Neglected Dog. Advice would be most appreciated please.

Nickijem

Nickijem

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Hi, I don't venture into this part of the forum much (not being a dog-owner) however I would appreciate some advice concerning a dog in my village.
The dog - a 3 year old German Shepherd- has been left in the house, well just the kitchen, while the family has gone on holiday. Someone I know vaguely is visiting the dog twice a day to let it out into the very small garden for 2 minutes and to give it food and water. So for 23 hours, 56mins a day it is entirely on its own locked in a small kitchen.
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To be honest, I wasn't even aware that this family had a dog as it has never been out of the kitchen or the back garden.
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I feel I should report it to the RSPCA but the problem is, it is not starving and it has water it just lives in very unsuitable conditions.
Will the RSPCA take any action?
I feel I can't just do nothing about this lovely dog.
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What would you do??
 
Report it. No dog should have to live like that. Also it is likely to become aggressive with no exercise and it is a big dog. Disgusting.
 
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I would report it, but not expect much from the RSPCA tbh. They can be pretty useless unless they are interfering!!
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Sadly that's my impression of the RSPCA too.
I don't know who else to report it to though? If it was a horse I would contact the ILPH.
 
Poor dog, sadly I have to agree the RSPCA probably will not consider it neglect if it is being fed and watered. I would still give them a call and try and shame them into doing something, also what about your local dog warden, they might be prepared to take some action.
 
What I would do I cannot advise as what I would do is called breaking and entering lol... But you should inform the local authorites... (Not 911!) Your local police station! or the Non emergency line inform them of the situation that a dog has been left unattended and will be left for a long time with lack of water and food and ask them to help you by putting you in contact with local teams that can help you, A police officer(s) would need to be there anyway as any situations that arise with animals locked in property always have to be dealt with with law officals present.
 
The RSPCA will take action on this - because under new legislation this is not providing the dog with adequate care.

Report it as a matter of urgency.
 
I think the new RSPCA legislation means they can intervene BEFORE the animal is suffering whereas before they could only act WHEN the animal is suffering. Horrible though it is, and we would all agree that people like this shouldn't keep animals, I doubt if this is classed as neglect. The RSPCA may be able to visit on the owners return and offer advice but I doubt the owners are that interested if they are prepared to leave the poor thing like that.
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Still worth a phone call. Personally I'd stick a really rude note through their letterbox telling them exactly what I thought of them!
 
I might be controversial here but if this is only the case while they are on holiday I dont see it is such a terrible thing. Although they would get one short walk in kennels, they would also be in a strange noisy place. At least in this scenario they are at home. They should be let out more often tho, two or three times a day, maybe you could have a word with the person, they might let you do it or be prepared to come more often

Unless they keep it like this normally I do not think it is a welfare issue serious enough to justify 'calling in the authorities'. Its not ideal but thats a different thing.
 
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Unless they keep it like this normally I do not think it is a welfare issue serious enough to justify 'calling in the authorities'. Its not ideal but thats a different thing.

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Regardless of how you feel about it - which is astonishing - it is against the law, the new animal act does not permit it - therefore the authorities should be called.
 
Inform the RSPCA. If the situation gets worse at least it has been flagged up before. At the very least they might go and ' educate' the owners.

I think I would drop a note in the door to say the dog hasn't had appropriate care and if things aren't improved you will call the RSPCA. It may be they are struggling with its care and want some help anyway or to re-home it.

I certainly couldn't do nothing
 
Thanks for all your replies - I'm glad that you agree that this needs reporting. I will go and ring the RSPCA now and I'll let you know what happens!
 
I'd say report too.

The RSPCA came out to my OH in 2005 (I had only just met him then) to say his sheep were late being sheared.... he had been seriously ill in hospital so hadn't done it... none had any problems just were a bit hot!

But if they can come and slap someones wrist for that then they must be able to do somthing for the poor dog!!
 
Even with new regulations, I would be very suprised if anything was done, we have been involved with 2 dogs abandoned in houses, 1 house was boarded up, no food or h2o, RSPCA called on both occasions, on both occasions they would not get involved, both dogs where removed by the police, the police woman I spoke 2 in one incident was appalled, by their lack of support....I was not shocked in the least.....maybe new regulations...but still the same old RSPCA
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Give them a try, they maybe more efficient in your area, and you are within your rights as a concerned member of the public, to report it to the service u feel should intervene.
 
Well I rang the RSPCA - and they did actually come out to see the dog. HOWEVER - they found that the dog was being seen twice a day and does have food and water and therefore there is no need for any concern!!!
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NO NEED FOR ANY CONCERN - the words they used in their message left on my phone! The poor dog is on its own for 23hrs, 56mins a day in a pokey kitchen and there is no need for any concern.
Surely the owners should be at least spoken to - they have made me feel like I was wasting their time!
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i reported exactly the same situation in the summer to the rspca, and got the same result. no action taken as provisions had been made! they did not feel the animal was suffering as it had food and water, and let out am, pm.
well, i have two dogs and i would never leave them for long periods of time like that! if i even go out for a day trip with family i ask my nice neighbour to let them out .
its too long to expect a dog to hold its bladder for one thing....12 hours...i can't even hold on that long!!!!!!!
poor dog is all i can say.
 
The thing is, I would love to have a dog of my own but me and my OH work full-time. We worked it out that the maximum time the dog would be on its own would be 7hours but we thought that was too long (and we still do) so we have never got a dog.
And some friends of mine wanted to give a home to a dog from the RSPCA but because it would be on its own for 5 - 6 hours a day (a couple of days a week)they were not allowed to!
Double standards or what?!
 

Have you tried the Dog Trust as I work fulltime and I was allowed to have a dog from them. I do not live far from home so was able to pop up in my breaks but the dog trust said the dog would be far better off left longer. Mind you she does use the cat flap out into our yard. She is a very small jr.
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Well I rang the RSPCA - and they did actually come out to see the dog. HOWEVER - they found that the dog was being seen twice a day and does have food and water and therefore there is no need for any concern!!!
shocked.gif
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NO NEED FOR ANY CONCERN - the words they used in their message left on my phone! The poor dog is on its own for 23hrs, 56mins a day in a pokey kitchen and there is no need for any concern.
Surely the owners should be at least spoken to - they have made me feel like I was wasting their time!
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Same old, same old, I take sh1t loads of calls from the public, most scenarios far worse than the one you describe, basically if it does not create sh!t loads of publicity to rake in the donations, they ignore it.
Atleast they turned up at all.....I did not think they would or could do anything though.
 
I would contact them again - as clearly this is not appropriate - and was not the reaction I got when I made a similar complaint.

The house was visited - and the person looking after it told to either take the dog hom with them, or the dog would be removed.

Ring them again - and get them to take some action.
 
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The thing is, I would love to have a dog of my own but me and my OH work full-time. We worked it out that the maximum time the dog would be on its own would be 7hours but we thought that was too long (and we still do) so we have never got a dog.
And some friends of mine wanted to give a home to a dog from the RSPCA but because it would be on its own for 5 - 6 hours a day (a couple of days a week)they were not allowed to!
Double standards or what?!

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But that would be the regular week in week out thing for the dog they adopted. This is a one off for a holiday cover situation and I do think that is relevant when assessing the situation.

I agree dogs shouldnt be left for as long as this one is being, and am surprised RSPCA wont at least ring the owners and get them to improve the provision, but I do think that routine neglect is different to this situation.

But will probably get slagged off again for not adhering to the 'party line' but OP did ask for views....
 
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