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Just saw neighbour hitting dog with plastic water bottle repeatedly. What to do?

31 replies

VanessaWilliams1 · 25/07/2026 00:01

I just witnessed something really disturbing.

A guy moved into our council block about a year or two ago. His dog cries a lot, both during the day and at night. I always just assumed it had separation anxiety.

But tonight, just after 10pm, my mum and I were rushing out of the building because I was taking her to the hospital. As we walked out, we saw one of our upstairs neighbours sitting just outside, completely calm, repeatedly hitting his dog on the head/face with a water bottle repeatedly. Not sure if empty or not. The dog just sat there.

We honestly just froze as we walked past. We kept looking back because we couldn't believe what we'd seen. It was dark, I have really bad eyesight, and was thinking, "Maybe he's hitting something next to the dog?" But my mum is sure she saw him hitting the dog too.

He didn't even try to hide it. He saw us come out and just carried on. He didn't stop or slow down.

I kept thinking, "If he is actually hitting his dog, surely he'd stop when people saw him?" The whole block also could've seen him from the windows.

The dog was also just sitting there taking it, not really moving.

I also seen him before walking the dog loads of times and cuddling it, so it was completely unexpected.

As the driver drove us off, I am now sure he is doing. I tried to grab my phone to record it, but it was too late. I could still hear him the water bottle hitting the dog, and then I heard it growl.

I feel awful that I didn't say anything. I keep thinking I should've shouted at him to stop, but I think my mum and I just went into shock. We both just froze.

Who do I report it to? I don't even know exactly which flat he lives in. And I heard RSPCA is useless

if this is what he is doing out in open so relaxed, what is he doing to it behind doors. Could that be reason it’s crying so much.

any advice?

OP posts:
DeterminedRat · 25/07/2026 06:37

AnonymityAnonymity · 25/07/2026 06:25

You class hitting a dog as playing???

Given OP's description of what she saw and given the fact they hear the dog crying she has every right to be concerned about it's welfare.

I think you should report to the police OP.

The op didn't describe it very well tbh. The man was sitting calming hitting the dog with a water bottle. The dog was calm too. Was he just boinking it off the dogs head, that's hitting or was he putting force into it, that's also hitting but wouldn't really fit the description of calm.

My dog is obsessed with bottles, loves them, I'm quite sure I've boinked her on the butt in the past with an empty bottle while playing with her. There is no way that it hurt her, the same way like the poster you quoted said it doesn't hurt when you bounce it off yourself. I'm pretty sure that my dog would sit calmly, while I boinked it off her head, waiting in anticipation for me to give it to her to play with. I suppose you could question whether or not you should tease a dog like that but is it an RSPCA level issue?

AnonymityAnonymity · 25/07/2026 06:25

JustTalkToThem · 25/07/2026 00:54

If the bottle was empty, he was probably just playing. That wouldn’t hurt at all. We’ve all bounced empty bottles off our legs at some point. My dogs like playing with empty bottles and growling could mean playing.

if the bottle was full the dog wouldn’t have been just sitting there - it would have tried to get away.

Edited

You class hitting a dog as playing???

Given OP's description of what she saw and given the fact they hear the dog crying she has every right to be concerned about it's welfare.

I think you should report to the police OP.

JustTalkToThem · 25/07/2026 00:54

If the bottle was empty, he was probably just playing. That wouldn’t hurt at all. We’ve all bounced empty bottles off our legs at some point. My dogs like playing with empty bottles and growling could mean playing.

if the bottle was full the dog wouldn’t have been just sitting there - it would have tried to get away.

HarmonicAnalysis · 25/07/2026 00:47

That's awful. Try the police. Don't be hard on yourself about not intervening directly at the time - he's a violent, cruel thug, and you could have put yourself at risk. You're wise to follow up from safety afterwards.

alexdgr8 · 25/07/2026 00:28

Police can pass it to RSPCA if appropriate.
Just give as much information you can.

Lemonfrost · 25/07/2026 00:08

Well, your options include Police, RSPCA or direct in person intervention. I would go for the third option personally.

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