rationale and annotated bibliography

Rationale
The rationale behind my annotated bibliography started because of my involvement with dogs. I am a proud owner of nine dogs and care for them deeply. If I suspect that a dog is being neglected or abused, I take action by calling the Maricopa Animal Care and Control Abuse Hotline to report it. I ask them to investigate the situation, and for the most part I have been successful and have seen some of these neglected animals saved by the shelter. However, on one occasion I called regarding two small dogs that were tied up in the front yard of a house. I had noticed that they were tethered 24 hours a day, seven days a week! To my amazement and horror, I was informed that Arizona has no tethering laws. There was nothing I could do to save these animals from enduring such painful and harsh conditions. Therefore, it was easy for me to choose my topic. I am researching the multiple problems caused by chaining dogs and exploring what can be done to introduce and implement anti-tethering laws in Phoenix. If this is not possible, then I will investigate potential ways to publicize information for pet owners regarding how to make life safer and happier for dogs that are tethered.
I began my research by looking into the current animal cruelty laws in the state of Arizona, but quickly hit a dead end because there wasn’t much information on this particular topic. I kept coming across the same data about the current anti-cruelty laws and definitions of abuse, and basically nothing else. I then had to narrow down my subject and decided to concentrate on tethering laws for dogs and the states that currently enforce these laws.
My annotated bibliography consists of information gathered from well-known animal rights organizations such as the ASPCA, PETA, and The Humane Society of the United States. These sites list a great deal of information on animal cruelty, specific laws state-by-state, and how the public can become involved and proactive about the welfare and comfort of dogs. Surprisingly, my main source of information, and the most useful to me, came from a couple of sites that I had never even heard of, such as “Unchain Your Dog” and “Dogs Deserve Better.” These sites were created by animal rights advocates who have been successful in passing anti-chaining laws in their own states. For the most part, most of the information gathered is a little repetitive, but there are some differentiating factors that will be beneficial during the upcoming proposal assignment. I was not able to find any suitable books on the subject, but did discover a few relevant magazine articles. The Internet was my main source of information.
I have set up my annotated bibliography in alphabetical order since all sources listed are relevant and important to the anti-tethering cause, and they all contain some data that will be useful. As of yet, I have not come to a preliminary conclusion about how to introduce, recommend and implement an anti-tethering law in Arizona, but feel that I have located and gathered the right tools, data and information to begin the proposal assignment.







Annotated Bibliography
O’Neill, Terry. “I bark, Therefore I am” News Magazine Alberta Edition EBSCOhost 1 April 2002. Gateway Community Lib. 29 March 2007

This is an article written about a case in Canada regarding a Rottweiler who suffered from emotional problems like aggressive and anti-social behavior due to spending the first eleven months of her young life tethered to a ten-foot chain. The ASPCA apprehended the dog on grounds of “psychological abuse” and recommended charges against her owners. Under a new provincial law and the future toughened animal cruelty sections of the criminal code of Canada, there is an amendment that states animals must no longer be treated as property. The article focuses on the opposition of ranchers who fear and oppose the amendment which could lead to private lawsuits or criminal prosecutions. This article is a great credible source as it gives factual information on a case that involves owners being held responsible for the psychological abuse of their dog, the consequences of such behavior, and opposition to this amendment.

“Animal Cruelty” Maricopa Animal Care and Control 25 March 2007


The Maricopa Care and Control site offers a great deal of information to the public about a wide range of topics regarding animal care and animal welfare. This governmental organization provides information ranging from animal care and behavior to community outreach and education programs. Funded by donations and licensing fees, it offers pet owners information about the proper licensing and vaccinations for their animals. The Maricopa Animal Care and Control site also provides information about their adoption services, lost and found pets, as well as current animal cruelty laws. It provides a link to the Arizona State Legislature site that describes the laws and defines what constitutes cruelty to animals. This source will be helpful with my proposal as it states all the current laws and applicable definitions that are in effect in the state of Arizona.
“Anti-Chaining Laws” Unchain your Dog 29 March 2007
Unchain your Dog is an independent organization created by a couple from Little
Rock, Arkansas. This couple has successfully been able to lobby for a new city
law and they have become advocates on behalf of chained dogs everywhere. The site concentrates on information pertaining to chained dogs and ways to change that situation. It offers advice on ways to talk to dog owners who have their dogs chained and explains how anyone who is concerned can potentially help by educating a dog owner. The site also offers information on how to improve laws and pass anti-chaining laws. Unchain your Dog gives tips on how to build fences and install a trolley system for dogs to allow for more freedom of movement. The site also has downloadable brochures that can be given to owners of chained dogs, which include such topics as ways to improve a dog’s life, behavior and housetraining and guard dog information. This will be an important source in my research as the advocates of this site have been successful in passing anti-chaining laws in their community. They offer vast information to potential advocates. I also find the downloadable brochures and slide shows to be very helpful, since they are accessible to the public and provide awareness of the problem.
Dogs Deserve Better 29 March 2007

