To own an indoor only dog in one bed flat?

[JusWunderin]

I’ve noticed a couple over the road have a dog, at first I wasn’t sure if it was actually theirs as I never saw it come or go so assume it was a visitor.

But since I’ve had a doorbell camera that picks up movement from their front door opposite my house I’ve never once seen them take it out, not once. I work from home and my office faces their front door too so I’ve become a bit of a nosey neighbour if I’m honest. But I feel sad for the dog, it never goes outside, they occasionally open their ‘patio’ doors (barred in doors with no balcony on upper level flat) and the dog just stands there with its nose poking through the bars.

It looks healthy, it’s a relatively young dog/puppy, large breed and doesn’t look uncared for but I would have thought it doesn’t have much room to get much exercise in a one bedroom flat?

and I know what you’re going to ask.. what about toileting? No idea.. I’ve literally never once seen them take it out on a walk, or just outside for the toilet. I’ve seen them come and go.. just never with the dog.

Is it cruel? Should it be reported? I don’t want to be ‘that’ neighbour but?

There is no such thing as an "indoor dog". If the poor thing never goes out, they are arseholes and yes, I would report it to the RSPCA.

They are allowed out but it's advised to carry them in most areas. It's essential for socialisation that they are exposed to just about everything they will encounter when out and about.

You will have to get a different doorbell that you can adjust to your property only.

Courts have found that monitors which cover neighbours like this are an illegal invasion of privacy.

Our neighbours have 2 small dogs who are kept in a cage for up to 8/10 hours a day, never walked and only let out in a small fenced garden twice a day to toilet. I find it incredibly distressing but as I understand it it’s not actually illegal.

Plenty of people let their dogs shit all over their houses…. I’ve been in some of them sadly. Let’s not pretend that doesn’t happen.

If the dog is in the flat all the time and never gets a walk then that is cruel, however are you sure they don't walk it when you are in bed.

We have 2 dogs and our youngest was attacked by another dog when he was young, he was naturally nervous after this so for quite a while after we would walk them really early in the morning, at about 4.30am. Our neighbours probably thought we never walked them.

Isn't it illegal to record past your own boundary?

No - from the ICO website: " People have the right to install CCTV cameras and smart doorbells on their property. They should try to point cameras away from neighbours’ homes and gardens, shared spaces or public streets. But this is not always possible, and it is not illegal to do so" https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/domestic-cctv-systems/#:~:text=People%20have%20the%20right%20to,not%20illegal%20to%20do%20so.

There is no other entrances. Several of the flats have they own dedicated front doors. With the layout of the building and their from entrance it isn’t physically possible to leave any other way.. unless they have a secrecy tunnel that bypasses the flat below into the ground and out, which seems unlikely.

TBH no one should have a dog in a flat (I’m sure the people who do will call me unreasonable for saying it).

That said, if it actually isn’t being exercised it’s only a matter of time before it attacks them - excess energy often manifests in very unpleasant ways. So leave them to it. You can report to the RSPCA if you’re concerned…but they probably won’t do anything given their track record

Hopefully they haven't got any cameras on you watching you do anything wrong.

Dogs in flats ? Small lap dog that doesn't like walking much like a pug maybe. Medium sized to big one like Labrador or GSD or husky, no.

But you have to store recorded material according to data protection laws, don't you?

Yes, but again, from the ICO website, they say themselves its very difficult to enforce, and that the rules you have to follow are basically "delete footage of someone if they ask you to" and "regularly or automatically delete footage" (which a Ring doorbell does anyway).

They also say on that site that even if you complain about someone's domestic CCTV, pretty much all they will do is send a letter and ask someone to follow the rules.

It's fine having a dog in a flat, so long as its size appropriate and regularly walked/taken outside.

No walks at 9 months is shit, and not good for the dog,

What makes you think that they have a dog, rather than just occasionally care for one?

The RSPCA won't be remotely interested.

Because I see it in their window every day?

Fair enough! I thought you meant you only saw it occasionally go through a communal door. That's a shame. It's a shitty way for a dog to live.

Unfortunately not.

indeed. I do feel sad for the dog. But I also worry for them.. as someone mentioned about the dog won’t be getting any socialisation and will likely eventually snap.

Thankfully, with then never letting it out I don’t have to worry so much about keeping my kids away 😂

Stop spying on them its a breach of privacy.
Stay out of it.

When one of mine was a puppy, she went outside on walks daily from 8 weeks old but with me carrying her to get her used to roads, parks, noises, people. From 12 weeks old, a week after her 2nd jab, she was on proper walks.

This dog, OP, is being neglected so call the RSPCA, although I'm not sure they'll do anything if all it's 'freedom from' needs are being taken care of, when they have cases of immediate cruelty. Having said that, you don't know what's going on indoors, and if they've had other neighbour complaints too, yours just may be the call that instigates a visit from them?

Wow! None of you have a clue what the OPs living situation is, how close the front doors are, etc etc. You;re all way too concerned about her Ring doorbell when she is actually asking about a dogs welfare. You're all nuts and i hope you don;t own dogs yourselves.

OP, if i were you i would quietly monitor the dog and see if you can see what state its in, if its properly healthy etc. If you are worried call the RSPCA for advice. They might pop round for a chat with the owners. That is the responsible thing to do and the correct answer to your post. Not this "that's a breach of privacy" BS.

Imagine if the OP was making this post about a child. Would you all be saying butt out then???

What kind of doorbell do you have OP?

It's really very worrying that you pick up every single time that your neighbours enter or exit their home.

If there is enough space for you to be driving past their house, there's enough space for you to adjust your doorbells motion caption field.

If you are worried about the dog, call the RSPCA.

This actually gives me the heebie jeebies.

Agreed. This is next level creepy behaviour

How long has it been there? Potentially if it’s a puppy they are waiting until it’s had its vaccinations before it can go outside?