Help dogs left outside in the bitter winter cold

Dear Anne, Living outside is hard enough, but in the cold, dark wintertime, it can mean months of total misery, of never being able to keep warm. Sheba had nothing to call home but a flimsy plastic box with an open front and a patch of dirt. She was tied to a tree, day in and day out, with nothing of substance to protect her from the bone-chilling winter weather. When PETA's dedicated team of fieldworkers first met Sheba on a call for our spay-and-neuter services, we knew that we had to do all that we could to improve her desperate living situation. Soon after we transported Sheba from her spay appointment, PETA delivered her a new doghouse, a new tangle-free tether, and a toy (her first ever) and gave her some much-needed love and affection, which she desperately craved. We continue to check in on her regularly to try to improve her life further. Sheba is just one of the hundreds upon hundreds of badly neglected dogs who have received solid doghouses through PETA's "Angels for Animals" program every year. "Angels for Animals" sponsors are generous and compassionate PETA members who make our lifesaving efforts to help neglected "outside dogs" possible. Will you join them by becoming an "Angels for Animals" sponsor right now? Many of the animals helped through this vital program have no shelter from even the worst weather. Some have only a metal drum in which water collects and freezes or a leaky crate, a cardboard box, or a piece of wood against a fence with mud to lie on. They have little to nothing to protect them from the elements. We've designed and constructed our unique doghouses to provide durable shelter year-round, through both the winter cold and the summer heat. PETA doghouses have a slanted roof with an overhang to provide shade in the summer. There's a special door cut to match the size of the dog, and we cover that with a durable flap to prevent chilling winter winds from entering. Each doghouse sits on a small platform so that the floor remains dry and does not rot during wet weather, and we deliver it filled with straw for more insulation. Click here to watch a short video about just a few of the dogs we've helped through this unique program. Of course, we want all guardians to let their dogs live indoors as loved family members. PETA's patient and persistent fieldworkers do all that they can to persuade people to do just that. But if we can't convince them—and local authorities will not act in these rural areas—then we try hard to get the owners to accept our doghouses and provide other care and attention that these dogs need. There are few sights as heartwarming as that of a dog who has just received a real doghouse after years of suffering outside! Most dogs immediately go inside and curl up in the straw with a sigh of relief. The new tangle-free leads that we provide allow them to roam around a larger area, and when needed, we move the dogs to a drier, more sheltered spot in the yard. We give them each a toy, a nutritious meal, and some affection. We also promise to come back and check on them soon. This program is truly life-changing for a dog who lives outside. As an "Angels for Animals" doghouse sponsor, you can help make that change possible. Please sponsor a doghouse today! Last winter, PETA delivered nearly 200 doghouses. That number merely scratches the surface of the number of dogs who will be condemned to the cold this winter. And as the temperatures drop, finding them becomes even more urgent. The cost to construct and deliver one of these rugged doghouses is $265. But please understand that any gift that you can give, no matter its size, will be put to work immediately to help the dogs in this vital program. I hope that you'll consider becoming a PETA "Angels for Animals" doghouse sponsor right now. Your generosity will change the life of a neglected "outside dog" like Sheba. Thank you for helping neglected, forgotten dogs this winter in such a significant way. Kind regards, Ingrid E. Newkirk President P.S. Your simple act of kindness today can bring a vulnerable dog years of relief from the elements. Please consider becoming an "Angels for Animals" sponsor right now.      Share on Facebook    Share on Twitter Click to update your e-mail preferences or to unsubscribe. This e-mail was sent by PETA, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 USA.