"Scream Like Banshee: 29 Days of Tips & Tales to Keep your Sanity as a Doggie Foster Parent" Seeking Sponsors

Tamira Ci Thayne, DDB founder and CEO, is publishing her first book in February, entitled "Scream Like Banshee: 29 Days of Tips and Tales to Keep your Sanity as a Doggie Foster Parent". She is now opening the field to a limited number of book sponsorships. Each sponsorship will get you: your logo or name/business name printed on the back cover and listed as a sponsor, as well as either a 1/2 page (measured at 5"x4") or full page ad (measured at 5"x8"). Books will be sold and available at all online booksellers, as well as via the DDB website and at all DDB booths and events. To learn more or grab one of the few sponsorships available, contact Tamira at Tami@littlegirllooking.com.

Organization Condemns PA State Legislators who Failed to Enact Chaining Law, says "Girl's Blood is On Your Hands"

Organization condemns Pennsylvania State Legislators who Failed to Enact chaining law, says "Girl's Blood is On Your Hands"

Calls for Immediate Ban on Dog Chaining in Pennsylvania
after Death of Child in Chained-Dog Attack

Tipton, PA -- January 26, 2009 -- Tamira Ci Thayne, Founder of Dogs Deserve Better, an organization working to end the chaining of dogs and bring them into the home and family, issued harsh words today for those legislators who blocked a proposed law on dog chaining in the past two sessions: "Her blood is on your hands."

"Her blood" refers to the death of Brianna Shanor, an 8-year-old girl killed in Beaver County by a chained mixed breed dog on December 19th.

"If state legislators had acted to pass our all-too-reasonable law limiting chaining of dogs for life, there's a good chance that this attack would never have happened. A law which, adequately enforced, would have cut back on chaining, causing most people to either socialize dogs by bringing them into the home and family or at a minimum erect a fencing barrier between the dog and small children, would have and could have saved the life of this child.

Now she is dead, and her mother is forced to mourn her for the rest of her life. There is no easy way to say this: I place the blame for her death at the hands of those in the Pennsylvania House who blocked HB1065 last session. I am calling for an immediate and total ban on dog chaining in the state of Pennsylvania. How many lives must end—both dogs and children—before legislators take the action that is both needed and demanded by our citizens?"

According to an article in the Beaver County Times, Brianna " went near one of several dogs at the property, a more than 100-pound, mixed-breed dog, which was chained outside an old camping trailer that the dog used for shelter. The dog was on a chain 15 to 20 feet long."

A child of Brianna's size and age has no defense against a dog that large—an unsocialized, unneutered, male­—bent on attacking and killing.

Dogs Deserve Better has been one of the organizations at the forefront of the push for a state law, and in the last two sessions house bills were put forward to limit chaining. Animal advocacy groups banded together to lobby for the legislation, which last year made it out of the House and to the floor before being blocked and left to die.

Connecticut, California, and Texas have all enacted some legislation limiting chaining, and over 150 cities and counties have followed suit.

For more information on Dogs Deserve Better, visit their website at dogsdeservebetter.org.

Investigation into CT State Law Against Chaining Dogs for Life

I'm doing a TV interview here in Connecticut on Sunday about the chaining of dogs for life, in which case I decided to investigate how chaining is being addressed in Connecticut...in case you don't know it, there is a chaining law in CT which states that dogs cannot be chained for 'an unreasonable amount of time.' Granted, that's not the best law, it's very vague, but it certainly implies that dogs cannot be chained 24/7, right? Check out what occurred in only 1 hour of being in the state:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdzIvpAP0H0

I had already found the AC phone number this morning, and had it ready to call when I found this chow who I had received complaints about, only to discover at 3:43 p.m. I was already too late to actually get to speak to a Middletown, CT Animal Control officer! I then transferred myself to a policeman, who had no idea what the state law was, and found it much more prudent to argue with me about the fact that although I called at 3:43 my time, probably her time it was actually 3:45 p.m. and it was already 3:44 p.m. his time, which means that the AC was totally justified in closing up shop a few minutes early due to time differences...

He did say that the cops would 'go by there a few times tonight' looking for infractions of state law, and would inform the animal control officer of their findings. I asked him if the police would inform me of their findings if I left my number, but he told me that no, they indeed would not, and if I wanted any help to contact the AC again. I insisted he transfer me to the AC, where I left the following message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m96yW-M93L4

I have not had a chance to edit yet or add photos and make a 'real' video of this, but check out these two videos of a dog chained in Middletown, CT on Friday, January 23, 2009.

I Had a Dream Dogs were Dying in the Forest

Last night I had a dream that I was in a lush forest with tall, tall evergreen trees. I could barely see the sky because the tops of the trees came together, forming a canopy, blocking out the distant but grey sky.

I could hear dogs scattered all throughout the forest, crying for help and begging for me to come for them; but I couldn’t see them. I knew they were gonna die.

I hated the feeling, and I rushed around the forest trying to find them, to no avail. It was useless.

Then I woke up, only to discover that my dream wasn’t much different than my reality.

Last night it was -5 degrees here in Pennsylvania, with a wind chill at -20. As I snuggled up cozy in my bed with my dog and foster dogs and cats reading Breaking Dawn for the millionth time, my guts wanted to rip out of my stomach. I couldn’t even focus.

