Neighbour on holiday - dog problem!

[loveacupoftea18]

Need advice as DH and I can't decide if we are too caught up in the problem to be objective!! Sorry if it's long, trying not to drip feed!

Live in a quiet cul-de-sac and get along with all neighbours. Our directly next-door neighbour has two enormous dogs who she loves dearly and is very good to. They do bark in the day when left alone in the garden but she is back regularly to let them out and take them for walks.

She is on the trip of a lifetime for two weeks and has a sort of friend staying in her house looking after them, with a dog walker dropping in to do the occasional dog walk.

She's been gone for 3 days. We haven't seen the friend that's staying there since Friday (however we have not been at home every minute) and the dogs are in the garden with the back door to the house wide open, all the time. They are doing absolutely nothing but barking constantly, I cannot describe just how much or how loud. It goes on for hours and hours at a time.

I don't know how regularly they are being checked on (or fed or walked!) and it first irked us when it was impossible to put our DD to bed because of the noise of the dogs barking. Banged on the front door repeatedly however no one in and ended up going around the back of the field to lean over the fence and comfort the dogs. This did cease the barking for an hour but then they're back to it. It's damn annoying but we end up feeling desperately sorry for the poor dogs and don't know what on earth to do.

They've barked every hour that we've been home today. There's still no sign of anyone in the house with them. I've just been to lean over the back fence for 15 minutes to give them a stroke and to quieten them down so DD can fall asleep.

AIBU? Surely this is not ok? What the hell can I do about it?

Bloody hell, I hope this all gets sorted- poor dogs and poor neighbour having her house left vulnerable by someone she's entrusted with the keys while she's away. You were right to contact her.

I'm glad you've messaged your neighbour; this can't be allowed to continue. Not fair to the dogs or the people who live around them.

If your worried about food wise safest option is cooked chicken (no bones) and boiled plain rice, and yes agree contact the owner before anything else RSPCA aren't always the best unfortunately, if you have a radio or something that might help soothe them? Of you can leave it on somewhere for them?

Contact owner now neither her pets nor her home are safe. This is something I would want to know. Even if I was on the trip of a lifetime.

You did the right thing messaging - I’d much rather hear from you directly so I could resolve it than find out the RSPCA had been around and took the dogs!

I would hesitate to contact the rspca, they have been known to PTS in a very short timeframe. Maybe try a more local rescue if you get no response from your note or the message, but emphasise that the owner thought they were being cared for and when they are due to return home.

Try and deal with it without the RSPCA if at all possible

My neighbours did this. They had someone going in once a day for about 15 minutes (judging by the length of time the howling stopped). I reported to the rspca as abandonment on day 3 (realised day 3 evening that someone must be popping in for a very short period of time. They were literally howling for 23 1/2 hours a day). The RSPCA were very good, came out and left a card, the "dog sitter" contacted them and confirmed the owners were on holiday. Because someone was going in once a day it wasn't considered abandonment (they only have to be checked on once in a 24hr period legally) but they did come back and follow it up with the owners on their return.

I don't think my neighbour was aware their dogs would be so distressed but it's still a pretty shit thing to do

Hope you managed to get a hold of the owner to let her know what's happening.

Can you put some clear sellotape over the lock(s) in addition to the note so that you know the sitter isn't coming in and out without you noticing?

It certainly doesn't look great, and I'm glad you've given them water, but it's not a bad idea to prove the sitter isn't coming in so that she doesn't call you a liar later on. I remember my neighbours in the same building thought I never walked my dog because they didn't see me coming in and out. In reality he got 2-3 hours walkies a day - they just weren't very good at curtain twitching!

I would, however, certainly want to know about this if it was my dog, so you've certainly done the right thing telling her.

I'd probably nip to the shops and buy a bag of (cheap) kibble.

Is there any way you can take over their care but they stay at her house? Maybe shut them in the house (or kitchen?) at night and let them out in the morning? At least until you hear from her and she's (hopefully) made arrangements?

Thanks everyone. I gave them water and some cooked chicken I had leftover from a roast.

They've quietened down now, I've put a note through the door and haven't yet heard back from owner.

Poor dogs. They are so delighted to see a friendly face.

You are very kind. To be honest when there is more than one dog, they are quite happy together in kennels.

It's lovely you are caring for them, sounds like your doing more than the dog sitter is!

Would the neighbour not have left a supply of dog food in the house before she left, I know I would.

I’d also record some of the barking. It must be extremely annoying.
People that allow their dogs to bark in residential areas for more than a short time are obnoxious

Why are people so cheap. This neighbour can afford a big holiday, but wasn’t willing to pay for kennels to make sure her dogs were adequately cared for.

It cost me £150 for a cattery when I went on holiday. My cat was well cared for and it as worth every penny.

I hadn't thought of it that way @Dippypippy1980 but you're probably right.

God sort of wishing i hadn't involved myself but it's not the poor dogs fault.

Poor dogs, glad you’ve managed to get over and feed them. Hope your neighbour gets back to you soon

Not always. My dog would rather be at home and my friend comes to look after him.

You've done the right thing OP.

I would much rather hear it from a friendly neighbour than get home and find out the RSPCA has been involved.

The owner is irresponsible. You need to ensure proper care for your pets, and not trust it to someone who clearly doesn’t know what they are doing.

You were right to message her and leave notes for the girl. The owner needs to try and arrange kennels and have someone drop the dogs off for her.

I don't know Dippy. I've paid house sitters so the dogs could stay in familiar surroundings. The sitters were brilliant with the dogs though.

Definitely good idea to take some recordings.

I think you've done the right thing to contact your neighbour.

If I was the owner I would much rather get a message from you so that I could sort out alternative care, than have the rspca involved