I won’t get into how exactly they make me feel. I see my pets warm and snug and can’t imagine leaving them outside to face the elements, not just tonight but every single day. Unfortunately, a lot of people in Durham have no intention of keep their pets safe from the cold. I imagine a fair number of the local pets kept outside get sick and die, perhaps not right away but soon enough as a result of being left out in the cold.

…

That’s it…I’ve got to go check on the poor dog across the alley. She had better be okay…

…

And she’s not. Her barks are muted, she’s sniffling up a storm. Her water is all frozen over.

Her name is Jade, and I think it’s time she made some new friends:

No comment on the “owner” of this dog. My blood pressure is high enough as it is.

(from a local list-serv)

We picked up a dog on 9th St. Sunday night after his owner dumped him out of the car and drove off, leaving him chasing behind. We picked him up, cut the rope collar out of his fur, and brought him home. Unfortunately, we already have 2 dogs, 2 cats, a newborn baby, and a small house and can’t keep him, so we’re looking to get him somewhere warm and friendly ASAP. We estimate that he’s 1-2 years old. A black & tan with brendle accents that might include border collie, shepherd/husky, and boxer? He behaves well in the car and on a leash and seems to have a good overall temperament. We’d rather not take him to the shelter if we can find a loving home fast enough. If you’ve got room for a dog, please get in touch soon.

CONTACT: dhfoster@duke.edu or 919.286.9985

In positive local news, The Coalition to Unchain Dogs held its inaugural fundraising concert last night in Durham’s Central Park. An enthusiastic crowd of local dog-lovers came out to enjoy the perfect fall evening for an outdoor concert. I’m sure that the organizers had hoped for a larger crowd. However, I think that having pulled off the logistical challenge of holding a five-hour event in downtown Durham without any major snafus, and raking in a few thousands dollars in addition to the invaluable commodity of community awareness and support made this concert a smashing success. Coalition founder Amanda Arrington deserves a lot of credit for getting the issue of dog mistreatment out in the open.

If you missed the concert, you can always donate to the cause online.

I don’t see the unchaining of dogs a merely an animal rights issue. Every time a local dog-owner family learns how to better care for their pet–by getting it spayed or neutered and giving it an untethered existence–the neighborhood, one house at a time, becomes a friendlier, less-threatening place. Others can say this more eloquently than I am. It’s one of those quality-of-life issues…

A young boy who lives across from the street from me always asks, “Does he bite?” when he sees my dog. He’s seen and petted H a few dozen times by now, but I guess the impression that he encounters other dogs who aren’t quite so friendly. Kids that grow up among attack dogs are likely to…stab their peers at the mall later in life. Yes, I realize it’s a lot more complicated than that. I lack the time and knowledge to expound further…

Unchaining a dogs is a good start; that’s all I’m saying…