Or do my neighbours need to find somewhere for their dog to go whilst they're away?

[Dropitlikeitshot]

My neighbours tend to go away every school holiday, and they always get the same relative to come over and feed their dog.
The relative doesn’t stay for long from what I’ve seen when I’ve been in, and the dog is then locked back in the house.
The poor thing barks all day and night and doesn’t stop, it’s actually driving me a bit crazy, to the point I can hear it when it’s no longer barking.

It’s a small yappy type dog, and we can hear it very clearly even though it’s inside, and we’re at what would be the furthest point from theirs.

Would you bother broaching this with neighbours? (they don’t seem the type to apologise and rectify the issue) Or just try to get over it? I think it’s cruel for the dog to be almost completely be left on its own for a week, (or more) and it should have some sort of boarding situation if it can’t go with them.

DC is woken up a few times a night by the barking and I’m getting sick of it.
As to avoid drip feeding, we’ve not lived here very long as we bought early this year, and other residents are long standing and friendly with them. The NDN are quite a loud, shouty family, and they don’t really care very much for people around them judging on past all night parties.

Would you offer to take it for a walk each day when they're away

That seems exceptionally cruel to a dog, particularly a small one.

Yes would absolutely broach it. Totally unacceptable from them. I would also make recordings of the noise and note occurrences in a diary as this is what your local environmental health team will have you do as a first step when you report this as anti social noise, which you certainly should.

That's so cruel 😢 poor little guy

Definitely talk to them - they may be totally unaware.

It’s not your responsibility to walk or care for it - they need to find a proper solution. Contact environmental health and rspca I’d it continues

Absolutely tell them! They may not realise.

YANBU

This situation isn't on as the dog is basically being left for a week, and clearly isn't coping. I'm not someone who sticks religiously to the 4 hour 'rule' for leaving dogs alone, but even I think this is beyond the pale.

Would you be willing to offer to look after the dog when they're away? If you like dogs and it's practical then it would improve the lot of the dog while giving you some quiet relative to the 24/7 barking.

Would you offer to take it for a walk each day when they're away

Why do people post shit like this? Why should the OP have to look after their dog? Put it in a kennel or send it to a friend's house like everyone else has to do.

I wonder if this would qualify as neglect?

kadmm

That seems exceptionally cruel to a dog, particularly a small one.

Why does the size matter?

I'd broach it, chances are they're paying the relative (IS it a relative? Or a dog minder?), I'd suggest they aren't getting value for money and might want to look for alternative dog care as the usual ones literally pop in and the poor dog barks the rest of the time.

I think the RSPCA would class this as neglect, yes. Poor thing - it needs proper walking - where the hell is it going to the toilet? I've never heard of anyone leaving their dog alone in the house for extended periods.

Bloody hell, when we go away my MIL comes to feed our cat - she stays an hour every morning and evening to make sure she gets a run around the garden and plenty of fuss. If we’re away more than three nights, we will have someone stay, or she will go to the cattery. She (cat, not MIL) would happily sleep 20 hours a day when we’re here, but I don’t like the idea of her not having company.

This is so cruel for the little dog, which is obviously distressed.

You should report this. Personally I wouldn't want to report it without speaking to them first, as it gives them a chance to rectify it. It does also mean that if they do nothing about it and you have to report it they will probably guess it's you. So It's up to you whether or not you want to speak to them before you report it.

Report it. That poor dog.

RSPCA

Speak to them. If nothing changes, then report it next time they are away.

The rspca won't be able to act as the legal basics are being met - someone is going in each day provide food and water a presumably cleaning up after the dog. It is cruel but there is nothing they or any charity can do.

Environmental health with noise concerns is a much better bet. Or of course speaking to them directly, but you know how receptive they're likely to be to that sort of conversation.

I would talk to the neighbours and tell them I will be calling the RSPCA if it happens again.

There is a great possible solution if they don't/can't pay for a proper dog inder - get a sitter for free who would stay in their house via TrustedHousesitters (really it's petsitting site), though this is much easier oft he house is in a popular location and the house has to be in good order - which may not be the case the way you describe their partying house. But if location is good they may still find someone for free.
Irt's unacceptable regardless the size of the dog! (I petsit myself, it's not on leaving a dog alone all night, even all day is bad enough!)

Dogs are pack animals, they need company. They should not be left alone for hours on end in an environment like the one you describe. Poor dog

Try telling the neighbours the dog is very distressed. Problem is if they're not the receptive type and you then have to report to the RSPCA, who will take action, the neighbours will know it was you who reported them. So it might be best to go straight to the RSPCA. Tricky.

Would you offer to take it for a walk each day when they're away

Why do people post shit like this?

Because it's neighbourly? Of course the OP might not be able to do this but it's a possible solution if she can.

I would either speak to the RSPCA for advice/ to report it, OR speak to the neighbour.

I don't see why offering to pop in to the dog and walk it is a bad idea if just to create a positive link with a neighbour who sounds like they could be trouble to live next door to.

Obviously you're not responsible for their dog and nor should you be, but I can see the potential for neighbour relations, if you're not adverse to dogs.

I can leave my dog for four hours but I don't like to for more than three. And where possible he comes with me or my mum pops in to sit with him.

Dogs are more likely to bark and act up if left alone like that, and not exercised properly.

If neither of my suggestions worked, I would then go to the council but if it's only when they're on holiday that the dog is an issue then you'd have to wait to record it.

What is walking the dog going to do? Once it's back in its house it will be back to being distressed.

Thanks for your replies everyone!

I’ll address a few questions.

It’s definitely a relative as he’s there a lot when they’re home, I think he’s a brother/dad of one of them.
They holiday in this country, from what I can gauge from their SM, so
I’m not sure why the dog doesn’t go with them at least sometimes.

I’m not a great lover of dogs sadly, as I was attached by a JRT as a child, and the fear has stuck with me. I asked DH though, he sees it more as enabling them to not get proper care for their pet/family member. We have a small pet and they are always left in safe hands.

As someone said, after reading about the RSPCA’s rules I don’t think they’d do anything as it’s not permanent and the dog is being fed.
EH maybe be a better idea, the poor thing is STILL going.

I have no idea where it’s going to the toilet during the day, maybe newspaper?

We are on good terms with them ATM, we chat over the fence for a few mins, and we take each other’s bins out if we’re away. I am slightly worried that taking to them about it will make things sour. What are tougher about talking to the relative?