Wanda Sykes—one of the funniest people on the planet, in my opinion—has taken on a very unfunny issue: dogs left chained up outside. Like fellow Southeastern Virginia native and comedian Patton Oswalt, Wanda has sent letters on PETA's behalf to Newport News and Suffolk city officials, urging them to pass legislation against continuous tethering similar to ordinances enacted in neighboring towns, including Hampton, Virginia Beach, Smithfield, Sykes' hometown of Portsmouth, and PETA's hometown of Norfolk. 

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In her letters, Wanda explains that chained dogs—like the three pit bulls discovered by PETA cruelty caseworkers in Newport News in December—are often denied adequate shelter and suffer from loneliness, frustration, and neglect. One of those dogs had already died of starvation, and the two survivors were malnourished and had no access to food or water (PETA has filed cruelty charges against the dogs' owners).

As a mother, Wanda also expresses concern that chained dogs are more likely to become aggressive than dogs who live indoors with their human families, as evidenced by the tragic case of a toddler in Suffolk who was mauled to death by his family's chained dogs. Chaining also sends the dangerous message to children that dogs are disposable objects to be tossed out in the backyard and forgotten when they become inconvenient.

What You Can Do

If chaining is still permitted in your community, please follow Wanda's example and encourage your local officials to enact a tethering ban. You can also help by sponsoring a custom doghouse to be built and delivered to provide a dog with relief from extreme weather.

When a PETA staffer found this dog named President Obama two years ago, he was stuck on a tangled lead in a trash-strewn yard without proper food, water, shelter, or attention of any kind.

He was fed table scraps by his owner, who would not consider allowing him indoors. Our staff member visited Obama frequently over the next two years, each time offering to find him a new home but always getting turned down. So PETA did what we could to keep the little guy healthy and comfortable, including providing him with a new doghouse and neutering him. 

Recently, when a snowstorm was approaching, PETA's staffer took Obama some straw for warmth and found him wet and shivering in the freezing-cold backyard. But this time, the little tyke's owner finally agreed to let PETA take him, which just goes to show why it's so important never to give up when a chained dog needs help.) Here is Obama in his wonderful new home with his adopted "sister":

As you can see, Obama has made himself right at home with his new family—and, just like someone else we know, is taking full advantage of his second chance! 

Here is sweet Diamond before she received a doghouse from PETA:

And after, with new digs replete with warm straw, fresh water, a grassy new spot to lie in, and a lightweight tie-out:

Wanna make a dog's day?

Say "Hi" to Tyson, one of the newest recipients of a custom-built doghouse from PETA, along with lots of straw bedding to help keep out the cold. As you can see from the "before" picture below, he desperately needed it. All four (!) of Tyson's previous (flimsy) "shelters" had broken. But now he has a sturdy, custom-built doghouse for cold, wet winter nights—and since it's built to last, he can count on it for years to come. Tyson's family agreed to have him neutered, so PETA will take care of that too.

Of course, we'd much prefer that everyone allow their dogs indoors—and PETA's Community Animal Project caseworkers have persuaded many animals' guardians to do just that. But since some people refuse—and since many localities still don't prohibit chaining dogs—PETA builds and delivers hundreds of rugged doghouses each year to provide dogs with protection from snow, wind, and rain. In the winter, PETA also gives away free bales of straw for cold dogs forced to live outdoors in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia.

You can change a life like Tyson's. If you know of any "outdoor dogs," try to persuade their guardians to allow them indoors. Encourage your city or county legislators to ban chaining. And if you can, sponsor a doghouse so that one more dog will have a refuge from the cold.

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Digging through tax records, deciphering difficult directions, and struggling with simple math totally sucks. What doesn't suck? The tax refund that results from this headache. Whether your tax refund is already in the bank or somewhere in the mail, here are some cool and cruelty-free things to do with that extra coin:

1. Take the tribe on a trip. Nothing says "Thanks for being such an awesome deduction" like taking your dependents (er, kids) on a little family vacation. Getting great rates on hotels, cruises, and travel packages is as easy as joining the PETA Member Advantage Program. Plan your animal-friendly vacation by clicking here.
2. Buy a house. A doghouse, that is. Think the housing market is bad? Try being an outdoor dog. Every year, PETA builds and delivers hundreds of sturdy doghouses filled with straw for dogs whose guardians won't let them inside. Help us help dogs by sponsoring one of these doghouses. And don't worry—we're all about fixed dogs, not fixed rates …
3. Purge and splurge. Are there products that blind bunnies in your cabinets—or skeletons in your closet? Make over your make-up bag with cruelty-free cosmetics and personal-care products. Lose the gruesome garb (leather, wool, and fur) and stock-up on stylin' synthetics instead. While you're at it, get rid of those stirrup pants and that tired "U Can't Touch This" T-shirt. They may not be cruel to animals, but they are cruel to anyone who has to see you in them.
4. Plan a little R&R (romantic romp) at a B&B. Looking for something more stimulating to do with your refund or stimulus check? We've got you covered. From Victorian mansions to cozy cabins and oh-so-unique yurts (you haven't lived until you've loved in a yurt), you'll find your perfect getaway on our list of vegetarian-friendly bed and breakfasts.
5. Earn your wings (and a tax deduction for next year). Resist the urge to blow your money on a butterfly tramp stamp. Help real animals instead! Donate to PETA today.

Written by Amy Elizabeth

PS If you didn't get a tax refund, don't worry—hugs (and copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit") are still free …