One Detroit Family’s Unchaining Story
October 9th, 2024
By Devon Krusko, Field Services and Community Programs Manager
In September our RedRover Responders team headed to Detroit, Michigan for our largest fence-building project yet: Over four days we would help to unchain and build individual yard spaces for 24 dogs that live outside.
If you’re familiar with our unchaining work, you know that many dogs live outside in Detroit for a variety of reasons. Often, large dogs are not allowed inside due to landlord or housing restrictions and it isn’t possible for families to move elsewhere. We’ve also seen multi-generational families living together in very small spaces, sometimes with multiple dogs or other companion animals who don’t get along. There are many cultural differences surrounding pet care. While taking a dog for a walk seems like a simple idea, some owners are not physically able to and there are other safety concerns such as packs of loose dogs in the neighborhood.
Many families are caring for dogs that have been abandoned or have simply shown up at their homes. In fact, one family we helped on this trip moved into their new rental and were surprised to find a scared pup that had been left chained in the yard: Macey. Not well socialized, this dog was not a great candidate for adoption and likely would have been unsuccessful in the overwhelmed sheltering system, in Detroit and across the nation.
Fortunately, she bonded with her caretaker, James, over time. Wanting the best for her, the family reached out to our partner Dog Aide for help with food, vet care, and pet supplies. Now a part of the Dog Aide outreach program, Macey received a safe large kennel space of her own and has a great support system.
Our time in Michigan coincided with a heat wave, and our volunteers worked tirelessly with incredible flexibility, a sense of humor, and teamwork. We fell in love with a senior pup named Nico who wanted all the cuddles, and watched with tears as two brothers, Midnight and Smoke, wrestled and tumbled together freely in their new yard. We shared hugs with families, helped to clear yards, and completed the most important task of our work: keeping pets with the people who love them.
