99 People in 32 States to Live Chained to Doghouses to Seek Freedom for America's Neglected Canines

For Immediate Release

Contact: Tammy S. Grimes • founder, Dogs Deserve Better • www.dogsdeservebetter.org
Tammy@dogsdeservebetter.org • P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447
http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/chainoff2007.html

99 People in 32 States to Live Chained to Doghouses
to Seek Freedom for America's Neglected Canines

Non-profit Dogs Deserve Better's "Unchain the 50"
Event runs Nationwide June 30th through July 8th




Tipton, PA — June 25, 2007 — Dogs Deserve Better, a national nonprofit working to end the suffering endured by dogs kept chained or penned for life, announced today that at least 99 people in 32 states and Canada will chain themselves to doghouses as part of the organization's Chain Off 2007 event, entitled "Unchain the 50."

Dogs Deserve Better has held its annual "Chain Off" around the July 4 holiday for the last 5 years in order to raise awareness about a practice that is still widely accepted, but increasingly recognized as one of the worst forms of abuse to which a dog can be subjected: keeping it chained or penned for its entire life.

"Unchain the 50" kicks off June 30 in Atlanta, Georgia and in Redmond, Washington, with 45 satellite "Chain Offs" running through July 8th. Participants will chain themselves to doghouses – some in their own yards – to stand against the practice of continual chaining.

"Living chained to a doghouse for 24 hours will be grueling and unimaginable for those of us who are so used to coming and going as we please," said Susan Hartland, organizer of the Atlanta and Seattle events and a Dogs Deserve Better area representative. "But the discomfort we will endure is nothing compared to the daily suffering of many of our nation's dogs who 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 winter cold."

Last year, California became the first state in the country to pass a statewide law specifically limiting the amount of time a dog may be tethered to a stationary object. Over 100 local governments across the United States have passed legislation in recent years that either bans or limits how long a dog may be chained, recognizing that existing animal welfare laws are outdated and that dogs are intelligent, social, active animals that suffer greatly if kept chained or penned for their lives.

Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy S. Grimes will travel from Pennsylvania to live chained in Atlanta for 29 hours, along with representatives from Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, Texas, and Vermont.

The event will also have representation in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and British Columbia, Canada.

Dogs Deserve Better (www.dogsdeservebetter.org) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, is the 2003 First Place Winner of the ASPCA Pet Protector Award, and currently has over 150 area reps in 38 states as well as in Canada and France.

DDB Celebrity Collars for Dollars Auction Has Begun

Dogs Deserve Better Celebrity Collars for Dollars Auction Now Live!

For quick link to see all available Celebrity Collars and other Items, click Here.



Robin Williams Tops List of Celebrities
Donating Pet's Collars for Charity Auction

"Celebrity Collars for Dollars" Fundraising Auction
Benefits Dogs Deserve Better; Set to Begin June 23



June 18, Tipton, PA—Robin Williams tops the list of celebrities donating their dog's used collars for a "Celebrity Collars for Dollars" auction benefiting Dogs Deserve Better, a nonprofit working to bring dogs into the home and family. Williams donated three old collars from family pets Gabby and MableMae, signed with each dog's name as well as Robin's, 3 autographed movie photos, 3 signed Robots movies, and an autographed Dogs Deserve Better Calendar cover.

The group also received 2 collars from Daisy Fuentes' dogs Alfie and Rita, and one from Jack Hanna's dog Ben, Adrian Zmed's dog Kubby, Elvira's rottweiler Mina, Patrick McDonnell's friend Earl, and Betty White's dog Pontiac. All have been framed in shadow boxes with a photo of the celebrity, any personal notes, and a Dogs Deserve Better "Celebrity Collars for Dollars" inscription label specifying the celebrity name, his/her companion's name, and the date of the auction.

Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, states "It's been great fun opening the mail from celebrities to see what they've donated. Candice Bergen, who did not have a collar to send, had her assistant call to say they were sending a specially signed photo to DDB; they both loved our work, and gave a generous donation for the chained and penned dogs. What an honor!"



Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron, Elizabeth Taylor, and Dolly Parton donated autographed photos which were framed and will be sold during the auction. Bill Maher sent a signed copy of his book "Polite Musings from a Timid Observer", also to be auctioned, and Martha Stewart autographed the DDB Calendar cover, which has been framed and is slated to be included.

