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Although more and more municipalities are passing laws against chaining dogs, many cities still have no such legislation, and there are many dogs still suffering and dying at the end of a chain, especially in freezing weather. Now PETA is making some of these cities—including Spokane, Washington —an offer they shouldn't refuse: We'll shovel the snow off the sidewalks outside City Hall if they’ll let us stencil ads on those sidewalks to focus attention on the plight of dogs chained outdoors all winter.

Chained dogs are forced to endure extreme weather conditions and usually go without veterinary attention and any form of companionship. Cold winters spell extra hardship for dogs left outdoors, as they may suffer from dehydration when water sources freeze as well as frostbite and exposure. Frustrated dogs tied out on chains are also more prone to aggression and biting and are vulnerable to acts of cruelty.

Whether or not these cities accept PETA's win-win proposition, there are plenty of ways that we can all speak up for freezing, lonely chained dogs. If your community lacks an ordinance against chaining, demand one—and if you see dogs chained outdoors, help them.

One of the perks of working in PETA's offices is that we get to share our work space with the dogs who go to work with their guardians. As enjoyable as it is for us, though, the dogs are the ones who benefit the most because they aren't left home alone all day. Here are the stories of three of the dogs who help make working at PETA a little bit more fun.

Chance was adopted from a local animal shelter four years ago and now has a full-time job overseeing PETA's office in Oakland, California. He loves getting to see his canine best friend, Monster, and greets everyone with a hearty "Arooorooroo!" His favorite part of the job is helping with outreach events, at which he attracts people to the PETA booth by looking irresistible in his PETA doggie T-shirt.

A PETA Community Animal Project staffer found Sophie chained to a car with no food or water when she was about 6 months old. She was living in a mound of trash, and her rescuer at first mistook her for an old tire until she saw the dog's frightened little eyes. Now 10 years old, Sophie accompanies PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange to PETA's Los Angeles office, which has helped bring Sophie out of her shell and provided her with things to think about and watch and the opportunity to learn that not all humans are cruel.

When Maguire was a puppy, his family moved and left him at an animal shelter. He was shy and depressed and, since he'd been largely confined to a basement, was not very comfortable with the outside world. A PETA Foundation staffer who volunteered at the shelter adopted Maguire, and when she took him home at 10 months old, he didn't even know how to play with toys. Now 12 years old, Maguire has been part of PETA's Norfolk office crew for years.

If you can't take your pup to work, be sure to go home at lunchtime or hire a dog walker or neighbor to let your dog out. No one wants to stare at the walls for eight hours or more, let alone "hold it" for an entire workday. One way to minimize the loneliness of these pack animals is to have more than one dog so that they can keep each other company.

Sophie is a rescued dog who accompanies PETA Vice President Lisa Lange to work at PETA's Los Angeles office. Not to be outdone by Bubbles, Sophie has also written to Kris Kringle, asking him to help less fortunate dogs.

If you can't bear the thought of wrapping up another video game or pair of gloves, why not give your loved ones the gift of alleviating animal suffering? We've rolled out our PETA Presents website just in time for the holidays, and the site features gifts from $5 to $500 that protect animals every time your loved ones pull off a big red bow.

You are guaranteed not to hear, "You shouldn't have," when you wrap up a toy for a lonely chained dog, a spay/neuter surgery, or a day off for a working animal.

We'll send your recipient a beautiful e-card thanking him or her for helping animals. Or, if you prefer to have something to put under the tree, you can print a picture and description of the gift and create an attractive certificate suitable for framing.

Long after the gift cards have been spent, the candy has been eaten, and the golf clubs are gathering dust in the closet, your gift will still be helping animals. Visit PETAPresents.org to start giving today.

This poor mother dog was so emaciated that she barely had the strength to nurse her six puppies. She was confined to a bare wooden box located behind a pizza parlor and was weighted down with a heavy chain.

After a member of Hoovers Hause All Dog Rescue spotted one of the pups wandering near the busy street beside the restaurant, she soon discovered the mother dog and called the sheriff's department. But catch this: Law enforcement gave the owner two to three weeks to put weight on the mother dog. Hoovers Hause All Dog Rescue had a better idea—the group posted pictures of the dogs on Facebook and asked people to get the sheriff's department to act now.

When a PETA supporter alerted us to the situation, we asked the poster to try to persuade the owner to give the dogs over to her. Bingo! All the dogs were whisked off to a veterinarian (likely the first time the mother dog had ever received medical care). The rescue group paid for the mother dog's heartworm treatment and agreed to care for her and her puppies while screening potential adopters.

The owner had told police that the mother dog was so thin because she had been poisoned, but with simple helpings of good food, this lucky rescued girl has already gained 8 pounds. PETA is now urging officials to pursue cruelty charges.

If you see anything on social-networking sites that suggests an animal could be in danger, please contact authorities—and, if they are unresponsive, call PETA.

What do dogs forced to live outside in all weather extremes long for? Being inside with their human "pack," of course. But when they are denied that basic opportunity, a sturdy doghouse stuffed with straw to help keep out the freezing winter weather can make a huge difference in these dogs' tiny backyard world. Tonka, a pit bull who recently received a PETA doghouse to replace the plastic barrel that had been his poor excuse for shelter (imagine it filled with rainwater and the cold wind blowing night after night all miserable winter long), was delighted with his new digs.

