2/2/09 Outside Dogs

Outside Dogs

Indiana has a huge problem with animal welfare laws. They are too unspecific therefore; there is too much gray area in order to prosecute individuals that break the laws. As far as general care of a dog, as long as the dog has food, water and shelter, no matter how poor that shelter is, that is considered lawful. I have an opportunity in a couple weeks to go to the statehouse and try to amend some bills currently on the table regarding animal welfare and I intend to go and try to make some changes.
I urge you all to contact your local representative, Fountain County is represented by Dale Grubb and he can be reached:

By Mail...
State Representative F. Dale GrubbIndiana House of Representatives200 W. Washington St.Indianapolis, IN 46204-2786

By Phone...
Call toll-free (from anywhere within Indiana):1-800-382-9842or directly at (317)232-9600

By Internet...
Representative Grubb's email address is h42@in.gov.

You can also contact me by email at groomroompetspa@comcast.net I’ll be happy to email you the petition I’ll be taking with me and I would love to have your thoughts and name to add to it.

Let me state for the record that I really don’t have a huge issue with dogs living outside or being outside as long as they have the body and coat to protect them from the elements and they get some attention. I use to live on a farm, and dogs lived outside. I can deal with that, but the law doesn’t take into consideration the type of dog, the hair coat, the body condition, or the weather conditions at all times. This is why dogs that live in the house are more apt to be in better shape, they have access to heat and air conditioning and there is much less chance of them suffering due to the elements.
However, that gray area of the law is exactly where I have a problem. I keep hearing “he’s an outside dog”. The problem is, a dog with extremely short coat is just not meant to live outside in the elements. I’ve been hearing from people that have Rat Terriers and Chihuahuas that those dogs are “outside” dogs. When we have extreme temperatures, it should be considered animal cruelty to leave your pets outdoors. So many people think all dogs are like livestock; if they were born outside, they can live outside. Just because a dog has a doghouse or even some straw in the house, that doesn’t make it toasty for them, especially if they have no hair to protect them! Not all dogs have an undercoat for insulation and first sign of hypothermia is shivering! Some ill-informed people think that certain breeds just shiver, nevermind it’s in the teens outside.
Where does common sense come in?
If it’s too cold for you outside with a coat on, it’s probably too cold for your dog to be out there. Same with summertime, if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your dog.
The benefits of having your pet indoors are many; your dog will have more attention and therefore be better behaved. Your pet won’t have access to the wild things and will be less likely to fight with them, get skunked, or become road kill. Your pet will stay cleaner and smell better longer, and is less likely to suffer from parasites, and YOU will have lower blood pressure by petting and loving your calm pet. Studies have shown that pets do reduce your blood pressure. (Of course, that depends on your pet and what havoc they may wreak in your house.) Training takes care of that.
The problem with most outside animals is they are “out of sight, out of mind” and tend to be neglected. They may get food and water but that’s often just about it. You can’t ignore a dog that’s in your face.
One of the reasons some people use for putting the family pet outside is allergies. Well there are a number of solutions for that problem.
1. Don’t get pets if you are allergic to them
2. Take medication for your allergies if you cannot avoid being around your pets, or look into allergy shots for yourself to build up a tolerance.
3. Allerpet products can be wiped on your dog or cat weekly to prevent you from reacting to their dander, as well as more frequent bathing of your pet is helpful.
4. You may need to find another home for your pet.
Tossing Fido outside is not the solution. Use common sense and take care of your pets, or get a pet rock. They are easy to take care of, inexpensive to own and are hypoallergenic. You aren’t likely to be arrested for neglecting your pet rock. Re-homing a pet rock is also much easier. I don’t know of any pet rock rescues, but I’m willing to start one if they ever become a problem.