I just wanted to go to sleep so I wouldn’t have to feel the stress of knowing they were out there dying. But I felt guilty that I got to sleep warm and cozy and they are left out there to suffer another endless night and another endless day of subzero temperatures.

I feel helpless and hopeless.

I know that careless caretakers really don’t care that the dogs are frozen to the ground outside or in their pitiful excuse for a doghouse.

My brain can’t process that mentality.

When they get up in the morning, they will see if the dog is dead or not. If so, they will toss it away quickly, get rid of the evidence, before whatever local and in most cases wretchedly pathetic humane agent actually gets a call from the neighbor and may show up later to find out why they left their dog outside to die last night.

You know, just curious and all.

But it really doesn’t matter why they did it, because it’s too damn late. The dog is already dead. The dog already suffered, looking for help that never came, and died, frozen to the ground right where he lay.

And there’s nothing I can do about it.

But maybe, just maybe, if we all get angry enough, we can rise up and make some kind of damn difference. Maybe.

I spent much of the last two days faxing press releases and begging for news stories from the local news stations and papers. I did hear that the Altoona Mirror actually ran an article about animals freezing, so that’s something. I know they didn’t bother to interview us, even though that is our specialty. Maybe the TV stations did a mention, but I do know that not one of them got back to me for an interview.

I’m only local news when I get arrested, just another criminal. It’s laughable.

It really is that time, people. Don’t you feel it? Can’t you hear it calling to you?

What will it take to put the dog lovers in action? How many atrocities have to occur in America before we say enough is enough?

STOP taking the abuse. When careless caretakers abuse their dog and leave it to die in their yard, they are abusing us as well. Their pain is our pain.

When we hear and know they are suffering, we suffer right along with them. Because we’re connected.

I’m tired of being abused.

I’m tired of uprising alone.

It takes a village, people. Go uprise!

If you see a dog suffering in your area, plant yourself in front of that damn house and don’t move until you are arrested or they are. It’s really that simple.

Sooner or later the cops will know we’re not taking the abuse anymore, and they’ll start arresting the right person.

Abusers abuse, that’s what they do. They abuse us, they abuse animals. As long as we take it without fighting back, we’re just as wrong as they are.

As long as we’re big cowards, the big bullies will win.

Stand up.

Seeking Crafty Kids to Create Canine Valentines

Sorry I have been blogging in a long while...I don't know what go into me! Besides Twilight, that is...man, where are all the gorgeous, hot vampire men in this world?

Anyway, we really need some action this year for Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week! As we're expecting to mail 12,500 valentines to chained dogs, we first and foremost need some kids and adults making the valentines...and then we need a ton of addresses of dogs to send them too...so please, please, crosspost this and help us get some action. Below is the press release, with links to the page on our site if you need more information...

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2009.html



Group Seeks Crafty Kids to Create Canine Valentines

Elementary School Students, Clubs, Groups, and Individuals Needed
to Make Valentines for Delivery to Chained Dogs Nationwide

Tipton, PA -- January 06, 2009 -- As Valentine’s Day approaches, non-profit organization Dogs Deserve Better is asking for help from dog lovers nationwide in a direct mail outreach campaign which pairs Valentines created by schoolchildren with America's chained dogs.

Dogs Deserve Better, a national rescue and advocacy group dedicated to ending the suffering of perpetually chained dogs, annually sends Valentines and dog treat coupons to chained canines across the country during its Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week, February 7-14.

The group includes a brochure for the dog’s caretakers, explaining why the antiquated practice of chaining dogs for their lives is a form of abuse. The materials encourage people to bring their dogs into the home and family or to find better homes for the animals. Last year's campaign reached 10,435 dogs.

By the end of January, the group needs 12,500 Valentines to pair with addresses for chained and penned dogs. Each Valentine should measure no more than 4"x8.5"so that it readily fits into a mailing envelope.

"The creation of the Valentines is an ideal project for schools, scouting troops, and other similar organizations because children have a natural love for animals, especially dogs, and enjoy making art projects,” says founder Tamira Thayne, an artist herself. "We receive thousands of heart-touchingly creative Valentines made by schoolchildren each year, sending the dogs good wishes and hopes for a brighter future."

Although the practice of 24/7 chaining is pervasive in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, states and cities have started to pass laws against the practice. California passed a law in 2006 and Texas followed suit in 2007. Hundreds of cities have passed, or are considering, similar legislation.

Meanwhile, countless “backyard dogs” are spending yet another winter in the cold. Often, they shiver day and night in leaky, uninsulated doghouses, suffer from thirst because their water is frozen, and pace neurotically from lack of exercise and attention. Perpetually chained dogs can become aggressive or insane from their constant confinement, often posing a danger to people.

Dogs Deserve Better provides a variety of services to people who agree to take their dogs off their chains, including providing help with socialization, housetraining, and fencing.

For more information about the Valentine’s Day outreach, go to http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2009.html or email info@dogsdeservebetter.org.

Valentines, addresses and donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 23, Tipton, Pennsylvania 16684. For general information about Dogs Deserve Better go to www.dogsdeservebetter.org.