How One Nonprofit is Helping End the Cruelty of Dog Chaining

Some days, Dana, a husky from the Philadelphia area, was tethered to a leash draped from an

apartment window, Fox 29 reports. Other days witnesses say she was chained to a cinder

block. The husky was photographed by a concerned neighbor chained outdoors mere hours

before her body could no longer take the heat and she tragically died. Witnesses report she was

restrained for hours at a time in the hot sun – and Dana’s guardian didn’t refute this.

Stories like Dana’s inspired animal protection nonprofit Lady Freethinker to launch their Break

the Chain campaign – advocating for an end to the dangerous and cruel practice of tethering

dogs and urging people to bring their companion animals indoors.

The Campaign

Extreme heat and cold can be deadly for dogs left outdoors. Dogs deserve to live inside – as

safe as any other member of the family. They are meant to be companions alongside us – not

destined to the sad, painful fates that unfurl at the end of a chain. Lady Freethinker’s Break the

Chain campaign works to free dogs from the misery of being tethered and empowers supporters

to help dogs in their own communities.

Break the Chain billboards in Detroit – where temperatures drop to single digits – and Houston –

a city known for its triple-digit temperatures – have illustrated the dangers of leaving dogs

outdoors. In Houston, the insufferable temperatures led to nearly 250 heat-induced distress

calls in the southern city from June 1 to June 20, 2023, according to a Newsweek article.

Lady Freethinker encourages supporters to speak up for dogs in their own neighborhoods as

well. Animal advocates can push their local policymakers to help keep dogs free of chains by

editing a provided template letter calling for a ban on tethering dogs. Supporters can also share

helpful graphics like this one explaining what to do if you see a chained dog – and can pledge to

never leave dogs chained.

Dogs found in dire conditions in Tennessee and Georgia have also had their lives changed

thanks to Break the Chain projects. Lady Freethinker has worked with organizations like

ChainFree USA to build insulated dog houses, canopies, and elevated beds within fenced areas

to ensure dogs have protection from the elements. Dogs who were formerly chained or confined

to cramped, filthy lots can now run, play, and seek shelter from the hot sun or cold as needed.

Know the Facts

Heatstroke is a horrible death. According to Dr. Aly Cohen, an expert at Cornell University’s

College of Veterinary Medicine, a dog suffering from heatstroke may experience their organs

shutting down. They may vomit and drool uncontrollably. They can become confused, and their

bodies may convulse with seizures. Initially, they will collapse, panting incessantly. If left

untreated, heatstroke is deadly.

It takes just a few degrees to start this process. A dog’s body temperature ranges between

100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and heatstroke kicks in at 105 degrees, according to Dr.

Cohen.

The other end of the thermometer can be just as deadly. Dogs, like people, are susceptible to

frostbite and life-threatening hypothermia.

Dr. Lucretia Greear, a veterinarian, agrees.

“[Dogs] can die in two hours,” said Dr. Greear in an article produced by WXYZ Detroit about

Buddy, a dog that died at the end of a chain in frigid temperatures despite having shelter. “They

can die in an hour-and-a-half if it’s cold enough. If they’re wet, if their fur is wet, and they freeze

and they end up at a point where they can’t physically move because their muscles are frozen

and they can’t contract anymore. They’re stuck.”

The USDA’s Animal Welfare Act prohibits tethering, with the following statement: “Permanent

tethering of dogs is prohibited for use as primary enclosure. Temporary tethering of dogs is

prohibited for use as primary enclosure unless approval is obtained from APHIS.”

If Dana’s guardian hadn’t left her chained in the heat, she would likely still be alive. Sadly,

Dana’s story is not unique.

Two French bulldogs left on a heat-enveloped Texas balcony died – no water in sight, according

to a Newsweek article. A chihuahua died in Fort Myers after being left caged outside with no

food or water, as reported by WINK News. And in Houston, a puppy allegedly baked to death

after being chained to a fence with no protection from the sun, according to KHOU 11.

Stories of animals suffering while tied up or left outdoors are endless. That’s why this campaign

– and your support – matters so much. By raising awareness and taking action in our own

backyards, we can help break the chain for dogs everywhere.

For The Animals,

Lady Freethinker

www.LadyFreeThinker.org

ethinker