalf. They vote NO to tethering.
 
If you want to make life better for man's best friend, passing SB1435 is one step in that direction. If you say you're for more humane treatment of dogs, now's your chance to prove it.
 
Take it."
 
A coupla' things:
 
Film students from NYC came today to film my chaining as part of a documentary they are doing about what dogs mean to people. They are traveling to Iowa to spread ashes of a dog on her caretaker's grave, and meeting up with five dog lovers on their way out. They were great kids, and very professional, I hope their film wins an award!
 
Have I mentioned before that I need you to write to Mike Brubaker? And the other members of the committee? Before Monday? Good…remember…this time you give is for these dogs…give it generously and freely, and if nothing else you can sleep well tonight.
 
Agriculture and Rural Affairs
1.Mike Brubaker, Committee Chair
Senate Box 203036
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3036
Or 301 East Main Street
Lititz, PA 17543
717-787-4420; 717-627-0036
mbrubaker@pasen.gov
 
2.Michael Waugh, Vice Chair
Senate Box 203028
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3028
or 218 North George Street
York, PA 17401
717-787-3817; 717-846-2828
mwaugh@pasen.gov
 
3.Michael O'Pake
Senate Box 203011
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3011
or 1940 North Thirteenth Street
Suite 232
Reading, PA 19604
717-787-8925
opake@pasenate.com
 
4.Joseph Scarnati III
Senate Box 203025
Harrisburg PA 17120-3025
or 315 Second Ave.
Suite 203
Warren, PA 16365
717-787-7084
814-726-7201
jscarnati@pasen.gov
 
5. John Eichelberger
Senate Box 203030
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3030
or 309 Allegheny Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
717-787-5490
814-695-8386
jeichelberger@pasen.gov
 
6. Robert Robbins
Senate Box 203050
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3050
or 259 Main Street
Greenville, PA 16125-2054
717-787-1322
724-588-1323
mhengst@pasen.gov (his chief of staff)
 
7.Elder Vogel
Senate Box 203047
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3047
or 488 Adams Street
Rochester, PA 15074
717-787-3076
724-774-0444
 (form)
 
8.Gene Yaw
Senate Box 203023
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3023
or 330 Pine Street
Suite 204
Williamsport, PA 17701
717-787-3280
570-322-6457
gyaw@pasen.gov
 
9.Andrew Dinniman (co-sponsor of SB1435. Please thank him!)
Senate Box 203019
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3019
or One North Church Street
West Chester, PA 19380
717-787-5709
610-692-2112
andy@pasenate.com
 
10.Shirley Kitchen
Senate Box 203003
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3003
or 1701 West Lehigh Ave.
Suite 104
Philadelphia, PA 19132
717-787-6735
215-227-6161
kitchen@pasenate.com
 
11. John Wozniak
Senate Box 203035
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3035
or 2307 Bedford Street
Johnstown, PA 15904
717-787-5400
814-266-2277
wozniak@pasenate.com
 

 

 

[NightmarePatrol]

But what is happening in a dog park in Cambridge could become known as the "sh-t heard around the world."

That's funny!

[Puffin]

Zip, we don't have a Humane society in this county, but we have a guy who takes in abandoned critter and gets them new homes.
Talking to him the other day he told me that he is making 5-6 trips a month from here to Rhode Island of all places to place his animals.
Turns out RI has very a restrictive spade/neuter law, and that finding puppies and kittens in state is difficult. He can place as many of them as he can get there. You ever heard of this law?

[Zipper]

From Dogs Deserve Better (posted on Facebook)  HERE

Day 39, September 23, 2010. Operation Fido's Freedom. What is Crazy, Anyway?by Dogs Deserve Better on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 11:00pm


Before I officially formed Dogs Deserve Better in 2002, I decided to take a stand for chained dogs. I created a sign, a "No Chains" kind of thing with a picture of a dog in it, and I hung it in the window of my van. I felt scared about doing it, and as far as I knew at the time I was the only one taking such a stand (there were others, I just didn't know it.)

 

My brother looked at the sign and said, "I agree with you, but I would never put that on my window."

 

I told my neighbor I was going to start an organization against chaining, and she said, "I agree with you, but you'll never get anywhere with that; no one will ever listen to you." (Did she know the legislators or something?)