In addition to aiding sick, injured, and abused animals around the clock, PETA's Community Animal Project (CAP) delivers houses to dogs like Tonka in the area surrounding PETA's headquarters—southeast Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. CAP staffers check in regularly with the dogs to make sure that they have adequate food and clean water and talk with their owners about proper care. They also routinely deliver toys, treats, and, of course, love and affection to these neglected animals. Many doghouse recipients are also clients of PETA's mobile spay-and-neuter clinics and, therefore, will not be contributing to the homeless animal crisis.

Never pass by a "backyard dog" who doesn't have adequate shelter: Contact local animal-control officials immediately. Click here to make a donation to support the doghouse program and CAP's vital work to bring relief to neglected and abused animals.

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

The first four years of Oliver's life consisted of little more than a small patch of dirt, a metal barrel, and a heavy chain. This sweet mixed-breed's owner gave him food and water in dirty, rusty metal bowls—and little else. Day after day, he waited for the kind word or gentle pat that never came.

Desperate to help the dog, a frequent passerby made numerous calls to animal control and the local humane society but to no avail. Faced with the onset of another harsh Midwestern winter, the man then called PETA for help.

It took some persuasion, but we convinced the neglectful owner to surrender Oliver. A PETA member in the area offered to foster him until we found an adopter, but it soon became clear to the foster "mom" that Oliver was right where he belonged.

Now the lovable dog sleeps in bed with his doting guardian every night. Free from the chain, he has discovered the joy of running and makes his guardian laugh while he gleefully zips around 2 acres of land under her watchful eye.

Oliver's story would not have had a happy ending without the persistence of his rescuer. If you know of a chained dog in your area, please help—you may be the dog's only hope.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

The situation was dire for more than 30 dogs and puppies languishing at the home of a hoarder in rural Georgia. Confined to cramped cages, chained, or simply running loose on the unfenced property, the dogs were filthy and crawling with fleas, and some were losing their hair because of untreated mange. Their owner couldn't even afford to feed them, so most of the dogs had no food. The water they had was dirty, and they were heartbreakingly emaciated. Because of limited resources, none of the dogs had been spayed or neutered either, so they were breeding uncontrollably, and the situation was only going to get worse.

After being alerted to the dogs' plight, PETA contacted PETA member and activist extraordinaire Anna J. Ware, who works closely with the Atlanta Humane Society (AHS). The AHS team leapt into action and departed the very next day, drove for six hours, and rescued every dog on the property.

Now, the happy pups are getting much-needed food, veterinary care, and socialization. And while they wait for the homes and families they deserve, they're being smothered with TLC.

 
Written by Michelle Sherrow

As intense heat continues to plague many areas throughout North America, PETA is calling on people to protect their dogs and cats by letting them inside and by taking dogs for short walks (never jogs) only during the coolest part of the day.

Dozens of dogs have already died or had close calls in hot cars this summer. If you see a dog who is showing signs of distress inside a car, get help right away. Even if the windows are partially open and the car is parked in the shade, a dog in a hot car can suffer brain damage or death in just 15 minutes. Look for the dog's owner, and call humane authorities and the police. If no one responds quickly, you may need to take steps to save the dog yourself. (If so, stay by the car until the police arrive!)

Chained dogs also suffer during heat waves, especially when they are denied access to water and continuous shade. Alert authorities immediately if you see a chained dog without shelter or access to water (both are required by law) or in distress. If officials are slow to respond, offer the dog cold water or ice cubes.  

When you are driving, be aware that wild animals may cross roadways more frequently in search of water sources, so be on the lookout and stop to help animals who appear to be injured.

Robbie LeBlanc

Merciless heat adds to the suffering of animals trapped on factory farms and in roadside zoos and circuses. PETA has received reports of thousands of animals who have died while crammed together in sweltering, windowless barns. And no one would want to spend the summer chained inside a hot boxcar or trailer and being dragged across the country from one performance to another.

Please offer a helping hand to animals in need, and stay away from businesses that profit from their suffering.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

From the time he was 3 months old, Ringo's "life" consisted of pacing on a patch of dirt in a junk-filled backyard, deprived of the love that every dog needs and deserves, chained up like an old bicycle. When PETA's fieldworkers found him, Ringo was suffering from intestinal parasites and was at least 15 pounds underweight. His growth was stunted from chronic malnutrition.

PETA's fieldworkers were eventually able to convince Ringo's guardian to surrender him. Now, Ringo has a real life—one with a loving family and a little "sister" dog named Speedo who keeps Ringo on his toes! A big goofball, Ringo loves to run around at the PETA dog park and is too busy having fun to dwell on his past.

If there is a chained or penned dog in your neighborhood, please get involved. Like Ringo, many neglected dogs' lives have been changed because someone cared enough to offer to take them for a walk or give them treats, toys, and some much-needed love. You can make a difference! Speak up for chained dogs today.

 
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post