Watch Day Eleven Video Tour, Virginia

 

Diary of Dawn: Day 11, Virginia —
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death, "Patrick Henry"

“…it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.” —Patrick Henry, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”, St. John's Church, Richmond, Virginia, March 23, 1775

Tammy and I said an early morning goodbye to our five new tail-wagging friends at Brian and Melanie’s. Leaving Kentucky we logged in 70 more chained/penned dogs bringing a total of 102 backyard dogs in Kentucky. I swear, the further we travel the further the dog houses seem to be away from the families’ homes. In Virginia there was one chained dog and doghouse behind the house, across the yard and then hidden behind a barn. No one could even see the dog from the house; out of sight out of mind. Then there were the two doghouses in a pen with an old outhouse. How’s that for a symbolic example of how much you care about your dogs? Then another had K-9 Unit, I guess as a joke, written on a double pen holding two dogs. That’s no apartment unit I’d want to live in.

This is beautiful country in Virginia. Everywhere we’ve traveled looks magnificent from the highway and I’ve jotted down places I’d like to visit with my family someday. Unfortunately the only sightseeing we get to do is of chained dogs in backyards and none of it is pretty or fun. 12 hour days, never knowing if we are going to be bit, shot at or spit on, it is quite an adventure. Wait until you hear what happened today, some positive stuff you’ll like, but first I’ll take you through a big part of the day before I get to that.

We drove through the back roads of Kentucky to get to Virginia. The rocks in the mountains literally leak spring water. Coming from Illinois the babbling brooks and the mountains take my breath away, as does twisting around mountainous curves with no guard rails! We stopped for breakfast in a town called Beatyville, Kentucky. It was so quaint. We went to a family restaurant called the “Purple Cow” and the people and the food were great. I met Martha who runs the antique shop across the street; a collector’s paradise. Martha told me about the annual “Willy-Worm Festival” in October, now isn’t that just the cutest thing?

In the summer while my husband golfs I ride around in the cart with him and pick up willy-worms and carry them across the green to shorten their trip, but now I’ve realized that they get turned around and start off in the wrong direction so I had to leave nature to take care of her own. Plus my husband gets a little embarrassed when he has to explain why his wife has caterpillars climbing all over her from head to toe.

Back on the road after the Purple Cow stop we have to hurry because we try to stick to a strict schedule. I called and left a voicemail for “Kentucky Tracy” to see if she could get the ACO’s number so we can check on the dogs chained to car axles. Just a bit across the Virginia state line we saw a little Beagle pup chained to a dog house in the full sun at a trailer across the highway. We made a u-turn to go and talk with the caretakers. Then the worst thing that could happen…happened; I messed up Tammy’s camera. See, Tammy gave me this piece of chocolate and I couldn’t finish it, so I folded it up and sat it beside me and then I was trying to take pictures of signs in Virginia…and to make a long story short….you know how those commercials go when someone gets their peanut butter on someone else’s chocolate and then they say the other person got chocolate on their peanut butter? Well, it doesn’t work out so well with chocolate and cameras. Thank God Tammy has been practicing some inner strength-find your happy place stuff or I’d be a speck at the bottom of a cliff right now. Anyway, and I am praying this isn’t the case, but if there is some fuzziness in the video’s pictures or maybe something that looks like chocolate on the lens…please ignore that right now and I’ll replace Tammy’s camera as soon as we find a place to get one. I still feel so sad over this and I hope in time Tammy will forgive me.

We toured around Virginia, going through a town called Iron Gate on our way toward West Virginia. We stopped and spoke to caretakers and left information for some. Then we met Cam who was really cool about talking to us about his dogs. He said at first he didn’t know whether to be offended or not because I guess he was one of our Valentine recipients, but we explained that many people receive our Valentine’s and they are meant to help, not offend. Then he took us to meet Tuck a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Australian Cattle dog chained in the yard. That dog is a sweetie, about 4 years old and here’s the great part…Cam has agreed to surrender Tuck and get him off the chain! Cam's family has fallen on some hard times, his father has lost his job, and he will be going to the National Guard training soon. We promised Cam we’d be looking for a great rescue or foster for Tuck and it would be a “Dognamic” success if someone would lend a hand! Anyway, Cameron and his dad Ralph also have a little furry friend named Jack who isn’t chained, so we hope we can help them out with Tuck and have a happy ending for him, and less stress for the family. If you can help contact me at dawn@dogsdeservebetter.org.

We fell upon the most awful place in Clifton-Forge, VA. There is a trailer park that is not fit for man nor beast and the beasts have the worst of it. Cats are everywhere, starving and crying, dogs on chains all over and the worst situation is at the trailer park manager’s trailer! There is Rusty, a golden lab who is tethered inside a small pen, no water, just a mess, what an inexcusable example to set for the tenants. The trailer park manager’s son was speaking to us through the bathroom window and confirmed that they no longer let people put up fencing in the trailer park; he blamed it on some county law.

I am contacting the ACO, the Police, the Mayor, the Dept of Agriculture, everyone I can think of and I am making sure they understand that I am not wanting them to force renters not to have pets, but they do need to enforce care for those pets, they need to help the people take better care of their pets instead of putting restrictions on them like no fencing which only makes it worse. Then as one renter put it, there are so many cats because people move out and the cats “pile up” because they are left behind and are not spayed or neutered. These animals need rescued! I understand this is a low-income district but the community must step in and raise the quality of life for these people and their pets. It is ridiculous that this situation exists and is ignored.

On a positive note, I ran into one teenager and her friends walking a nice dog on a leash. I gave them DDB brochures, some treats for her dog and thanked the young lady for setting a good example for others. As she walked passed us she said, “It is a great thing you all are doing.” I believe she lives in this same trailer court and was definitely a bright light in a dark tunnel.

Ready for the Virginia count? 110 chained and penned dogs. That brings our total dogs seen to be chained or penned on this trip to 862.

Updates: Since the Dogmatic Duo swept through St. Louis the TV news did a story on why the tethering limits are not being enforced and put the Chief of Police on the spot with the question! And Georgetown, Kentucky wants to know why their laws are not being enforced as well…thanks to DDB, the Dognamic Duo and You!

Hey! Tomorrow is the last day of the Dogmatic Duo Tour! Can you believe it? Woo-hoo to West Virginia! I can hardly wait to get back home and hug my dogs after this trip! Thank heavens they are inside in a happy home with my family!

Ok, everyone reading this right now….go hug your dog(s)!

Dawn Ashby, DDB Public Liaison Director

12 Days, 12 States, 120 Chained Dog

Day 1: April 6th, Missouri
Day 2: April 7th, Arkansas
Day 3: April 8th, Lousiana
Day 4: April 9th, Mississippi
Day 5: April 10, Alabama
Day 6: April 11, Georgia
Day 7: April 12, South Carolina
Day 8: April 13, North Carolina
Day 9: April 14, Tennessee
Day 10: April 15, Kentucky
Day 11: April 16, Virginia
Day 12: April 17, West Virginia

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