Tamira Thayne to Pass the Reins of Dogs Deserve Better to New Director
2,964 views · Published 6 February 2015 · 5:21 · Indexed 25 October 2026
Channel: Tamira Thayne · 2015 · Pets & Animals
Note: All the dogs pictured in this video were rescued and found new, inside, and loving homes. From Dogs Deserve Better founder and CEO, Tamira Thayne: Today I announce that it’s time for me to pass the baton of leadership of Dogs Deserve Better on to a new director. I founded Dogs Deserve Better in 2002 in Tipton, Pennsylvania from my home, and together we put the issue of dog chaining on the map. At that time, no one was taking on chaining as an issue, and I was searching for a way to make a difference in the world. I lived about a quarter mile from a chained black lab names Worthless, and my suffering over watching his suffering led me to take a stand against keeping a dog in such a cruel and inhumane fashion in America. After leading the organization for 12.5 years, and growing it from nothing to a thriving but small facility on the site of Michael Vick’s former dogfighting compound in Smithfield, Virginia, I feel strongly that it’s time to hands the reins of leadership of Dogs Deserve Better over to a fresh and innovative leader. A few years ago I was at a conference and a speaker posited that no organization will thrive if the founder stays involved past the initial phases of growth. At the time I wasn’t interested in hearing that, however, I’ve come to believe that that is true. I believe it takes an activist to form an organization like Dogs Deserve Better. Someone who is willing to stand up to the abusers and someone who is willing to put him or herself in harm’s way to fight for the rights of the downtrodden. However, I also believe there comes a time in the growth of an organization where a more team-motivated leader is required. I want the best for Dogs Deserve Better. I love this organization with my whole heart, and I gave it my all for the past 12.5 years. The organization is like my child—but like any child, there comes a time when a parent needs to let go and allow the child to stand on his/her own two feet. I am so excited about the future of Dogs Deserve Better. We have built a stronger board in order to provide support for the new Director, and between the new director and the board I know we will get our addition built so we can double the number of dogs in the very near future. I hope and pray my vision for a state of the art facility on the property will also come to pass in the next few years, where we will house, rehabilitate, and train as many as 50 formerly chained dogs at any given time and ready them for new, inside, and loving families. I want to thank every single donor and every single employee and volunteer who helped build Dogs Deserve Better from nothing to the wonderful organization it is today. I send a very special thank you out to a special person, Deb Carr, who has truly been the wind beneath my wings for all these years. She has been a sane sounding board too many times to mention in my times of need, and she will remain on the board of directors for the immediate future to ensure continuity as we move to an exciting new time for the organization. I also send a big THANK YOU out to Julie Sayre, our facility manager at the Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs in Smithfield, Virginia, who I trust to continue to care for our dogs in the way that they deserve. I thank all the staff and current volunteers, and especially our donors who make our day to day care for abused dogs possible. In closing, I ask you to continue to support Dogs Deserve Better financially as we go through this time of exciting new beginnings. We exist only through donor support, and without that, the organization would cease to exist. Join me in making sure that doesn’t happen. For those who have loved and supported me through this journey, I give you my heartfelt thank you. It has been much harder than I could have ever know, but also more rewarding than I will ever realize. And lastly, to the dogs who are still living chained and alone, I’m sorry I was not able to save all of you. God knows I tried. I pledge to you that Dogs Deserve Better will continue to fight for your rights, and there’s a good chance that I’m not done fighting for you either. You are not forgotten, and the world is changing. Soon dogs living as you have will be nothing but a distant memory, and those of us who fought for you will finally get to rest and say “Job well done.” Today is not that day, but we are not giving up. I love you. Please donate to Dogs Deserve Better, and consider becoming a monthly donor so we may keep a roof over our dogs' heads and staff to care for them, train them, and find them new, inside, and loving homes and families. Thank you! http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/donations2.html