Dogs Deserve Better is a nonprofit organization founded by Tammy Grimes,
dedicated specifically to being an advocate for chained dogs in our own
communities. This site is filled with great information regarding how chaining dogs affects not only the animals themselves, but is also causing numerous deaths of children throughout the country. Chained dogs, unsocialized with humans, can become territorial and violent. This site offers information on how to volunteer, or to start a new branch of Dogs Deserve Better. It gives pointers on how to approach dog owners who have their pets chained and shares information about how to improve life for four-legged companions. The Dogs Deserve Better site also supplies information on which states are currently working on anti-chaining legislation and provides a template of a letter the public can send out to state representatives and senators. It gives other advice on how to get laws opposing chaining passed. Julie Lewin, President of Animal Advocacy Connecticut and founder of National Institute for Animal Advocacy, serves as advisor to Dogs Deserve Better and offers to come to organization or community events for training seminars. She recently lobbied for and got the first state law prohibiting continuous chaining of dogs in Connecticut. This source, although not very well-known, is very credible and shares important information that has been gathered and used in passing anti-chaining laws.
“EAMT™/Animal Rescue” Arizona Humane Society, 30 March 2006. 29 March <2007http://www.azhumane.org/artimgr/publish/article_500.shtml>
The Arizona Humane Society, founded in 1957, is the largest nonprofit animal
welfare and protection agency in the state of Arizona. It is a private, nonprofit
organization funded by donations and does not receive any government funding. This organization started with the goal of placing unwanted or abandoned animals into new homes. In 2002, the Humane Society launched an Emergency Animal Medical Technician program. The program consists of a fleet of ambulances to provide life-saving medical treatment to injured, sick and abused animals in the field. There is no other program like it in the state of Arizona. The Humane Society is a credible source that has been helping animals for many years. They offer other types of resources to pet owners as well, such as low-cost vaccinations and low-cost spay and neuter clinics. This is a helpful site that offers numerous low-cost resources to pet owners. However, it did lack information as far informing the public of what constitutes animal abuse.
“Fight Cruelty” The American Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals 25 March 2007


The ASPCA is an organization that has been in existence since 1866, and is the

first humane society in the Western Hemisphere. This organization was formed to protect animals from injustices and inhumane treatment. The ASPCA originated in New York City, but provides information against animal cruelty in every state in the country. The ASPCA has templates available that contain letters with information regarding lobbying for animals and current proposed acts against animal cruelty, as well as federal action alerts by state. The public can use this information to write to their respective representatives and senators urging their support. The site also provides resources that list shelters across the country. This organization will be a good source for my research as it provides the “how-to” introduction and lobbies for the cause of anti-tethering laws in Phoenix, Arizona.
Greater Nashville Animal Welfare 29 March 2007

The Greater Nashville Animal Welfare (GNAW) is an organization that helps
educate Nashville area dog owners about the dangers of tethering dogs and raises community awareness while educating the public about humane treatment of animals. The GNAW was founded in 2003 to educate dog owners about dangers of chaining their dogs. GNAW also provides statistics from the Nashville police department regarding fatal attacks caused by chained dogs as well as the percentage of complaints about chained dogs barking. GNAW lists the current laws that protect animals and the latest bills passed to making tethering safer. The information the GNAW site offered was minimal, but it will play a key role in the proposal assignment since GNAW was indeed able to make life safer and happier for dogs who are tethered.
“Programs and Campaigns” Animal Defense League of Arizona, 29 March 2007


The Animal Defense League of Arizona’s mission is to protect and defend Arizona’s animals. ADLA is a Phoenix-based, state-wide nonprofit organization that works to protect Arizona’s animals with approaches such as public education and awareness, research and investigation and reform to insure the criminal prosecution of animal abuse cases. Some of the programs and campaigns include wildlife protection, as well as a spay and neuter hotline that has been in effect since 1998, intended to help put an end to the dog and cat overpopulation crisis in Arizona. ADLA also follows cases through the courts in Arizona that pertain to animal abuse. They follow bills through state legislature and inform advocates when to contact their legislators. Although this source is quite credible, it provides only a small amount of information regarding animal cruelty. What I did find helpful for my proposal assignment is that ADLA offers to the public a way to sign up to their newswire and be able to receive email action alerts.

“The Cruel, Dangerous Practice of Dog Chaining” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 29 March 2007


People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the world’s largest animal rights organization, founded in 1980. PETA works through pubic education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, celebrity involvement and protest campaigns. Funded mainly by donations and merchandise sales, PETA has accomplished vast, long-term-term changes that improve the quality of an animal’s life. In the section for helping animals, the site includes information on the dangers of chaining dogs. They also provide summaries on chained-dog attacks as well as current legislation on restraining dogs. This section also offers helpful links to brochures, as well as links to a lobbying for change fact sheet and an Overview of the Legislative Process fact sheet. All this information will be very helpful; the information provided will give me good guidelines on the proposal assignment as PETA is a credible and successful worldwide organization.
“The Facts about Chaining or Tethering Dogs” The Humane Society of The United States 29 March 2007


The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is the nation's largest animal

protection organization. It is a non-profit association based in Washington, D.C.
The HSUS protects all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and field work. This site describes in detail about what is meant by “chaining” dogs, as well as information about the behavioral problems caused by tethering them. It also contains information about how tying and restraining dogs can pose a danger to humans. It explains that commonly tethered dogs do not receive sufficient care or affection, which can lead to neurotic behavior. This will be an important resource to the future proposal assignment, as it lists facts about questions that are frequently asked regarding the multiple problems caused by the tethering of dogs.