Winter's here, don't forget about outside dogs!

Winter is here again for a lot of us around the globe, which means warm clothes, heaters/fireplaces and everything to do with keeping snug. What about all those outside dogs who are often chained outside come winter, spring or summer. These dogs also need a warm dry place to snuggle and keep warm for winter, but they are often forgotten. They have to suffer through come what may resulting in severe aches and pains and unthinkable cold. Can you imagine being stuck outside in the cold wet of winter without any place to take shelter? This is a reality for so many dogs.

You can help make a difference is some of these dogs lives by joining a program called "Angel for animals" by PETA.

"As an "Angel for Animals" sponsor, you can help provide a sturdy, weatherproof PETA doghouse that will give a needy dog the shelter that can help see him or her through winter and also help him or her endure bad weather for years to come.

It's impossible to be anything other than miserable when you're wet and cold. That's what winter means for dogs who are kept chained outside like bicycles and forced to face the elements without proper shelter. PETA goes out and finds and helps hundreds of these dear individuals every winter. Most of these dogs find themselves with little more than a freezing patch of dirt and no way to escape the harsh conditions."

Helping these animals is only possible through donations by people like you and I, but wouldn't you feel great knowing what kind of a difference you have made? I am appealing to everyone in the position to help, yes we know times are tough and everyone is feeling the economic crisis, but come on guys these dogs have no other voices but our own.

"It is startling to see the difference that a well-built doghouse can make in these animals' lives. We fill our doghouses with warm, fluffy straw bedding—the dogs go inside immediately to curl up and can't believe their luck. They smile! Their tails thump, life comes into them, and their world doesn't seem quite so hopeless anymore. We also give them tangle-free lightweight line to replace the heavy chains that weigh them down, and we provide them with a toy, a nutritious meal to winter-proof them that day, clean water (often we break the ice or have to provide a bucket or bowl), and a few minutes of the love and attention that mean the world to these social souls."

"Last year, thanks to generous "Angel for Animals" sponsors, PETA provided nearly 300 neglected dogs who live in low-income areas with sturdy doghouses. These are dogs people can legally keep in conditions we find appalling. With many more dogs in urgent need—and with temperatures dropping fast—we want to top that number this year, and I hope that we can count on your support. There are so many ways that you can help:

• Your "Angel for Animals" sponsorship gift of $265 can provide a sturdy, straw-filled doghouse to one neglected dog.

• Your "Angel for Animals" sponsorship gift of $530 can provide sturdy, straw-filled doghouses to two neglected dogs.

• Your "Angel for Animals" sponsorship gift of $1,325 can provide sturdy, straw-filled doghouses to five neglected outdoor dogs. It will be the best present they will ever have!

Please know that any gift you can give, no matter its size, will be put to work immediately toward this vital program."

So if you can't afford any of these options contact me and I will give you the details to make a direct deposit to PETA towards this worthy cause. Your donation will be dealt with by yourself, I will just direct you to the appropriate place to make contact with the person at PETA who deals with the donations. Lets try and do whatever we can this winter to help a few extra helpless dogs survive.


* All excerpts were taken from an email I got this morning from PETA.