A great gift for a cold, lonely dog

Dear Anne, Before PETA found her, Chloe—a sweet-as-pie Labrador mix—had spent countless lonely days outdoors, confined to a barren patch of dirt in a small backyard pen. Her only protection on even the most frigid days was a plastic barrel that did nothing to shield her from bone-chilling winter wind and driving cold rain that would pour into her flimsy shelter and flood her pen, trapping her in a filthy swamp of mud and her own waste. But PETA fieldworkers knew what to do! They got Chloe out of that pen, pronto, and provided her with a sturdy wooden doghouse packed with straw for her to curl up in, which they placed on a patch of dry ground. They outfitted Chloe with a proper collar and a lightweight tie-out that stays tangle-free. PETA fieldworkers will make regular follow-up visits to Chloe to make sure the situation does not deteriorate. Chloe is now also spayed, thanks to PETA's unique, low-cost to no-cost door-to-door transport and sterilization program. And—cross your fingers—PETA is working with Chloe's guardian to try to persuade him to allow Chloe some time indoors! Chloe's life has been forever changed by this program, supported by "Angels for Animals" doghouse sponsors—caring PETA supporters like you. Won't you consider sponsoring shelter for a vulnerable dog today? And get other caring people to join you! "Angels for Animals" sponsors help dogs survive cold winters (and hot summers) by providing them with a sturdy, weatherproof PETA doghouse. These doghouses give "backyard dogs" badly needed relief from snow, wind, and rain—often for the first time in their lives. As we enter the holiday season—and for many of us, the coldest days of the year—I hope that you'll consider giving a gift that will make a vital difference in the life of an "outdoor dog." Whenever a PETA fieldworker meets a neglected dog like Chloe, we first try to convince the guardians to allow the animal to live indoors. But when the dog's guardians can't be persuaded and authorities don't have a legal leg to stand on—or simply won't act—we do all that we can to improve that dog's life. For these dogs, nothing makes a bigger difference than a doghouse in which they can curl up in the winter and that will even provide shade and protection from next year's summer sun. Last year, PETA built and delivered doghouses to hundreds of dogs in need. For many of these animals, this was the first real shelter that they'd ever had. With your help as an "Angels for Animals" doghouse sponsor, we can protect more dogs this winter—and in the years to come. PETA doghouses come in different sizes to fit every dog we find out there in the cold. The opening is on the side and is only large enough for the dog to enter so that his or her body heat can help keep the interior of the house warm when the wind blows or snow falls. In winter, our doghouses are outfitted with a special rubber flap to help trap the dog's body heat inside. The house is elevated in order to keep the dog off the cold ground and prevent the structure from rotting, and it has a little step to make going in and out easier and safer. Unlike store-bought doghouses, PETA doghouses are built with broad, slanted roofs and an overhang that can provide a shady refuge on baking-hot summer days. Your sponsorship gift of $265 will provide one neglected dog with a sturdy, straw-filled doghouse, a toy, a tie-out if needed, and even transport to the vet if we find a health problem. However, any gift—no matter the size—will make a huge difference to a neglected "outdoor dog" this winter. Please help us provide shelter to a forgotten dog facing months outdoors in freezing-cold wind and storms this winter. I would love to count on your support. Thank you for helping a neglected dog this winter in such a life-changing way. Kind regards, Ingrid E. Newkirk President P.S. While Chloe now has a shelter that will last for years to come, many other dogs just like her have nothing and desperately need help. Won't you help put a solid roof over the head of a cold and sorely neglected dog by becoming an "Angels for Animals" sponsor right now? For a lonely dog facing the winter outside in the bitter cold, your generosity can mean the difference between life and death.  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.