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One animal activist, dog lover, and shelter volunteer is going to great lengths to bring awareness, support, and much needed money to the Manchester shelter that rescues and rehomes over 4000 dogs each year.
Sean LeVegan will live in The Manchester Dogs’ Home for 35 days, the average number of days it takes for a dog to be adopted from the shelter. He will live exactly as the dogs do including fasting from food for the first four days (the average time it takes most dogs to eat when kept in a new, frightening environment), sleeping on the floor of a kennel with another dog, only leaving the confines of the kennel bars for 1 hour of each day in which to exercise, play, and potty.
Sean described the shelter on a website created for the fundraising event, Kennel 35:
Manchester dogs’ Home gets around 15 dogs each day brought to the home by the warden and members of the public who can no longer care for their best friend. The sad thing is only around 34% of dogs that have been found on the streets of Manchester are reclaimed or reunited with their owners. Manchester Dogs’ Home has been doing this work for over 100 years. The home is in need of cash to refurbish the kennels and make the place more secure as its repeatedly sought by vandals and thieves. I attend a few days a week where I give what time I can to help this fantastic charity and the 4000 dogs they re-home each year.
Sean plans to be “caught” by the Manchester Dog Warden on October 5, 2013. That’s when his amazing journey will begin.
He’ll experience the same stress, boredom, loneliness, even fear that shelter dogs experience during their time in shelters. Further, Sean is inviting the world to watch his journey via live webcams aimed into his kennel.
Sean has even had himself microchipped as part of his mission to experience life as a dog!
During his stay, he’ll have visits from animal experts and celebrities that will discuss dogs and tell dog tales to his audience.
All my activity will be seen on webcams linked to my kennel. I will be asking subscribers to pay just £5 (about $7.50 US )to access my Kennel Cams for the duration of this project. Every penny will be going to help Manchester Dogs’ Home refurbish their home that can house 600 dogs when full.
To follow Sean on his path to the Manchester Dogs’ Home, or to see how you can help, visit his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter!
Kayla
says:for those of you saying that his experience isn’t the same because unlike the dogs he is savvy to what’s going on … That’s NOT the point. It’s to get attention and raise awareness. I think it’s a wonderful idea.
Ellen
says:So is he going to be neutered also? Just kidding! If we could just try and make the adoption fees a little/lot less more people would be able to adopt a dog/cat. Some places are almost neurotic, wanting unannounced home visits. That’s a little much! IMHO
I have 3 rescues. My dog is a miniature schnauzer, 5 years old, who someone bought at a pet shop and paid mega bucks for and decided she was too much trouble and dumped her off at the local shelter (lucky me!!) a 12 year old tuxedo cat who I adopted when she was a kitten and a 2 year old mostly black cat, also was a kitten at the time of adoption. ADOPT, ADOPT, ADOPT…IF YOU CAN AFFORD, AFFORD, AFFORD IT!
Sandy
says:I think we need to do this to abusers/offenders who do horrible things to dogs. Let them rot in their own dirty deeds.
FV
says:I think your missing the point as benign as it sounds. It’s a good start to the suffering animals endure
at the cost of mans best friend. Beginning as a companions and ending in an animal shelter or worse yet abandoned by the side of the road or left in the woods to fend for them selfs. Dog Breeders are painfully the worst. As the dogs prime breeding years fall behind the dogs are neglected abused,abandoned,staved to death or left by rail road tracks malnourished,matted fur, shivering from fear and barking for some ones help as the ones i found.
I will not judge or criticize Mr. LeVegan for his actions, it’s a prerequisite all pet owners should endure to own a pet. Maybe there would be less animal abuse.
Mitzi Molby
says:God bless his heart!! He will come out with parvo, kennel cough, fleas, mange,and an appreciation for what the dogs suffer through that I wish more people had!!! I have fostered many rescued dogs for various rescue orgs and we have seen some terrible things. But we have also seen dogs healed emotionally as well as physically and then placed in loving forever homes and cherished like the precious members of the family they are!! I hope his stay raises not only money but more awareness that dogs need our help and are out there to be rescued and adopted.
Ronnie
says:I agree with what Deb the first reply I read.
that man is a good man even a hero in my eyes i hope this will be a very helpful thing for dogs and cats or all animals everywhere only death would make me give up my dog he is a real faithful family member to me thank you Manchester man you should be rewarded for this maybe a rescue dog as a gift 😀
Deb
says:I understand the motivation behind Mr. LeVegan’s endeavor and applaud him for it, however, to say that “He’ll experience the same stress, boredom, loneliness, even fear that shelter dogs experience during their time in shelters”, is just wrong. Sean is doing this voluntarily and with full understanding of what’s going on around him. The dogs in shelters have no idea what’s happening or will happen to them and are usually terrified of the strange unknown.
I hope Mr. LeVegan’s endeavor is a great success and raises a lot of money for the shelter.
Vicki
says:well said….on the nose. The man KNOWS what he’s going to be doing. I think about how my dogs would feel…never knowing a moment when food, water, love and security were available 24/7 to being dumped in a shelter.
LalaLand
says:You’re right. If he really wants to do this the right way he should arranged to be lobotomized, stripped nude, and then thrown in the shelter. As you say it’s quite misleading and really a waste of time doing anything less!
Babby
says:I think a judge should sentence animal cruelty cases this way. If you’re mean to your dog. stay in a pen. If someone surrenders their dog, stay with them in the cage for a few days and see how they like it.
Karen
says:I’m with you Babby! Was thinking the same thing when I first read this…wonder how someone would do in this environment when caught off guard….eating out of a bowl on a concrete floor…using the bathroom and then having to be with it next to you….won’t ever happen though because that would be cruel and unusual punishment to a human! Oh the irony!