Speak out against tethering in Alaska

[SledDogAction]

Many dogs in Alaska are forced to live at the end of a chain. Today the Anchorage Daily News published my letter against tethering. If you are against chaining, please add your voice to mine, by sending a letter to the editor or by posting a message at the bottom of the letters page. To send a letter to the editor, write to letters@adn.com (225 word maximum). To publish a message on the bottom of the letters page, you must register first.

Margery

http://www.adn.com/opinion/letters/story/257030.html

Enforcing tethering bans a step toward protecting family dogs

To help protect dogs from wolves, Craig Medred should encourage boroughs to enact tethering bans ("No one's howling when wolves eat dogs," Dec. 30). A dog on a chain is an easy target for attacks.

In October, a pack of wolves killed six sled dogs in Marshall. Alaska state trooper Sgt. Matt Dobson told the Anchorage Daily News that "Dogs tied up on an 18-inch chain are simply too good to pass up. These wolves have more than enough to eat. It's just an easy treat for them."

Chained dogs have also been attacked by bears, foxes, biting insects and other animals. They've been stabbed and shot by humans. Many have been made sick from eating animal feces and bird droppings. In the blistering cold, chained dogs suffer from painful frostbite of the penis, ear tips, tail tips, scrotum and paws.

Dogs who live at the end of a chain have a gruesome existence. That's why states, counties and cities across the country have passed tethering bans.

-- Margery Glickman, director

Sled Dog Action Coalition

Miami

[Fritemare]

They need to make tethering in every state illegal. Most shelters won't even adopt a dog out if you tell them you are going to chain them up. I suppose you don't go to a shelter in Alaska for a sled dog though, you go to a breeder.

[Dvin]

They need to make tethering in every state illegal. Most shelters won't even adopt a dog out if you tell them you are going to chain them up. I suppose you don't go to a shelter in Alaska for a sled dog though, you go to a breeder.

Actually if you watch and are patient you can adopt sled dogs out of a Dog Pound. Often many people when they buy a husky really don't know what they are getting into. Expecially when in a State like Alaska were a husky usually has never been made a family pet. So, they end up give the dog up for adoption.

They are looked on as work animals.

I was able to put together a team when I lived up there...12 dogs all together all from a Pound.

Dvin

[Mrrple]

I was able to put together a team when I lived up there...12 dogs all together all from a Pound.

Dvin

That's really neat. Good job! Most people tell me that you can't put together a team with rescues. I always tell them that's silly to say, and you prove that :D