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A Gilbert dog lover plans to chain herself to a tree on Saturday — and she’s doing so to raise money to buy air conditioned dog houses for hot pooches at the Friends for Life Animal Rescue Shelter.
Yes, they really make air-conditioned dog houses.
Erica Wellman, the shelter’s manager, tells New Times that dogs in Arizona need air conditioning just like humans.
“A lot of people don’t realize that unlike humans, dogs can’t sweat,” she says.
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So that’s why she’s going with the time-tested method of drawing attention to a cause: chaining herself to something.
Wellman says she went with chaining herself to a tree to raise awareness of hot pooches because it’s representative of how many of the dogs in her shelter are found — tied to something with little or no shade as the sun beats down on their furry bodies.
There are currently 21 dogs at the shelter, which is beyond it’s capacity. With the new, air-conditioned dog houses, Wellman says some dogs can stay in the facility’s outdoor area without overheating.
She says she’ll start her day chained to a tree in front of the facility — located at 143 West Vaughn Avenue in Gilbert — about 8 a.m. Saturday and expects to remain there until about 3 or 4 p.m. Her goal is to raise at least $1,500.
The facility recently bought three air-conditioned dog houses from a company in Alabama with a price tag of $5,800. The more air conditioned dog houses the shelter has available, the more animals it can accommodate.
To donate to the shelter — or to get more info on air-conditioned dog houses — click here.
