Neighbours have left their dogs alone in a house that's been on fire.

[Geobat]

Part One:

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting here and I'm honestly in desperate need of some advice please?

This is going to be a long post because I want to explain everything so far (it helps me personally, as well as potential advice-givers, I guess), so I apologise for the long read!

Okay, here goes. My OH and I live in a 70's terraced house, the walls are thin, the house is small and it feels cramped with the two of us living here.
Next door, we have a family of 2 adults, 2 young children and 2 medium/big dogs.

As of 8th of December 2018, there was a fire in this neighbour's house (we were told by a firefighter that they suspected the fire was started by an unsupervised child, who had tried to use the toaster, but had accidentally set some paper on fire). The fire was a small kitchen one, but we saw the smoke escaping through the roof, and it had entered our bedroom, too - this is how we'd ended up speaking to a firefighter because we were concerned about how much smoke was upstairs.

Once the fire had been extinguished and the fire brigade had left, the family packed up some of their belongings and left. Leaving the dogs behind. My partner and I had assumed they would collect the dogs later that day. They didn't. They return to the house once a day to feed/water the dogs. They rarely let them out and the don't take them for walks (not that they ever did when they were living in the house, either).
4 days later, the constant barking, whining and fighting from the dogs had really gotten to me. I'm currently fighting anxiety and depression, I'm on medication but I'm out of work due to another medical issue (one in which I'm waiting for surgery). Because of these issues, I'm at home a lot. I rarely go out. The continuous noises were getting to me and I was losing sleep.

(Continued...)

Oh dear he doesn't get it does he? I would try to ignore them now and keep your noise diary and contact with RSPCA going.
He seems to just want to have a row with you, well done for keeping your dignity.

I would phone or pop into the local vet's surgery to ask their advice on this. They may have a contact for you or know a local rescue who could temporarily foster the pets for your neighbours while the renovations are tackled.

Wonder what the police response would be if they were to visit? In America the police attend animal rescue visits and assist with their removal. Our country needs more power like this. Not the wait and see approach we have now. So frustrating.

Has environmental health been round to take your diary and recordings of the noise?

I'd stop corresponding with them, it's not getting you anywhere. It was them who threatened the police, the idiots, not you!

Maybe print off details of local rescue centres and breed rescue and put through their door. If they are seriously trying to get them fostered they should be able to get help with that.

Did you get any joy from the landlord?

Very late update because, well, there's been no updates.

The neighbours continue to leave their dogs in that house. The RSPCA have done very little (I've phoned a few times since and the people on the phone say that the case is still open, but it's been over 3 weeks since I opened the case). The dogs have been in the house for 48 days (if I'm not mistaken - I'm tired and have a rotten headache from little sleep) with one visit a day from the neighbours. They still bark and whine all day and night. They're still waking me up in the mornings and keeping me up at night. I sent off the noise diary a couple weeks ago and haven't heard anything at all from the council.

This appears to be a lost cause, and I'm exhausted. I can't fight this any more. I just need to accept the fact that the dogs will be left in poor conditions, that I'm going to continue getting no sleep for a long time, and my neighbours will always be disgusting people.

(Oh yeah, we've not responded to any of their texts since the initial discussion, but he sent another one claiming that he's a victim of harassment and that we've apparently wanted them out of the house for 3 years. He's a melodramatic manchild, clearly).

Thank you all for your help and responses, I've tried my best and it's not been enough. My partner even looked into moving home, but we can't afford it, so we're unfortunately stuck with cruel, inconsiderate neighbours.

Phone the council everyday until they do something, they won't do anything unless you keep bothering them.

So sorry to hear the update Geobat. I really feel for you having to put up with the dogs' barking and crying and also knowing they are being left alone for such long periods.

I have never had much respect for the RSPCA but this disgusts me. How the hell can it be ok for those poor dogs to be left alone with just one visit a day? No company, no walks etc. That is not a happy life for a dog.

