If you are concerned about a dog who lives his life on a chain, you aren’t helpless! There are lots of different things you can do to try to help.
Keep a few things in mind:
- Be constructive, but not critical. Most people don’t react well to criticism.
- Try to educate the owner. It is possible to teach the owner how to treat his dog as a living, loving family member.
- Helping an abused animal a little bit is better than doing nothing. You may not be able to save the dog and find him a new home, but you may be able to improve his quality of life.
Your first step is to get to know the dog’s owner. Be nice, be friendly, and be respectful. You should bring a friend or adult family member with you to talk to a dog’s owner. Knock on the door and introduce yourself. Try something like this:
- I baked these treats for my dog, and thought your dog might like some, too! (Nothing makes friends like a sack of biscuits!)
- I see you have a (type of dog). I love that breed! Can I go meet your dog? What’s his name?
- My dog has outgrown his dog house; do you think your dog could use it? I’d be happy to bring it over.
- We built a fence for our yard, but have a ton of leftover materials — would you like to put up a fence for your yard? I bet your dog would love to have more space to play. My spouse and I would be glad to help!
- I’m a volunteer from the humane society, and I’m talking to local dog owners about different resources in the community that you might not know about. (This is a good time to offer any printed materials you have about pet care, plus information about veterinary care, rabies clinics, and spay/neuter discounts.)
- My teenager is doing community service for a school project and we’re offering to walk local dogs a few times a week. Could we take your dog for a walk?
- I’m training to be a groomer, and need more practice. I see you have a dog — would you mind if I bathed and brushed him?
Make it clear that anything you offer is free. If the owner seems friendly and receptive, it’s time to meet the dog. Ask the dog’s name, and learn more about both the dog and the owner. See if you can find out why the dog is on a chain; you may be able to offer solutions that can eliminate the need for a tether. If the dog is a jumper, or escapes the yard frequently, you may be able to help build a taller fence or train the dog to live within an electric fence.