 

I started the organization anyway, and guess what I've heard a thousand times in the past eight years, mostly from those who chain their dogs when they leave ranting and screaming messages on my machine? "You're crazy."

 

They think if they just explain to me how Gosh Darn HAPPY their dog is on the chain, I'll finally understand and stop all this nonsense about dogs wanting to be with people.

 

Now THAT's crazy!

 

People who are passionate about social change giving members of society rights that go against the ingrained hierarchy are often labeled as crazy.

 

Alice Paul, credited with finally winning women the right to vote, was thrown in jail with her followers for demonstrating in front of the white house everyday and embarrassing the president. They then attempted to her her committed as "crazy;" which would have been a very convenient end to their problem. Luckily they didn't succeed.

 

Of course I've been called crazy repeatedly for standing in front of the PA Capitol Building chained to a doghouse, mostly by those who are arguably unhappy in their own lives and are unable to see the determination it takes to sacrifice so much for those in need.

 

The unhappy guy near me who sees only things like "I kiss my boyfriend and get off the chain for potty breaks" is a prime example of this mentality. I spend ten hours a day here for chained dogs, and that's what he takes away from it? I feel sorry for him. He is one miserable bastard.

 

And, guess what? I STILL kiss my boyfriend and get off my chain for potty breaks (for which you should be grateful.) Natty Natty Boo Boo.

 

There's one girl that I may need to put in my crazy compartment after today. She's a cute girl, thin, has dreads that she wears up in a black rasta hat, and she always dresses nice. She doesn't look crazy. She is usually seen walking two dogs on the other side of the street, but not seeming to notice what I'm doing or caring one way or the other about it.

 

One day early on she came over and sat down, asking me what I was doing. I explained, then I told her I liked her dogs. Her response? "They're not my dogs."

 

No "I'm a dog walker" or "They're my boyfriend's." Nothing.

 

I was like, "Oh, whatever."

 

She sat saying little else for awhile, didn't seem particularly supportive of our cause, and then got up and walked off.

 

She's continued to walk the same two "not her" dogs past me, and I've tried waving or smiling at her numerous times. She usually just looks the other way.

 

One day she was riding a bike past, and she put her hand up to shield her eyes so she didn't see me. Odd.

 

That's when I really started to wonder what the deal is with this girl.

 

This morning, though, she took the cake when she walked the two "not her" dogs on my side of the street, and half smiled at me as she walked by.

 

I thought "hmm, maybe she does like what I'm doing after all," but then she started crossing the street, stopped in the middle, pulled her headphones out of her ears, and yelled "There will be less vet bills, do you really think they'll support that?"

 

WTF?

 

What is she talking about?

 

Joe and I just looked at each other, puzzled.

 

There will be less vet bills if we pass a law limiting chaining? Why? For one thing, chained dogs are rarely vetted in any way, rarely have licenses, and rarely have even a rabies shot. Their caretakers are giving very few dollars to any vet.

 

However, if they give up the dog to rescue it results in MORE vet bills, not less, as we immediately get them vetted, spayed, neutered, and licensed.

 

Then, their adoptive home and family—head and shoulders above the previous one—will take the dog to the vet faithfully all the years of the dog's life until he/she passes.

 

Therefore, rescuing a chained dog increases vet revenue. DDB alone spent over $65,000 vetting formerly chained and penned dogs in our last fiscal year. The amount spent at vets if they were still on the chain? Negligible.

 

I'm still willing to give her the benefit of the doubt though, perhaps she could be autistic or have asperger's or something, and just think differently than I do? It's either that, or she may just be going into my crazy bin.

 

Another guy, a tall, possibly homeless man with a speech impediment came up to me carrying a magazine and pages of writing. I think he was trying to explain to me how the two articles in the magazine were related, and he had gone to the library and taken all these notes, but none of it made sense to me. I felt bad for him, because he obviously had intelligence within him, but for whatever reason his logic was not in a way understandable by the common woman. I'm assuming it made sense to him.

 

Then a woman shook her head at my sign and mumbled "Why don't you attack the real problem." Normally when someone's mumbling and walking away, I just ignore them because they obviously don't want to engage about it. But I'd had enough for one day, so I loudly said "What is the real problem?"

 

She said "People who chain their dogs."

 

Oh. Duh! Why didn't I think of that?