Do you know if the owners intend moving back? They surely can't just carry on like this. In my view 1 or 2 days would be bad enough but 48!

I know you have been on to environmental health at the council (I know from experience they can take ages and, again like the RSPCA, are often useless). Have you tried the dog warden? Some dog wardens are better than others and it may be worth contacting them just to see if they can help or make any suggestions

Unfortunately this is the rspca. They do not care.

Well done for caring and trying OP. What I am hoping for now is landlord/mortgage provider take the house back you get some peace, also hoping that this happens soon.

Tell the RSP$A that the TV is coming round, they will be there in a flash

You need to go the council noise officer route, the RSPCA are useless in my experience unless its a high-drama highly photogenic situation that they can use for fundraising photos.
It'll take ages but eventually you'll get an open case that you can phone the officers to come witness the noise and then something might actually get done.

Local paper/ news channel/ Councillor/ MP/ Dog rescue? I know none of that would be easy for you as you aren't well yourself but anyone who can highlight the issues (1 being dog's welfare, 2 being your own right to live undisturbed) may be in a better position to target the powers that be in respect of both issues. A Twitter account could help you out here. Not that you should have to, what a shitty situation for all involved

A local dog rescue (especially an independent one) won't have any actual clout over helping the dogs directly but a report to RSPCA etc from them may well be taken more seriously as they usually have a social media following to help with rehoming and costs and as they're run by people who genuinely care for the welfare of animals they are often willing to name and shame/ start petitions/ get stories shared from their own sites to highlight instances of dog mistreatment. Anything's worth a try at this point.

Haven’t RTFT as just think it’s a bit rediculois that when they’ve tried to come round and SPEAK to you in person, you ignored them, then they’ve left their phone number so they can SPEAK with you, and you’ve sent a text ?! Don’t blame them for thinking you’re odd.

They are bu to leave the dogs but they may have no other choice, the dogs are warm, fed and let out.

I’m really sorry you are going through this op.

Does anyone have a largish following on Twitter and could tweet about this linking press etc?

Can any of us do anything to help at all OP?

I'm really sorry to hear your update Op. It sounds like you've tried so hard to get help for those dogs - I can't commend you highly enough for this, especially since you're ill yourself .

I'm afraid my experience with the RSPCA is very similar to yours. I've had cause in the past to report the appalling living conditions of a neighbour's two dogs which was utterly heartbreaking. Despite umpteen phone calls, and emailing photos and video footage, the RSPCA seemingly couldn't have cared less. They didn't even send anyone out to investigate. This was two years ago, and I've since moved away, but I know that the dogs are still there - howling, unwalked, and living permanently in a six foot square concrete yard littered with their own faeces. I genuinely don't know what the point of the RSPCA is?

@hennaoj Thank you, I will have to try that again at some point

@mydogisthebest Thank you! I appreciate that a lot. I honestly don't know what their intentions are, they're not mature enough to hold an adult conversation with us. My partner has contacted the dog warden, he hasn't mentioned it since so I will chase him up on that.

@MrMeSeeks Unfortunately it does seem that way! It's a shame we don't have better solutions like some other countries!

@Brumchum Thank you again, I've appreciated your replies! I do hope someone sensible will step in eventually!

@HisBetterHalf Someone else suggested that too, it's a shame that those measures have to be taken, but it seems like good advice at this point!

@StormTreader Yes I think you're right. I'll have to start making a nuisance of myself via the council route!

@Stickmanslittleleaf Sadly it does seem like I'll have to try more of those options, I'll look into Twitter accounts related to this as well, thank you.

@Mulberry7373 Is commenting before reading any less ridiculous?

@Bobbybear10 Thank you! I wish I knew someone with a large enough Twitter following.

@JockTamsonsBairns Thank you and I'm sorry you had such a poor experience! It's with cases like yours, that I find myself wondering why we're supposed to believe that the "UK leads the way in animal welfare". I hope one day those dogs are saved from such horrible treatment!