Large Donation Launches Unchain Guilford

GREENSBORO, N.C. —Thanks to a large donation from the Greensboro Veterinary Hospital (http://www.greensborovethospital.com), Unchain Guilford officially announces that its mission to build fences for tethered dogs in Guilford County has begun. This donation proves how dedicated Greensboro Veterinary Hospital is to supporting its community.

“Our mission is to unchain dogs in Guilford County by building fences for low-income and physically limited families,” said Ellen Metzger, Unchain Guilford board member. “We also aim to break the cycle of chaining by encouraging, educating and helping build a safer community where dogs are a part of the home and family.”

Unchain Guilford was founded in November 2013 following the passage of the Guilford County Animal Tethering Ordinance. It is the direct result of a request from the Guilford County Commissioners and the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to put a plan in place to help families keep their dogs in homes that could not afford to build a fence.

Meanwhile, three individuals were working with Guilford County Animal Control officers and the Guilford County Animal Shelter to free three starving, neglected dogs from the backyard of a Greensboro home. That successful effort illuminated the need for a dedicated team to help families comply with the ordinance and to help dogs that are surviving on backyard chains.

“None of us ever sought to create an organization,” Metzger said. “We just knew it had to be done and someone had to do it.”

Unchain Guilford will seek to build two fences per month, while providing the community resources on building their own fences and helping willing families transition their dogs inside, where they can be part of the family. The group is now accepting applications for fences. Applications can be picked up at the Guilford County Animal Shelter or made online at the Unchain Guilford website (www.unchainguilford.com/apply). To qualify for a fence, the dogs in question must be spayed or neutered, must be current on all required vaccinations and must be in good physical health. Additional financial qualifications apply.

The group is currently seeking business sponsors, supporters and volunteers who are at least 16 years old. (Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent on project builds.)

Unchain Guilford currently has 35 members and is a chapter of the United Animal Coalition, a 502(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

For more information, please visit Unchain Guilford on Facebook at www.facebook.com/unchainguilford, on the web at www.unchainguilford.com, or contact us by phone at 336.565.4277 or via e-mail at info@unchainguilford.com. 

Via press release.