Backyard Dogs
A day in the life of a dog tied in the back yard
6:00 a.m.
I can see and hear people moving around in the house but no one comes outside to check on me. They are talking and laughing; I wish I could be with them.
6:30 a.m.
I’m hungry and thirsty. I tipped over my food and water bowls last night when I got tangled in my chain.
6:45 a.m.
The chain is too tight and it’s cutting Into my neck.
8:15 a.m.
The people who live in the house are all leaving. I try to run toward them with my tall wagging, hoping they will notice me, but my chain snaps me backward and I fall to the ground. It´s no use.
8:15 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with myself. I can’t protect the house from my chain. I don’t have any toys to play with and there are no other dogs to keep me company. Maybe if I bark, someone will show me what to do or come and play with me – I decide to bark all day.
2:30 p.m.
The animal bylaw officer arrives and posts a notice on the door of the house. He looks pityingly at me. Do I look bad? 1 know I’m dirty but it’s hard to stay clean when I’m always sitting in dirt. I pace in circles and growl and bark at him because I don’t know what else to do. I growl and bark at other people passing my yard too.
3:15 p.m.
The smallest person from the house has returned. Maybe he will play with me! l He does not. I go to the bathroom in the same place I always go, a few feet from my shelter.
5:30 p.m.
The rest of the people are home. One of them removes the notice left by the animal bylaw officer and yells at me to stop barking. I pace back and forth, confused.
6:00 p.m.
I smell food in the house. I am still hungry and thirsty.
7:00 p.m.
One of the people from the house comes out to see me. He fills my food and water bowls and I am so happy for this attention that I jump up in excitement, spilling both bowls and dirtying his clothes. He scolds me and declares that this behaviour of mine is one of the reasons I am not allowed to live in the house with him.
8:00 p.m.
Another lonely night. I dream about being on a chain because it’s all I know.
EN 
ES