Are you dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals? Chaining or tethering is a common mistreatment of animals.
What is chaining? In short, chaining or tethering is keeping an animal for months or years at the end of a chain. The dog is left outside in extreme temperatures and may not have access to adequate food, water, or shelter.
Putting your dog in an outdoor run or on a lead for a few hours is NOT abuse if your dog is brought inside at night, given attention, food, and water, and gets regular veterinary care. If you need to leave your dog outside for any length of time, he should be supervised, have adequate space to move around, and access to fresh water. You should also try to provide some kind of shelter from the elements, like harsh sunlight, extreme temperatures, rain, and snow.
Are tethered dogs treated well by their owners? Sometimes, but not often. If you don’t keep your pets in the home, it’s too easy to forget to feed them or give them fresh water. Water bowls are easily tipped over, leaving the dog without anything to drink until someone notices. Tethered dogs often don’t get regular (or any) vet care.
Are tethered dogs kept in a comfortable area? The radius of the chain is all the dog has. They have to eat, sleep, and eliminate in a very small space. Any grass that may be in the area is often worn down by the dog’s movements.
Can tethered dogs become part of the family? That depends on a lot of different factors. If the only thing a dog has ever known is life on a chain, he may have a difficult time adjusting to life in the house. A chained dog may be very possessive of his space, and not encourage family to approach for anything other than food. Tethered dogs often exhibit neurotic behavior like pacing, barking, and chewing. With time, patience, and gentleness, you may be able to teach a formerly chained dog what life is like in a loving family.