Would you report? moral dilema.

[bobbieg78]

I'm currently in temporary council accomodation, long story but waiting to go into a long term council rent. Currently can't keep my 2 dogs with me. Before I moved I contacted a guy I know who owns the local dog training club as I knew he and his wife done home boarding and asked if they could board my dogs temporarily until I got my accommodation sorted as I can't have pets here. They agreed and the dogs went off to them. His wife is a kennel club judge and dog trainer too and I felt the dogs were in safe hands. They quoted me £26 per night, which will kill me financially but I had no other option. Dogs stayed with them almost 8 weeks, I saw the dogs on one occassion during this time, although I got regular updates and was always told all was well. I was then contacted by the wife out of the blue asking me when I could pick the dogs up asap. This wasn't what we'd agreed but I was concerned as she'd told me one of my dogs had been fighting one of theirs (I've never known him fight in my life) and she also asked me to confirm if the other had been neutered as he was trying to mate with another boarder they had. This concerned me and I made arrangements for my dogs to go to a different home boarder and sent a message stating I'd collect them next day.
Upon collecting my dogs, my long haired boy has pulled so much fur out of his back and legs he looked like a rescue dog. Within mins, before I'd even put him in the car I'd taken 3 fleas off of him. I went straight to a pet store and bought flea treatments for both dogs and a flea comb and treated then there and then.
When I took the dog to the new boarder he was very concerned and said i ought to report them. I've since taken the dog to the vets for treatment for the flea allergy, he stated it was a case near to neglect as it would have taken some weeks for him to get in that state. Ive looked into their 'business' it seems they aren't a genuine registered business at all, just taking people's pets on cash in hand and charging full rates for it. I really get on well with the guy but the wife's attitude has been terribly rude towards me and since I pointed out to them tonight that I was unhappy with my dogs health she has written a facebook status about 'never helping anyone out of a hole again'. I still owe them some fees as id agreed to pay monthly at the end of the month, however they've never given me an invoice its always verbal. I know they have 7 dogs of their own, with mine and 2 other boarders they had at least 11 on the premises.
So my dilemma is, do I report them for having an unlicensed boarding business? Rspca, county council, hmrc & kennel club? I am really upset the state they let my boy get in to, although I don't believe they are mistreating the dogs but I do think they take on too much to handle and fail to provide to the dogs needs. Opinions please.

[mrslaughan]

Well I most certainly would not be paying them. I would let them know the reasons why.
In terms of legality.....I am not sure what can be done......maybe the council is the best bet?
I would certainly take photos of your dog, so that if they come back at you saying the claims are false, you have evidence.

[SpicyBear]

I would absolutely report. It's appalling and you might help prevent someone else's dog going through similar. I would try all the places you have listed and hope something shuts them down.

[pigsDOfly]

Another here saying definitely report, they need to be stopped. Your vet will surely back you up as to the condition your dogs were in.

And definitely don't pay them any more money.

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Definitely report. Did you have a written agreement that they would look after your dogs? I ask this as someone who was caught out once with the person I was paying to look after my horse (on good faith only, nothing in writing) basically not bothering and him looking like a neglect case and the RSPCA getting involved :(

[Floralnomad]

Your issue is you will probably have difficulty proving anything ,after all its your word against theirs that they are taking boarders ,they could easily say they were doing you a favour . Why did you not leave them flea treatment for your dogs use whilst they were there ?

[bobbieg78]

Hi Thanks for your replies.
I do have written evidence that I was paying them for boarding the dogs as all of our conversations were by text message, so I have copies of this when she's quoted me £26 per night etc. There was no official written agreement as such.
No, flea treatment was not something we discussed and probably something that as an owner I over looked, as when they were at home we used indorex and rarely treated the actual dogs as we never had fleas. The ones that were brought in the house wouldn't survive. Yes I have plenty of evidence and people to back me up. I guess I just don't know how to go about it with them, like I said the guy I classed as a friend, but I'm hugely disappointed and upset how they treated the dogs.

[trevortrevorslattery]

Yes please report. Hope your dogs are ok now

[trevortrevorslattery]

Yes please report. Hope your dogs are ok now