a lot of chasing up to do...(late posts)

'Unchain a Dog' Month Leafleting Mission—Help a Dog in Your Area!

It shouldn't happen to "man's best friend," but it does. Take a drive down many country roads and city streets, and you'll see them—dogs left to spend their entire lives in "solitary confinement," trapped at the end of a chain or in a small pen.

We can't think of a crueler punishment for these social pack animals, who want—and deserve—companionship, scratches behind the ears, walks around the block, and the opportunity to curl up at your feet at night.

Many communities across America and beyond have learned the hard way that chaining dogs is dangerous to the public, especially to children. Chaining dogs—also called "tethering"—is a safety hazard for both dogs and communities.

January is "Unchain a Dog" month, and we hope that you'll use this opportunity to share tips with people in your community to help improve the lives of dogs. Fill out this form to receive PETA's "Unchain a Dog" leafleting pack, which includes leaflets, stickers, and a small poster.

If you'd like additional materials, please order them directly from PETA's Literature Web site. If you cannot afford to pay for materials, please e-mail us directly, and we can provide outreach materials to you at no cost.

The following are more ways that you can help chained dogs:

• Ask your local TV stations to air PETA's anti-chaining ad, starring Justin Theroux, all month long. Most stations will do this for free. Learn more at PETAPSA.com.
• Help to end chaining in your community. The most effective way to help hundreds or thousands of neglected dogs in your area is by working with city or county legislators to ban chaining! Many communities across the country have already done this.
• Reach out and help an individual chained dog in your area. Learn how.

Best of luck with your efforts, and thank you for everything that you do for animals!

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Happy New Year, Members and Friends! As Sunbeam the donkey was braying the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve, he did so with extra cheer. Best Friends is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009 and it will be a fun year for us and all of you who have worked together to make Best Friends what it is. Sunbeam, a “founding animal” at the sanctuary, represents so many others over these past 25 years who have been given a second chance at life. Sunbeam was at risk for being put down because the Grand Canyon was overpopulated with stray donkeys. Instead, he was brought to Best Friends, where he’s lived a carefree life ever since. His is one of thousands of happy endings you’ve made possible. Building on 25 years of successes like Sunbeam’s, Best Friends is more committed than ever to ending pet overpopulation. Together, we have made considerable progress and are now in the final stretch. Our goal in 2009 is to double membership so that we may double our efforts toward a world where every pet has a loving home. The Celebration Begins Be sure to check out the new Best Friends anniversary website, celebrate.bestfriends.org, to look back at all you’ve made possible over the past 25 years, and discover how to get involved to help make No More Homeless Pets a reality in our lifetime! Read all about the anniversary celebration launch and some of the festivities planned for the upcoming year. You can browse photos of the sanctuary past and present, purchase fun anniversary memorabilia and learn 25 ways to work toward No More Homeless Pets in your own community.

You can also: • Read memories and blogs from some of the folks who helped start Best Friends. White Elephant? It’s not a real one! But that’s what they called the piece of land that has become the miracle of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. That was a quarter century ago and founder Francis Battista remembers it well. Read his musings on what the next 25 years may bring for the animals!

• Learn about people and animals who are celebrating with us. Now, that’s a “Love Story” See why Sprocket the pig says Ali MacGraw is his favorite actress! Hint: Not only has she been Giving the Gift of Best Friends membership, but she recently came to the sanctuary and gave Sprocket a good scratch on the chin!

• Get involved for the animals. Join Us! Become a member or, if you already are, you too can Give the Gift of membership to friends or family who love animals. If every member brought just one friend to the cause, we’d reach our goal of doubling membership. Each new person brings us one step closer to achieving No More Homeless Pets in our lifetime.

Thank you for making the past 25 years such a success. And may all of your New Year’s wishes come true for all of the lives you’ve helped save. From all of us here, Paul Berry, CEO Best Friends Animal Society P.S. Make sure you visit celebrate.bestfriends.org for updates on fun happenings at the sanctuary and around the country and ways to get involved!