Written by PETA
Here's a story that could melt even a snowman's heart. Fourth-grade students in teacher Chris Maxwell's class at Mills Park Elementary School in Cary, North Carolina, have raised more than $300 to help dogs who are trapped at the end of a chain with no shelter from freezing temperatures, snow, and sleet. The kids are donating the money to PETA's national "Change for Chained Dogs" program, which provides dogs who are chained up like old bicycles with warm, sturdy doghouses. Sadly, these doghouses are often the first "homes" that these animals have ever known. To thank the kids for their compassion, TeachKind—PETA's humane-education division—has given the students and the school its Compassionate School Award.
Check out a couple of the happy dogs with their new doghouses:
Inspired by these kids' kindness? Why not sponsor a doghouse in behalf of a cold, lonely dog?
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post
What a great cause and a wonderful lesson to teach our young people. I hope more teachers and schools will follow in the footsteps of this fourth grade class. You should be proud of your accomplishments.
We are very proud of Mr. Maxwell's class and their philanthropic efforts!
Great job 4th grade class! Learning about something and feeling sad about is one thing - but getting out there and doing something about it is wonderful way to realize that we all have the power to make changes. If those dogs could write thank you notes - they would . . .
Sophia's Aunt Maree
I think a good question to ask the millions of idiots who chain their dogs outside all year round is why did you get the dog in the first place? I mean don't we get animals with the intention of bringing them into our homes and making them another member of the family? Why bother getting a dog if you're just going to keep it chained, unsocialized, and alone? I don't get people or how they sleep at night. This angers me more than a lot of issues because these people purposely go out and get an animal just to neglect it. GIVE IT AWAY FOR GOD SAKE!!!
As a longtime member, I've read about PETA's strong efforts - and some successes - to get NO chaining ordinances banned, starting right in their own HQ area I think. I know in some places, like NC where I live they've been pushing hard for years but the Good Old Boys think a chain's the way to go and kill the bills every single time. Yes, I've seen PETA's efforts and am so glad they don't just wait til laws pass but help the dogs out in the cold this winter as well.
Thank you, PETA! Folks who say "PETA needs to..." should remember that there's a lot they can do, too, to help animals. PETA, which is doing more than anyone to help animals, can't do it alone.
waaaaoh!
grt job done.
i jst hope this act manages to ignite passion for animals in the hearts of non vegetarains.
It's illegal here in CA to keep a dog chained. If I see it, I could call the police. PETA needs to try to get a similar law throughout the country. In the meantime while this is still legal, they're helping these dogs feel a little better by having a place to hide from the elements. Any help is worth it. PETA has made these dogs lives better but there is still more to do.
Re: Rex's Mom. PETA is a pioneer in thinking about long-term change for chained dogs, which is accomplished through education and legislation. That is why we produce billboards, print ads, and radio and TV public service announcements (www.peta.org/.../292377288001.aspx) alerting the public to the perils that chained dogs face. We offer information about implementing a community ban on chaining (www.peta.org/.../chaining-ordinances.aspx). We routinely contact law enforcement officials in the wake of chained dog attacks on humans, urging them to ban chaining, and get the media to spread the message about our request. We get opinion pieces and letters to the editor printed all over the country to raise awareness, and have been instrumental in passing legislation to ban or limit chaining in a number of communities. This issue is at the forefront of our campaigns. But PETA cannot turn its back on the dogs who are suffering outdoors right NOW. Many of the dogs we help live in “behind-the-times” places—economically depressed areas where we have worked for years to strengthen animal protection laws. PETA’s doghouses are not a solution, but they do provide sturdy, straw-filled shelters with extra large roofs that extend beyond the houses to provide shade for the dogs during the summer, which is often the only shade available to them. For the dogs who get them, these houses are a lifesaver. They are, sadly, the only “home” that they have.
By signing up here and giving us your details, you are acknowledging that you've read and you agree to our privacy policy.
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
Follow PETA on Twitter!