Next door neighbour's dog left alone while she's on holiday.

[DoggyDilemma]

I've lived here for 5 months and this is the second time it's happened. The first time I got other neighbour to ring her and turned out a family member was meant to be looking after dog when they got back from their holiday that evening but their flight had been delayed. He turned up an hour later. The dog had been alone most of the day at this point. The dog is quite anxious anyway and was howling incessantly . So much so that the guy from the house in front (back to back terrace) came round because his baby couldn't sleep due to the noise.

Skip to today. Noticed yesterday that she wasn't around. Have heard the dog howling on and off. Her mum comes once a day, takes him to the green opposite for maximum 3-4 mins then leaves. She appears to be leaving the house with full poo bags as well 😷. Have noticed a friend popping by as well in the evenings and she seems to stay a bit longer but there are stretches of many hours in between these visits and the dog is audibly distressed.

Asked other neighbour and turns out she's gone abroad. I don't know yet how long for.

As a dog owner myself the idea of going on holiday and leaving Ddog in my house is unfathomable.

Am I overreacting and/or being a busybody? I don't want to cause bad feeling as we will most likely be neighbours for a long time and we get on fine at the minute. She knows I'm a sahm with a dog so why not ask me if I'd be willing to help?

I'm out at the minute but planned to get her number from other neighbour when I get home and text her asking if I can do anything to help (other neighbour has a key but she hasn't asked him to help either) as in check on dog/walk him/just spend some time with him. Would that be out of order?

Ultimately my concern is the poor dog. The noise he's making is so so painful to listen to .

Advice really welcome.

Ring them! What a disgrace!

I'd never leave any of my pets!

As I mentioned earlier I am currently looking after my sick NDN's dog and I have something I need to go to tonight which I have been waiting months for.

I am planning to feed the dog before I leave at 15:30 (she normally eats at 17:00) and I will most likely be home by 19:30. I feel terribly guilty about going out but it is an open evening for getting into teaching and I have been waiting six years to finish my OU degree for this.

Normally I would have probably eaten out afterwards but what do you think about leaving her for this long??

PersianCatLady, I am sure the dog will be fine. As you say, it's something you need to go out for.

The longest I leave my dog is 4 hours although that's not very often and he has always been fine. I once got stuck in a terrible traffic jam and was gone almost 8 hours and was so worried about him but he was perfectly ok.

PersianCatLady, I am sure the dog will be fine. As you say, it's something you need to go out for
Thanks.

Normally if her owner is out she comes to me but if we both go out then she is left alone.

I am just feeling massively guilty because I am looking after her and I feel that I should be here to do that.

Hi OP, is there any update? Did her Dad come around? Just hope the dog is OK. Your NDN is a selfish twat and doesn't deserve a dog.

Also checking in for an update :) hope the situation's improved. Just to say as well that you sound like a really lovely and helpful neighbour :) good on you for looking into helping the dog.

The rspca are useless. I'm a vet nurse of over twenty years and they used to be good but it's not at all the same organisation nowadays. Worth reporting though as if it happens again, they will know about it already and that might get some response.

The dog should not be being left...some dogs are ok with it if the owners work etc but to go on bloody holiday and leave it all day and night apart from a few mins company here and there is tantamount to solitary confinement.

Seems that she is just shirking the blame as she 'was let down last time' and now again this time. Doesn't ring true. Tell her you'll call environmental health if she leaves the dog again. There are lots of relatives about that will be more reliable I think once the consequences escalate for her.

there are dog sitters who move into the house. There's dog boarding care in houses. There are kennels.

Your neighbour simply doesn't want to pay for all that. She should be banned from keeping a dog. It is also making life hell for those that have to listen to the howling. No reason why her relatives should bail her out. What an entitled madam.

Getting a pet means over a decade of committment and expense. Don't want that? Use borrowmydoggy or similar.

What patchouli said. Tell her next time you'll report it to the council and police the first day. Why should she get the softly softly treatment when she doesn't give a shit about her dog?

RSPCA that is just cruel poor dog :(

Dreadful!

The rspca are useless. I'm a vet nurse of over twenty years and they used to be good but it's not at all the same organisation nowadays.
Agreed. They don't care anymore.
Even when you call them out they don't come.

Twice, through finding problems with dogs when doing home visits for work, I've had to call the RSPCA. They were brilliant both times. The second incident I had, the RSPCA officer said it was the worst case of animal cruelty that he'd ever seen. Those responsible were prosecuted.

Maybe it depends where in the country you are Ropsley

I've found them to be useless -to the point that they don't even come out to check.