Advice needed on canine welfare

hayinamanger

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I need advice from members who have experience in this field, please, opinions are no help.

Adult dog, living in a locked concrete building on a 6ft chain, some straw, has water and is fed every day. Taken out for a poo and pee for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day, any poo done inside is added to the existing 2-3 foot pile. No other human or canine contact, no view of anything outside the building.

The dog looks very well and is not aggressive or showing any mental health signs. The owner has been approached and is not receptive to any suggestions to improve the dog's quality of life.

This is obviously not a situation that most of us would be comfortable with, but I am trying to find out if keeping a dog like this is acceptable/legal and if not, who could help and actually get something done about it.
 

Sandstone1

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Poor dog, look up the five freedoms. Are they being met?
Can you get rspca to call?
I know they are not always the best, but maybe a visit would help.
Freedom to behave normally and freedom from fear and distress are not being met from your description.
So the rspca should, in theory do something.
 
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hayinamanger

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Thank you for your reply, only 2 out of the 5 freedoms are being met here, yet I am nervous that a visit from the RSPCA would not secure a better life for this dog.
 

Dobiegirl

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None of the 5 freedoms are met with puppy farmed dogs and the RSPCA seem powerless to do anything about those, this dog has food and shelter and doubt the RSPCA would or could do anything about it, they may advise the owner as would a dog warden do also but its up to the owner unfortunately who can do what they want, poor dog, what a life and what is the point of having a dog and keeping it this way.
 

Bestdogdash

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Our neighbour (farmer) half a mile down our drive, keeps two dogs like this, a lab and a border colllie. The lab must be five or six by now and I have never ever seen it out of the shed they are kept in. The BC is same age as my dog (2) and was bought at the same time. I asked if I could go and collect her to play with my puppy and ended up bringing her here almost every day for a few hours, until they said she had to stay with the lab. They are kept clean and well fed (to the point of very over weight, as no exercise at all). I can hear them barking all day, slowly going mad. They also have a jack russell, that lives with the family, always out and about etc. so I just cannot understand the way they treat the other two and it breaks my heart to listen to them. I did think about asking to keep the collie, but he would ahve just gone and bought another and traumatised that one instead. He has them for the image of ' having a gundog ' and 'a working collie'.

Really hard to now what to do - and really dont think there is anything formally one can do. I have though - seriously - about going and stealing them whilst he is out, as we know someone who would take them, issues and all, and give them a great home....
 
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hayinamanger

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Dobiegirl, exactly, what is the point? Clearly the owners can see no wrong in it.

Bestdogdash, I have asked if they will rehome the dog, it was refused, I am contemplating offering money if this thread doesn't give me the answers I am hoping for. It appears to be quite common, the only thing I can say about your neighbour's dogs is at least they have each other and are not chained up.
 

ribbons

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From the description you've given, no its not acceptable, yes it is legal.
Cases like this are an awfully hard battle to win.
 

jodie3

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Some years ago a lady I knew split from her partner and couldn't take the dog with her so had to leave him with her ex partner. Ex met a new lady who moved in and didn't like the dog so he was moved into the garden where he lived tied up to the shed. Eventually one of the neighbours called the RSPCA as they were fed up with the barking but the RSPCA said there was nothing they could do as he had food, water and shelter. (I know, you couldn't make it up!)
Luckily the visit from the RSPCA was enough to make them decide to rehome the dog, so it all ended ok in the end - I got given the dog! Strangely, we quite often used to meet the ex owner and the dog was always beside himself with excitement to see him so he obviously didn't bear a grudge.

Sorry OP, not what you wanted to hear but hopefully a visit from the RSPCA might make them see the error of their ways too?
 

Equi

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It is legal how it is being kept provided it is getting exercise too which the 5-10mins wouldn't be cutting it but i suspect they would lie and say it was walked every day, which would be sufficient. Sad, but this is sometimes how they live. I know a bloke who keeps all his new guard dogs in a small shed and only throws food in cause it makes them very noisey and aggressive :(
 

Dry Rot

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Thanks, Dry Rot, I was hoping to hear from you.

Given that anyone can claim to be a journalist (the only qualification you need that I am aware of is ownership of a pencil and paper!), I'd phone a couple of welfare organisations and mention that I was researching for a story about the dog. When they ask what newspaper I work for, I tell them I am freelance but hoping I can sell the story to the nationals! I've used this one several times and it sometimes works. I've also written up the stories -- that works even better! :) You could also try the real thing and speak to your local newspaper. Sorry, but I've found the welfare organisations are utterly useless.
 

Dry Rot

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In the case of the dog left on a chain while the owner went away for several months with someone popping in once a day to feed and water, the dog was eventually stolen by a concerned member of the public. The SSPCA had been informed and finally pressured into serving a notice under animal welfare legislation on the owner. But they did not follow this up!

We are now trying to pressure the BHS to take action about the small ponies grazing in a "paddock" infested with ragwort. Previously, DEFRA and the SSPCA were informed but told me (in writing!) that "there is no ragwort" despite photographs and the owner admitting that there is!

I've come to the conclusion that most welfare organisations are only in it for the power it gives them and to attract donations from little old ladies. Sorry about that but that's how it seems in these cases. Whether or not there is ragwort is a matter of fact and if horses are grazing in the same field it is an offence. This will definitely be going into print. It is a serious matter when civil servants lie.

The dog on a chain.

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Ponies grazing in a carpet of ragwort at the same address.

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