Chained dogs need belly rubs too!

The following is a guest post from my esteemed colleague Amanda.

Every winter, PETA sends staffers who volunteer their time into low-income neighborhoods in our area to provide creature comforts for lonely, forgotten "outside" dogs. Each weekend, we load up our cargo vans with straw, tie-outs and harnesses to replace heavy chains, food, and other necessities. Since Southeastern Virginia isn't the only place chained dogs are suffering, I hope those of you who have the time and the resources (it doesn't take much of either) will consider doing the same in your own neighborhoods. Here's how:

Identify an appropriate vehicle. PETA's rescue vans are ideal, but SUVs, trucks, and minivans will also do the trick. If you don't own a vehicle with lots of room, rent or borrow one for the day.

Purchase some heavy-duty garbage bags and several bales of straw from a feed 'n' seed store. You will only need about one-third of a bale to fill a doghouse, and your outreach will be much easier if you divide the bale into thirds and stuff them individually into garbage bags before you load them into your vehicle. Bonus: No messy cleanup of the interior of your vehicle! (The reason why straw is better than blankets is because blankets absorb moisture and can get soggy or even frozen. Also, dogs love to make nests in straw by digging in it and fluffing it up.) Other helpful items include shovels and rakes, large containers of water, bowls, treats, toys, and tie-outs. What you bring with you will depend on how much money you can spend. If you're on a budget, don't feel bad—a neglected dog will appreciate any effort on your part.

Identify a target area. You might even consider calling your local animal control officers to ask if they know of any neighborhoods with a high number of chained dogs. Drive your rescue vehicle very slowly (with the windows down and the radio off) through these areas so that you can see and hear the dogs. When you find one, pull over and knock on the front door of the house. Explain that you are giving away free straw for outside dogs and ask if they would like some. If they say yes, offer to put it in the doghouse yourself (as long as the dog isn’t aggressive). That way, the straw will definitely make it into the doghouse (people have been known to just let it sit, unopened). Take your rake or shovel with you so that you can clean up any feces or debris in the animal’s living space.

A Few Helpful Tips

•Ask an animal-loving friend or family member to join you.

•Be friendly to the dogs' owners. You may not feel like being polite and smiling at someone who treats a loving dog like a piece of trash, but if you knock on someone's door with a chip on your shoulder, you will be asked to leave—without being allowed to help the dog.

•Don’t trespass. If you get permission to visit with the dog, that's ideal. But if no one is home, you can leave a bag of straw on their front porch with a note (or a preprinted flier to save time) explaining what it's for. Don't put the flier in their mailbox—that's a felony.

•Always ask if a dog is friendly before approaching.

•Remind people that outside dogs need to take in more calories in the winter because they're burning more to stay warm.

•Carry a cell phone and call animal control if you see an animal whose neglect borders on cruelty. Write down the address and provide as much information as possible so they can respond quickly.

•Keep a record of all the addresses you visit with a description of each animal’s situation so that you can recheck later if possible.

Once you get the hang of it, you'll find that this kind of "extracurricular activity" is extremely rewarding. The gratitude on dogs' faces when they get some warm straw to snuggle in or a toy to play with is enough to warm your heart for a very long time.