Those pictures and stories are so heart breaking, and hit a really sore spot for me. I've never chained or had a dog chained outside, but I've had to deal with the results. I'm Bear's third owner, and from what I understand his original owner had him chained on a 3-4 ft chain outside on a porch for the first 4 years of his life. As a result by the time I got him when he was about 5 he had severe arthritis in his back legs, absolutely no flexibility, no muscle mass in his back legs, and could barely get up and down. He's doing much better, but you can only repair so much. He'll always have the problems he's had as a result of being on a chain unable to move around. He'll always have to be on glucosomine and I have no doubt he'll eventually have to be on rimadyl. He will never be able to just jump up and start running with the others. He's a happy, friendly boy that loves attention and to imagine him left alone outside unable to move around breaks my heart. So when I see a dog chained I see Bear and the results he stuggles with daily.