Last Friday morning, surrounded by junked out cars, living in her own urine
and feces, covered in cancerous lesions, Margaret mercifully passed away.
She was just 10 years old.

Margaret was put on a chain when she was just a puppy. She never knew what
it was like to be a loved dog. She never knew the joys of romping in
off-leash areas with other dogs, a swim in the lake, or long walks along the
city trails. She only knew the misery of living on a five-foot chain,
tethered to a rotting doghouse in blazing sun and bitter cold, day after
miserable day. She endured the agonizing cries of another dog chained in
the same junkyard as he died from the effects of poisoning. And she waited
patiently for her own death to release her from years of isolation and
neglect.

Many people knew about Margaret. Those of us who cared were helpless to do
anything about it. Repeated phone calls to the Alberta SPCA and City of St.
Albert Animal Bylaw were met with the same response. There is nothing
illegal about keeping a dog on a chain for its entire life.

In November, 2005, I asked St. Albert Mayor and City Council to amend the
current Animal By-law, to ban the permanent chaining and isolation of dogs
and ban the use of industrial yard dogs. For more information see
www.voiceless.ca.

It may be too late for Margaret, but in her memory, please help make a
difference in the lives of chained or isolated dogs in Alberta. Please
contact your City Councilors and ask them to enact laws that will reduce
suffering of animals and establish standards of care that reflect the values
of a civilized and caring community.

There was no safe haven available for Margaret - she had been chained
for so long. Only a few people could get near her. I struggled with
her being chained for 10 years - she was my reason for getting involved
in no-chaining and finding the AAS website. A million thanks for all that AAS does.