Today, a friend who Volunteers, and helps chained dogs in Davidson County, sent me this tragic photo (taken TODAY). As you all have been reading, the Davidson County, NC Commissioners REFUSE to bring a Tethering Ordinance up on an Agenda for voting. They appointed a smokescreen Committee, which would let them appear to be doing something, yet they are really doing nothing. Apparently someone had this dog in the photo as a "pet," and died. The son of the man who died, reached out asking for help with this dog. This dog died before help could arrive. The main problem here, is that it was legal to chain a dog in the 1st place. I realize that a Tethering Bill will not eliminate Animal Abuse & Neglect from the world. I realize that some dogs might get tossed into a pen that is small, and also bad, but at least the dog is protected from predators, and from becoming impregnated, with dozens of more and more puppies filling up those shelters. Sometimes the message is simply the suffering. My Mom, and Grandmother, always said "there is a message in every suffering." I think what Animal Advocates want in Davidson County, is a simple acknowledgement that a dog living his entire life on a chain is wrong, and illegal, with a real ordinance on the books. This ordinance will not make people who neglect their pet, love their pet. This ordinance will not solve everything. People will still continue to chain their dogs, even if an ordinance finally somehow miraculously does pass. Every case of neglect/chaining will not be discovered, and stopped. However, the message is in the imagery, the advocacy, the tears we cry, the cries for help, the anger, the suffering of the animal. If the images/videos/songs/petition.....can somehow change some hearts... or even just one.... It is worth all the haters, and opposition. Just to have this conversation going, the debate (while I find no defense in chaining), the arguments.......it all means this: people are considering it. Even the hardest of hearts are considering that perhaps it is cruel to leave a dog languishing on a chain. Picture this conversation below: "Mommy, can we bring Chester in?" Mommy says "No honey, he isn't our dog." "But Mommy! He is out there in the pouring rain, and he is wearing a metal chain! And it's lightning and thundering!" Child cries uncontrollably! Mommy "I am sorry honey, there isn't anything we can do!" Child "They make us get out of the pool when it thunders, but the law says you can leave a dog out there on a metal chain?" What are we teaching children, when we insist they look the other way? If all these things I have done, songs, petition, videos, imagery, etc., get people to consider the neglect of an Animal, and perhaps spend a little more time, and give a little more love to their pets, it is worth it all. Worth all the insults, threats, and intimidation tactics. Thank you as always for your support! XOXO Donna Hughes