To Jack: You sound like someone with an ax to grind. Your comments do appear over the top as somenone else pointed out.

I can point out that chaining a dog for long periods of time is abusive without ignoring other abusive behaviors (such as lengthy crating).

I applaud Tammy Grimes for the work she does. She did what no one else would - provided Doogie comfort in his last days. When he was lying on the cold wet ground in the rain and unable to get up for 3 days his owners did NOTHING. They walked outside, looked down at him and then went back inside. Why didn’t they take him inside? Why didn’t they take him to a vet? The owners should have been cited for abuse. Instead, the one person who cared for him and treated him as a living, sentient being was arrested. What a turned around world this is!

Maybe YOUR whole debate is about this. To the rest of your point, you might check out Google.

“oh goodie! let’s steal more family dogs under the guise of “humaneness”.

Do you routinely force members of your family to live outside alone on chains in the elements? Wow, some family member you are.

As for “what’s wrong” with the dog in the picture –

How would you like to spend your life chained up outside?

Again, I don’t think people are talking about a few hours. I think this is for when people observe habitual chain-outs. And that’s no life for a pack animal.
Stefani

But what if I couldn’t afford a fence? Am I supposed to deprive my dog of what she loves because some people are opposed to dogs being tethered? Or put her into a small kennel where she would have less freedom to move around?

Yeah, Tammy has about said if you can’t afford a kennel, you shouldn’t have a dog.

This whole debate is really about giving the Tammy Grimes of the world the right to decide whether your dog is meeting THEIR standard of care, regardless of what the law says. If they don’t like how you keep your dog, they can just steal it. You don’t notice them working in the city councils and state legislatures to make stronger laws, do you? They couldn’t get to be $$$$$ magnet martyrs in that case.

It’s about a fascist- like control mentality.

“Those of you who complain that dogs don’t have enough room to “run around” in, if they are chained, how much more room do they have in a small apartment where they are loved?”

so, once no one is ever allowed to chain dogs, are apt dogs next? dogs in outdoor kennels? hmmm . . . . sounds like a whole bunch of apt renters would need to give up dog ownership along with those living in towns, cities and HOAs that don’t allow fencing that would contain a dog. oh wait! on the fencing issue, we can just install electric fences!

careful what you wish for folks. maybe we need to concentrate on humane education? my much loved apt Dalmatian is just fine by many standards, but there are those that don’t believe this breed and many others make *good* apt dogs. they *need* a yard. lol!~ my Dal would be miserable in a fenced yard. she prefers the couch next to me while i’m working. she’ll get her runs in when i take her to the park, TYVM! an apt dog can never just get tossed in the backyard. most apt’s don’t have one and if they do, they sure aren’t enough.

It cracked me up to imagine not being able to just go out and sit in my doghouse for a few hours and think about things in peace. As Sartre put it, “Hell is other people”. My velcro dogs might not agree fully, but I’ve noticed that they occasionally DO like their space (on their own terms).

Monicas, thanks for the link on sled dogs. That, and greyhound racing and horse racing etc. is maybe a good topic for the forums. The Iditarod started out as a relay run, but like so many things in life, it’s become institutionalized with the concomitant shortcuts and efficiencies and neglect.

there are barn cats out there too who are feral and no way going to tolerate being in the house with humans. they are a staple of family farms and preform a much needed function- keeping the vermin at bay.domestic cats despite what some think are also social animals who tend toward matriarchal groupings with studs laced along the sidelines. there are also those cats that crave human company but loathe other cats. if people think all dogs and cats have exactly the same needs because of your anthropomorphizing theories you are gravely mistaken. there are plenty of dogs who hate being around other dogs. i for one loathe other humans for the most part but humans are suppose to be social animals too. the focus needs to be on eradicating wanton abuse and cruelty- not politically correct hair splitting on what makes puppy happiest is what ever I say it is. i feel anyone that leaves a poor sack of bones chained up with no water for days needs to be strung up by their heels but those sad pictures do not represent the conditions of all outdoor dogs and it is disingenuous and self serving to suggest it does.