Life On A Chain...

Today I am posting a special blog about a special group of neglected and suffering animals. Dogs who are kept chained or penned outdoors. They lack adequate space to move around, and they are deprived of water, shade, and medical care in times of injury and illness. Dogs chained outside are forced to sleep, eat, and relieve themselves in the same little patch of dirt. During the hot summer months, when flies are drawn to the dogs' accumulated waste and start eating away at the sensitive skin on dogs' ear tips, life becomes totally unbearable. These neglected dogs are plagued by unrelenting "flystrike." Flies actually eat away at their flesh, leaving bloody wounds that often become infected. Every day, PETA's Community Animal Project fieldworkers come to the rescue of dogs who have little bloody stumps where their ear tips should be. Blowflies are the worst: They lay their eggs under dogs' skin, and when the eggs hatch, maggots eat the dogs' flesh, causing even more distress. PETA fieldworkers visit these homes frequently and check on the conditions of dogs who are kept outside in low-income areas and who are vulnerable to fly attacks. They deliver sturdy, hand-built doghouses filled with straw; give dogs fresh water; apply medicated fly repellent to their wounds; and try to educate their guardians about proper care. It can take several visits before the situation improves. Sometimes they must pressure local law enforcement to seize the dogs. If you, as I, cherish animals, you'll help. They share our homes and our lives, and they give us love and affection. It's hard to face the fact that many of them have never known any real comforts, been inside a home, eaten a nourishing meal, tasted fresh water in a clean container, or experienced a kind human touch. Please visit PETA's website HERE to help...