There is a new charity in town and its purpose is to free dogs currently sentenced to life on a chain.
Freedom for Fido (FFF) is the work of Jackie and Fritz Gilbert. The non-profit builds fences for low income families whose dogs live their lives on a chain.
Jackie Gilbert said, “The reason I started FFF is that it just broke my heart seeing dogs chained out and obviously living a very limited life. To me, a dog should be like a member of the family.”
She was inspired by the show “Returning the Favor” hosted by TV personality Mike Rowe. The show featured a group who built fences for dogs living on a chain in Oregon. Gilbert said she immediately thought the dogs and families of Fannin County could use a similar service. So, she called that group and they’ve been mentoring her through starting Freedom for Fido. “It was such a great feeling knowing that there was something I could do to help these dogs that were so hard to drive past and see every day,” Gilbert said.
Volunteers are crucial to the FFF organization, Gilbert said. They help dig fence post holes, set posts in place, run the fencing, hang gates and more. They even have a couple of volunteers who will build a dog house if the dog needs one. Gilbert said, “We are always excited to have new volunteers! Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome!”
Anyone interested in having a fence built should complete the application available on the FFF website. Once the application is ready to be considered, a home visit will be scheduled for FFF representatives to meet the family and the dogs. Families are notified at the home visit whether they are approved for the program or not.
Once approved, FFF folks will map out the fenced area. Gilbert said, “One thing we strongly recommend is that one side of the fenced area is against the house with a door from the house leading into the fenced yard.”
This keeps the dog close to the house and opens the opportunity for the family to spend more time with the dog. “Our hope is that with the dog being right by the house, they will consider letting them in the house or even just spend more time outside with the dog,” Gilbert said.
Freedom for Fido is funded solely by donations. Gilbert said, besides monetary donations, they are always in need of fencing materials and dog items such as toys, bowls, treats and bedding. “A lot of these dogs do not have any extra things and on their ‘freedom’ day we like to spoil them a bit,” she said.
The group is holding a Wine and Food Pairing Dinner and Silent Auction December 10, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Blue Jeans Pizza, to raise funds needed to build more fences.
The cost is $50 and tickets can be purchased at www.FreedomForFido.com or the FFF Facebook page. Call 440-679-1627 for more information.