To most of us, the start of winter means that our warm clothes come out and the heater gets switched on. We can cope comfortably with the coming chill. But to neglected “backyard” dogs, the change of seasons means that they must endure many months of long, cold nights with nowhere to go to get out of the wind and sleet. It means aching joints and uncontrollable shaking—no matter how small a ball they try to curl into.

You can change that.

For many of these animals, a sturdily constructed doghouse can make all the difference in the world—it can sometimes even be the difference between life and death. That’s why PETA’s “Angel for Animals” program is so important. Won’t you become an “angel” for a lonely dog this year?

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.

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.

Life is always hard for an unloved and ignored backyard dog—many people treat these animals as little more than a living burglar alarm on a chain. But this time of year can be particularly lonely, beyond miserable, and even deadly. Right now, these animals are facing another long, bitter winter with nowhere to go to get out of the stinging cold and the wet. By giving one of our doghouses to one or more of these dear individuals, you will immediately help reduce the suffering of a dog in need—and it will likely be the first “home” that he or she has ever had. Won’t you please become a PETA “Angel for Animals” doghouse sponsor today?

Thank you for helping a neglected dog this winter in such a significant way.

Kind regards,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President, PETA

P.S. Your simple act of kindness today can bring one of these animals years of shelter from the elements. Please consider becoming an “Angel for Animals” sponsor or purchasing a sponsorship for a friend or family member who cares about animals right now.