Local Group Seeks to Help Chained-up Dogs

For one local group, fences are the fast-track to freedom for local dogs tethered by their owners.

Unchaining Moore Dogs is a non-profit organization whose goal is to untether dogs in Moore County, one at a time, and provide them with a comfortable environment where they can run free. It seeks to educate the community concerning the ramifications of chaining dogs, which is regarded by some as cruel and potentially harmful to the animal.

Noelle Lenser founded the group in 2010 and is now seeking to grow the organization to help more dogs.

Lenser was inspired by Donna Lawrence and her dog, Susie, as well as other animal advocacy groups.

Lawrence is an author and speaker, who, along withSusie, a pitbull who was burned and abused by a prior owner, helped get Susies Law passed in 2010 which toughens state animal cruelty laws.

Lenser was involved in the effort to get the law passed and said being involved spurred her to get more involved in animal advocacy groups and eventually start Unchaining Moore Dogs later that year.

I have a soft spot for dogs on chains and for pitbulls, which are often the type of dogs that are chained,Lenser said. It just breaks my heart to see a dog in a yard on a short chain.

Lenser said tethering a dog can change its personality, causing the animal to become depressed and even violent.

[Being chained] is a horrible life for a dog, Lenser said. Often times the dog-owner relationship is a bad one if a dog is chained up. By building fences we can improve the lives of both the dog and the owner.

Unchaining Moore Dogs provides free fences, dog houses, tarps and other supplies to dog owners.It also offers free spaying and neutering and deworming.

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Local Group Seeks to Help Chained-up Dogs