Dogs Deserve Better is pairing the celebrity auction with their annual Chain Off Event, taking place from June 30th through July 7th, 2007. During this year's event, "Unchain the 50", the group seeks Freedom for Chained Dogs in every state in the nation. 70 volunteers in 28 states will live chained to doghouses for 8-24 hours to call attention to those who are still not free—dogs who live their entire lives at the end of a chain, ostracised from what they long for most: family, love, and attention...a "pack" in which to belong.

The Dogs Deserve Better "Celebrity Collars for Dollars" auction will run 10 days through July 3rd, and can be found through the website at http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/collarsfordollars.html. Details on the group's Unchain the 50 Event can be found at http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/chainoff2007.html.

Dogs Deserve Better is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, is the 2003 First Place Winner of the ASPCA Pet Protector Award, and currently has over 150 area reps in 38 states as well as in Canada and France.

Robin Williams Tops List of Celebrities Donating Pet's Collars for Charity Auction

For Immediate Release

Contact: Tammy S. Grimes • founder, Dogs Deserve Better • www.dogsdeservebetter.org
Tammy@dogsdeservebetter.org • P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447



Robin Williams Tops List of Celebrities
Donating Pet’s Collars for Charity Auction

"Celebrity Collars for Dollars" Fundraising Auction
Benefits Dogs Deserve Better; Set to Begin June 23



June 18, Tipton, PA—Robin Williams tops the list of celebrities donating their dog's used collars for a "Celebrity Collars for Dollars" auction benefiting Dogs Deserve Better, a nonprofit working to bring dogs into the home and family. Williams donated three old collars from family pets Gabby and MableMae, signed with each dog's name as well as Robin's, 3 autographed movie photos, 3 signed Robots movies, and an autographed Dogs Deserve Better Calendar cover.

The group also received 2 collars from Daisy Fuentes' dogs Alfie and Rita, and one from Jack Hanna's dog Ben, Adrian Zmed's dog Kubby, Elvira's rottweiler Mina, Patrick McDonnell's friend Earl, and Betty White's dog Pontiac. All have been framed in shadow boxes with a photo of the celebrity, any personal notes, and a Dogs Deserve Better "Celebrity Collars for Dollars" inscription label specifying the celebrity name, his/her companion's name, and the date of the auction.

Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, states "It's been great fun opening the mail from celebrities to see what they've donated. Candice Bergen, who did not have a collar to send, had her assistant call to say they were sending a specially signed photo to DDB; they both loved our work, and gave a generous donation for the chained and penned dogs. What an honor!"



Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron, Elizabeth Taylor, and Dolly Parton donated autographed photos which were framed and will be sold during the auction. Bill Maher sent a signed copy of his book "Polite Musings from a Timid Observer", also to be auctioned, and Martha Stewart autographed the DDB Calendar cover, which has been framed and is slated to be included.

Dogs Deserve Better is pairing the celebrity auction with their annual Chain Off Event, taking place from June 30th through July 7th, 2007. During this year's event, "Unchain the 50", the group seeks Freedom for Chained Dogs in every state in the nation. 70 volunteers in 28 states will live chained to doghouses for 8-24 hours to call attention to those who are still not free—dogs who live their entire lives at the end of a chain, ostracised from what they long for most: family, love, and attention...a "pack" in which to belong.

The Dogs Deserve Better "Celebrity Collars for Dollars" auction will run 10 days through July 3rd, and can be found through the website at http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/collarsfordollars.html. Details on the group's Unchain the 50 Event can be found at http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/chainoff2007.html.

Dogs Deserve Better is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, is the 2003 First Place Winner of the ASPCA Pet Protector Award, and currently has over 150 area reps in 38 states as well as in Canada and France.

Animal Rescue Angel Tattoo now in Dog, Cat, or Both! $1 to DDB

As I figured would happen, I was asked if I could possibly add a cat to the Animal Rescue Tattoo. Which I was happy to do, and I hear Rachael Feliciano, DDB Philadelphia Rep, already got hers done! Even before me!

I went to a tattoo shop in Duncansville, PA and showed it to them in the size I wanted, which is very small. They said they couldn't do it that small, so now I'm trying to figure out if someone else CAN do it that small, or it's just not possible at that size. Since it will be on my wrist, I didn't want it to be very big, so we'll see. I'm still hoping to have it done in time for chain off in Atlanta.