 

I said "How do you stop them from chaining their dogs without a law that tells them they can't chain their dogs?"

 

I think we might really want to take a good look at the word 'crazy' before we go labeling the woman chained to the doghouse. Just sayin'.

 

 

Miscellaneous stuff from the day:

 

1. I started feeling sick in the afternoon, but I didn't know if it was from the heat or I picked up a virus that's been going around, and I'm not keen on puking while chained.

 

2. A bug flew onto my shirt, Deb says they're the stinkbugs. I thought I brushed it off of me, but turned out it went down into my shirt! I looked down and saw it crawling out from inside, and I squealed and flicked it off. I was totally freaked out.

 

3. I got off my chain today for the only thing besides a bathroom break that would make me do so: To help an animal. There was a kitten trapped in the engine of a car near the juice shop yesterday, and Steve, the juice guy, probably saved it's life because he put a note on the woman's car to check her engine before leaving. The kitten is feral, and it scratched her and ran away when she tried to get it out.

 

Then one of the guys who works at the Capitol came down and asked me if I help animals other than dogs. He told me there was a kitten crying up at the one window of the Capitol. So I went up, and sure enough it was the same kitten. I tried to get it, but it was so scared and ran away from me, climbing into the engine of an SUV. Not again! So the guy came out and we were able to finally get the kitten out of the engine, but it ran off and God knows what will happen to the poor thing. Made me really sad that I couldn't help him/her. I don't know if it's used to living on it's own and capable of caring for itself, I hope it is.

 

4. Remember I'm leaving for Montana for the Animal Control conference tomorrow. I'm giving a four hour seminar there on Monday, and I had already committed to this before deciding to come to Harrisburg. I won't back out on them, and I figured my spot would be empty while I was gone, but I'm so happy to report that we've found people to cover the spots! Thanks to those of you who've stepped up to help and to Mike Romberger for coordinating. Please take pics and write a guest blog which I'd be thrilled to post of your thoughts from your time on a chain standing for chained dogs.

[Zipper]

Zip, we don't have a Humane society in this county, but we have a guy who takes in abandoned critter and gets them new homes.
Talking to him the other day he told me that he is making 5-6 trips a month from here to Rhode Island of all places to place his animals.
Turns out RI has very a restrictive spade/neuter law, and that finding puppies and kittens in state is difficult. He can place as many of them as he can get there. You ever heard of this law?

I know some places have adopted strict spay/neuter laws, which is GREAT!!! I wish more would follow suit. It's senseless to breed while the shelters are full of unwanted dogs. I just now read a story about a chained black Lab puppy who got tangled in his chain and broke his leg. He was left for two weeks like that before being rescued by a neighbor. HERE
 
For everyone:
 
It's not just the breeding and chaining, but the people who sell them just for the money without care for the life of the dog afterwards, and the people take them, and then abuse them.
 
Yes, many, many good homes out there. I have three now... ALL three were unwanted, rescued dogs... in reality, someone ELSE's responsibility. The person who didn't spay/neuter their pet to begin with, or the people who took the dogs, and then discarded them like trash.
 
1) The ones who dropped Reilly at a shelter in Pittsburgh when they grew tired of him. (He was then rescued by the Great Dane rescue).
 
2) Chester was abandoned on our dirt road & found his way to our home and hearts.
 
3) The person who chained Stevie to a barn and neglected him, who our own humane society refused to help when called upon by the woman who gave him to me. Imagine that! (And she has horses and other dogs.)

This scenario repeats itself over and over again. Good homes or rescues taking in several dogs, trying to help end the suffering and cruelty, one dog at a time.
 
That's why we need the laws. Because without them, the abuser people just don't care, and it makes it harder on everyone else.
 
These are the same people in your communities, your churches, and your workplaces. It's up to you to educate them against animal cruelty, or report cruelty when you see it.
 
Why not organize a rescue speaker at your church? Pass out some literature at your job.. just leave them in the lunchroom or on the bulletin board, no one will know it was you who left them.
 
If you see a chained dog, send an email to Dogs Deserve Better and they will send literature to the home, and you will remain completely anonymous.
 
Just do something...
 


 
 
 
 

[Zipper]

Day 40

[Zipper]

Chained in the Rain at PA Capitol: For the Dogs

[Zipper]

Guiding Eyes For the Blind: Help Raise a Future Guide Dog

[Zipper]

Day 47, October 5, 2010. Operation Fido's Freedom.

