Please mark your calendar for these important dates:
Saturday June 8 - 9 am to Noon at the Pittsboro Roadhouse
Cat and Dog Issues Workshop led by Commissioner Brian Bock and facilitator Mark Molitor. A gathering of animal advocates, Chatham County Health Department and Animal Control to identify issues and solutions in regard to domestic animals in Chatham County.
Thursday July 18th – 9am to 3pm. Moore County Citizens' Pet Responsibility Committee - www.mcprc.org - training. The MCPRC is to provide and drive, with the support of the Moore County Commissioners, solutions to the pet overpopulation crisis in Moore County. GOA is seeking to partner with MCPRC to learn from and implement solutions in regard to animal issues.
Sunday, August 28 - The Annual Guardians of Angels Dinner at 5:00 pm at the Pittsboro Roadhouse. This year's featured speaker is Tom Waniewski of Waniewski Associates. Tom is an Emmy winning journalist for his groundbreaking story on Dog Fighting. A specialist in media relations, Tom is also a Toledo City Councilman and has been recognized for his work in securing funding for social services, including Guardians of Angels. Of course our celebrity spokesman Roy Underhill from PBS will also share his humor and unique animal insights.
Part of the mission of GOA (the fifth paw) is help identify neglect and abuse of animals in Chatham County. GOA has been informed that within a few months the Chatham County Commissioners will hold a public hearing in regard to a proposed tethering ordinance which limits the number of consecutive hours that a dog can be chained or tethered.
Spread the word and come prepared to speak. The details will be posted as soon as they are available. Also mark you calendar for the GOA dinner on Sunday, August 25 - 5:00 pm - at The Pittsboro Roadhouse.
Perspectives on tethering:
USDA - United States Department of Agriculture:
From the Federal Register Vol. 1, No. 68 (July 2, 1996) "Our experience in enforcing the Animal Welfare Act has led us to conclude continuous confinement of dogs by tether is inhumane. A tether significantly restricts the dog's movement. A tether can also become tangled around or hooked on the dog's shelter structure, or other objects, further restricting the dog's movement and potentially causing injury."
Scientific Study
From the study Which Dogs Bite, A Case Control of Risk Factors:
"Our findings that being chained in a yard may be a risk factor for biting in agreement with prior studies which have demonstrated that chained dogs account for a substantial portion of serious and fatal bites."
AVMA - American Veterinary Medical Association:
From press release dated May, 2002 and May 5, 2003 for National Bite Prevention Week "Never tether or chain your dog because this can contribute to aggressive behavior."
HSUS - Humane Society of the Untied States
From the Chaining and Tethering Dogs fact sheet - "The practice (of chaining and tethering dogs) is both inhumane and a threat and safety of the confined dogs, other animals and humans."
ASPCA - American Society of the Prevention and Cruelty of Animals:
From the Web article Phresh Air Phydeaux - " A dog who is kept outside experiences social isolation. He may engage in excessive howling and barking in an attempt to reunite with his pack."
AHA - American Humane Association:
(*The Mission of the American Humane Association is "to prevent cruelty, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children and animals and to ensure that their interest and well -being are fully, effectively, and humanely guaranteed by an aware and caring society.") "Tethering or chaining dogs makes them feel vulnerable and increases their aggression."
Karen Delise
(Licensed Veterinary Technician and Author) from the book Fatal Attacks Behind the Statistics:
"Chaining a dog is arguably the most dangerous condition in which to maintain a dog. Statistically, chained dogs are more dangerous than free- running packs of dogs.
While the County Commissioners have said "no" to a GOA adoption center land donation, they have expressed an interest in addressing some issues which will make Chatham a more humane community. Commissioner Brian Bock has become a liaison between the County Commissioners and GOA. Since then, there has been some progress toward issues that directly effect animals in Chatham including the need for a tethering ordinance which limits the consecutive hours that an animal can be tethered and an increase of low cost spay/neuter funding.
For the benefit of animals, GOA works with the town, county and all of Chatham's citizens but it is a reality that much of the suffering of animals goes unnoticed. While we now have several supporting members of the the Guardian of Angels Humane Society, the progress has been painfully slow and will remain so until the people that government serves, speaks up and requires accountability. The Mayor, the Commissioners and all leaders will prioritize these issues only when they are clear that this is the will of the people that they serve. Certainly they can work together on helping animals, no matter what their political preferences. The animals, who cannot speak for themselves, need their voice and bold leadership. Animals are not political, nor is the suffering and death they endure.
Help us end animals suffering and euthanasia in Chatham County!
www.guardiansofangels.org
www.facebook.com/GuardiansofAngels
www.twitter.com/GOAPittsboro
