Lady Freethinker’s (LFT) “Break the Chain” campaign is helping free dogs from their tethers and keep companion animals safe as temperatures soar.
LFT has teamed up with ChainFree Knoxville (soon to be ChainFree USA) to sponsor backyard builds for chained and tethered dogs, allowing them to run, play, and seek shelter from the sweltering heat.
The builds feature a fenced-in enclosure with an insulated doghouse, canopy, elevated bed, water bucket, flea and tick collars, fly traps, yard spray, and fly repellent. The dogs are also neutered or spayed when needed. Each build provides at least 800 square feet of room for a single dog, but that amount is adjusted for households with multiple dogs, depending on the space allowed.
Diamond — Before & After (Jessica Brooke Arnold/Lady Freethinker)
These improved spaces have been transformative for the dogs who receive them. For Diamond, whose space was once littered with debris, it meant finally being free to run to her heart’s content. This transformation inspires us to continue our efforts in improving the lives of tethered dogs.
For Bear, who came from a household of five dogs, this not only meant that he and his siblings could play without chains, but also that he could live more comfortably in the heat. ChainFree Knoxville additionally provided a grooming service to remove his unkempt, matted fur. Bear’s vision was finally unobstructed, and the painful tangles were gone.
Lady Freethinker is also putting up a new billboard in Houston, urging guardians to free their dogs from the tether and bring them inside during the scorching temperatures. In a state number one in the U.S. for heat-related pet deaths, people must take notice.
With summer temperatures in Houston regularly soaring to 92 degrees Fahrenheit and higher, the situation is urgent. In June 2023, the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) reported an alarming 243 heat-related calls in just the first three weeks, as well as three tragic deaths. One dog found dead chained to a fence had no access to water or shade, according to a local news report. The dog was thought to have been dead at least a week before authorities came.
Dogs are sentient beings who are happiest when they can run, play, and spend time with their families. They feel stress and loneliness, especially when they’re forced to spend their lives outside at the end of a rope.
LFT asks all dog guardians to keep their companions safe, bring them inside, and sign our pledge, promising never to chain or tether your dog. If you see a dog tethered outside, lacking food, water, or shelter, we urge you to report it to the authorities.
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