RAYTOWN, Mo — A Raytown woman is chaining herself to a pole for close to 24 hours, all to bring awareness. She’s doing it in an attempt to put an end to animal abuse, and stop pet owners from chaining up their dogs.
Fourteen-year-old Reggie spent 13 years of his life attached to a chain outside. He’s now deaf and faces many challenges but is a favorite at Kennedy’s Animal Clinic.
Reggie is the reason board member Leah Horton is spending close to 24 hours outside, with a 26 pound chain wrapped around her neck.
“People…they think I’m crazy,” Horton said.
But working at the clinic, Horton says she sees hundreds of dogs come in wearing chains. Some had been wearing them so long they grew into their skin.
Those chains now hang inside of the clinic, above dogs that have been rescued and nursed back to health.
“My heart just breaks. Sometimes I cry. Seeing videos it just makes me cry,” said Madina.
Ana Victoria Garcia Madina, 10, didn’t get Christmas presents this year and she saved up all of her birthday money so she could come donate to Chains of Hope. She said she’d rather help some animals who have spent their lives chained up, than get presents for herself.
Horton and everyone at Kennedy’s Animal Clinic hope people will follow in Ana’s footsteps and create a Chain of Hope.
“They don’t belong out there. They have emotions, they have a heart. They don’t deserve it,” said Madina.
Board members will remain chained until Sunday morning at 8:00 am. They’ll be taking donations throughout the night.