For your viewing and possible licensing pleasure, here is the Animal Rescue Tattoo in Dog, Cat, and Both Dog and Cat. They can be licensed for your own personal tattoo for only $6.99 if you purchase via e-mail, $12.99 by U.S. mail ($1 from every sale goes to DDB), on my art site at this link: http://www.littlegirllooking.com/rescuetattoo.html

The Momentum Builds: 65 People Living Chained is 26 States, is Yours Covered?

Did you EVER in a million years think we'd get 26 states and 65 people? Plus British Columbia? Probably not. But we believed, and now others are joining us, because they know this is our time to win, this is our time to succeed for chained and penned dogs everywhere.

So now that we've done that, why can't we get 50 states and 110 people? Let's do it!

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/chainoff2007.html

Be sure to sponsor an hour or more for YOUR favorite chaining volunteer! The volunteer who brings in the most sponsor money will get a $100 gift certificate to our DDB Cafepress store, and the state that brings in the most sponsor money will win a billboard to be placed in a location of heavy chaining in that state, so get in there and sponsor your favorites today.

Stats so far on the contest are as follows: Dawn Ashby, of Illinois is leading the pack in sponsor dollars, at $250.00. Barbi Cole is in second place with $230.00 in sponsor dollars. Sandy Lynn of Missouri is in third place with $200.00, and Tammy Grimes is in fourth with $199.00.

Do you want your state to get at least one billboard in an area of heavy chaining? Then sponsor the chaining volunteers in YOUR state! Virginia is currently in first place, followed by Illinois and Pennsylvania. (Please note: these stats are probably a day behind any internet donations, so if you've just donated, be patient as we are updating totals manually.)

Important Message #1: If you've volunteered for the event, please don't back out. Please check your information that is up on the website, and e-mail any changes or fill in the blanks to Dawn@dogsdeservebetter.org. If you feel you've volunteered but don't see your information up there, it may be because Dawn has not received a confirmation e-mail from you. Please e-mail her ASAP to get it cleared up so we can get your info up and add you to our totals.

Personal, Most Important Message #2 from Tammy: Dawn, the young whipper snapper upstart, has challenged me to a 'duel' in who can bring in the most sponsor dollars! I am currently lagging a pitiful $51 behind...and while I encourage all of you to sponsor a friend or someone from your state so you can compete for the billboard, if you don't want to see Dawn beat me, you may want to just jump over there and sponsor me for an hour or so too.

If you're among the group of people who voted for anyone BUT me in last year's Animal Planet Hero of the Year Award to make sure I didn't win, please help Dawn beat me by sponsoring her instead of me. (Evil grin...)

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/chainoff2007.html

Animal Rescue Angel Tattoo Art, Also Available on Attire and Gifts: $1 to DDB

Purchase Tattoo Art or Art on Gifts & Attire

I must admit I've always been very ambivalent about getting a tattoo...my best friend has several, as do some of my other friends, but it seemed like such a big decision. Even when I was younger and cooler, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

For me, it was about never finding a tattoo that I could really commit to for life. LIFE. That's a long time to be 'with' something on your body, when we are always reinventing ourselves, changing, growing.

I got the idea that maybe if I created a tattoo that really meant something to me, it would be something I could be proud to wear for life. The tattoo I was most tempted by in the past was a black and white angel. As I thought about that tattoo and the fact that we are all angels for the animals in our rescue work, the idea for the Animal Rescue Angel tattoo came into being. I spent quite a few hours researching different looks, drawing, reworking...until I finally felt it had 'arrived' at it's perfect destination.

I plan to place this tattoo on my inner left wrist. I'm honored if other animal rescuers like it enough to license it for their own personal tattoo. If you are in rescue, you are most definitely an angel for the animals, and have probably saved countless dogs/cats from certain death, either along the highway, in a shelter, or dying abandoned and alone in a backyard. Tossed carelessly aside by members of our society that either don't know, don't care, or turn a blind eye to what becomes of the animals.

I salute you. I am proud of you, for I know how difficult it is to have a houseful of animals, all needing more than you have to give. To feel like you just can't do it a moment longer, but yet you do because you are all they have. You are their only chance.

When I look at my Animal Rescue Angel tattoo, I will not only be lifted up by the contributions I've made for the animals, but I will be saluting each and every one of you who also work so tirelessly for them.

You are appreciated!


Purchase Tattoo Art or Art on Gifts & Attire