Top Ten Most Annoying Things People Say to Me While I'm On This Chain 

by Dogs Deserve Better on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 9:51pm   

As promised, my top ten list of things people say to me while I'm chained out here that frankly, annoy the crap outta me…and most of them happen over and over again.
 
10. I don't chain my dog.
 
Good! Now realize maybe you should help OTHER dogs that look just like yours and are living chained. Freedom is about ALL of us, not just some.
 
9. What if the dog likes being on a chain?
 
What? Yeah, me, me, put ME on this chain! Ooh, Ooh, pick ME!
 
8. Aren't you taking this to extremes?
 
Well, since I don't have my law, I'd say it apparently hasn't been taken to the extremes to which it needs to be taken.
 
7. If I take my dog off a chain, and he bites someone, who's responsible for that?
 
You, dumbshit. We aren't saying take them off and let them run the neighborhood. We're saying take them in the house, build them a fence and a doggie door, walk them on a leash. You know, be RESPONSIBLE for their welfare and safety.
 
6. Is there a dog in there? (looking into the doghouse.)
 
OK, I can stomach this one from children…because, well, they're children. But you adults? Come on, get with the program.
 
5. What will people do with their dogs if you get this law and they work at night and have to chain their dog while they're at work?
 
Um, See #7, get responsible? I know this for a fact, and it was confirmed by both the humane officer and the animal control officer we took with us, that there are VERY few dogs chained while people go to work. Why? Because they're responsible! Their dog lives in the home with them, and they find a better way to keep him/her while they're working. Most people use chaining in two ways: 24/7 constant chaining, and 15 minute tethering potty breaks. Very few people are in between those two extremes.
 
4. You know your bill isn't going anywhere this session.
 
Good Lord…I know I'm on a chain, but do I look like I'm crawling out from under a ROCK? I've been told personally twice by Brubaker's personal assistant that they have a problem with the time limit…as in the fact that there IS one. Oh, yes, and your bill isn't going anywhere this session because the Republican Caucus doesn't want it to. That doesn't make it right or doesn't make me walk away.
 
3. So and So told me they laugh at you in there.
 
And we laugh at them out here. Now, let's all put on our big girl and boy pants and get a law passed. Oh, and what is that Gandhi quote? First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. Damn, I was pretty much hoping we were at the fighting stage…but we seem to have slipped back to ridicule and ignoring.
 
2. [Snicker snicker. Whisper whisper. Glance glance. Repeat.]
 
Granted, they aren't really talking TO me…but about me, and I can see it, so there you have it. Geez, just come up and ask me, that's what I'm here for! I'm not one to yell out to strangers, but I'm more than happy to talk to anyone who is interested.
 
1. [I don't see you. You are invisible. Now go away and stop embarrassing yourself…oh, and me, of course.]
 
Granted, this is all signaled to me through alien antenna and body language…but I get the general drift. So sorry to embarrass you! Oh, no, actually I'm not. Now go away, you've made my #1 of the annoying list, and I just don't want to see your smug "I'm better than you, because you're obviously a homeless person or in league with them" face anymore.

[OL FATTY]

I was out walking the other morning in our park and a lady neighbor was out walking also with her little dog. As we were standing there talking the little dog came over and pissed on my foot. I was wearing flip flops. The wife and I used to have a little dog for about 15 years till it passed away. I'm starting to hate little dogs. I won't hurt them or anything, but I'm starting to hate them just the same.    Ol wet foot Fatty!

[NightmarePatrol]

Well you can move down to Cape Coral. They have a rapidly declining small dog (all pets in general) population down there due to an invasive species. I think I'd rather have the smaller pets.

[gore range]

....I'm building a permanent shed for the snow blower, cement mixer and other bunker machines....

....the neighbor over on the other side of the fence wanted to help with shingling today-

     http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad301/HomersWorld/Bunker%20Stuff/20101006-001.jpg

.... .....

[Amidala]

What a great helper!!  Angel would help in the same way..  Kirby would be happy to interrupt you to fetch a ball for you....  ;-)

[Zipper]

 

[NightmarePatrol]

Like the bee. I bet you could HDR that into something surrealistic.