What you need to know about ‘Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week’

What you need to know about ‘Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week’

February is a month filled with kindness. From lots of dedicated days of awareness for humans and animals and other traditions like Valentines Day, after the increased energy of January, there's a sense of settling and sharing kindness amongst others that feeds February. 

One awareness week that we want to raise attention to is ‘Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week’. Below you’ll find all the answers to the questions about this week!

What is Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week?

From the 7th to the 14th of February the Dogs Deserve Better Organisation spread awareness about the mistreatment of dogs, the laws surrounding tethering dogs and continue working to help more dogs being neglected. The week has been created to allow more people and owners to gain important knowledge about the effects tying a dog up has and what they can do to help dogs in these portions.

Who are the Dogs Deserve Better Organisation?

The Dogs Deserve Better Organisation was founded in 2002. They are a non-profit organisation that help remove dogs from living outdoors, tied up or penned. In 2011, they received enough support to purchase premises to help rehabilitate the dogs they were rescuing and now the organisation is working on a national level.

How many dogs remained tethered?

Dogs Deserve better are working in America, but many people are surprised to learn that tethering a dog isn’t illegal in the UK. There is no way to tell how many dogs remain confined or chained in the UK but the more awareness that is brought to the danger and unhealthy nature, the less it will happen and the more chance there will be that the law will be changed.

How does being chained up affect a dog?

Due to the way that chains and thethers restrict a dog, it causes them to be more aggressive increasing the risk of dog bites and attacks. Being unable to move away from threats and with no freedom of choice to make themselves safe, the vulnerability that this position puts on a dog cause dangerous issues.

What can we do to make a difference?

Spread awareness! Did you know why tying a dog up is dangerous or about the Dogs Deserve Better Organisation? Share this article with a friend so they can learn and share too!

You can also find more information and donate to the cause here: https://dogsdeservebetter.org/

No matter where you are in the world, this week is a worthy cause to talk about. There should be no need for a dog to be tethered causing unhealthy problems and pain. We can do more to help those removing these animals from this neglect by talking about the cause in a way that creates change. A petition in 2021 only raised 2,000 out of 10,000 signatures needed to make tethering a dog in the UK illegal. Now more than ever it’s important for us to continue raising these issues for the welfare of these animals!