Why would anyone assume responsibility for another living creature, then banish the creature to the far reaches of their property, chained to some form of rudimentary (at best) shelter, ignored and sometimes starved? My little, tiny human brain cannot comprehend why someone would treat any living creature like this (except — maybe — a zombie, which technically is not living) instead of freeing it.
Unchain My Heart features forty true stores about dogs who received this treatment, their lack-of-care-givers, and their rescuers. When I first picked it up, I thought I’d read a few stories, skipping around a bit. Instead, I read every one and all in one sitting. The authors of these stories are members of Dogs Deserve Better (DDB), a group of volunteers whose mission is to end the practice of keeping dogs chained 24/7. They are not a group of accomplished writers; their writing holds our attention via the stories being told, not poetic imagery or other mechanics designed to enchant the reader.
I’m not sure I’ll ever understand why people keep animals they don’t want, or how someone can claim to love an animal that s/he mistreats to the point of torture. I do understand how some animals end up in these situations. Someone wants a dog, finds that they are ill-equipped to take care of it or cannot train it, the dog may be destructive (especially if it’s a puppy), and the owner gives up on the animal, chaining it outdoors. Why don’t the owners …give the dogs away? …drop them off at shelters? …release them? (I don’t believe releasing a dog into the woods or abandoning it is a solution, but it does seem a bit more humane than tying it up and starving it.)
Not everyone who chains a dog withholds food, water, and medical care, but that’s not exactly a nomination for “outstanding humanitarian.” Dogs are social animals; they appear to want to live in our homes, lie at our feet, sleep in our beds, play with us, and be loved. A dog that is chained to an old tree isn’t getting any of this. Even if the dog has a long chain, it’s shortened as the dog circles the tree. Some people keep their dogs on short leashes, and the dogs live in mud and feces. They are flea bitten, their teeth rot, and they are bored out of their minds. They attract all manner of parasites and suffer painful canine diseases.
Article comments
1 - Tamira Thayne
Thanks for reviewing Unchain My Heart, Miss Bob, and for sharing your story of a chained dog. It's very emotionally-disturbing for neighbors to have to watch the suffering of a chained dog, and no one seems to understand how this affects you personally.
I also have another book out, entitled "Scream Like Banshee: 29 Days of Tips and Tales for Doggie Foster Parents." If anyone's interested in reading more about that, visit the site.