To report this?

[RiddleMeThis3]

On Monday morning when I was walking my dog, I spotted that my next door neighbour's side gate was open and her dog had gotten out. I brought him back in, closed the door and covered it with one of the kid's bikes in the driveway.

I texted my neighbour to tell her and she responded saying she was on holidays and her Dad would come over later and close it. Here we are FIVE days later and she still isn't back! The dog has been by himself since then and is crying for large parts of the day, he sounds so distressed. He has no kennel; rather a pet carrier with the door left open. His bowls have no food/water and I haven't seen anyone come to visit him all week (granted I'm at work during the day but I'm home at lunch).

I want to report this but my H2B is insisting that I don't as he doesn't want to create some sort of feud with the neighbours. I don't want to cause drama either but I feel that this just isn't right!!!!! PS - I'm also considering trying to take the dog into my house.

@lilypips I'm saying this because I'm currently wearing my own dog onto new food and he had a horrible day of diarrhoea on Thursday. I don't want to do that to the neighbour's dog, especially if he's potentially dehydrated. Again, this is why I'm asking for advice!!!! I just want to do what is best without causing harm. I'd have to throw food over the wall anyway as I have no direct means to feed him or give him water.

@HeronLanyon Thank you Heron. Is it possible to NOT sound like I'm criticising her?

@Iamnotagoddess I really appreciate your post.

@DontForgetToDeadhead It's hard to tell. There are a number of dogs in the area and some are outside all the time and some aren't, I don't want to fall into the trap of judging people by my own standards when I have no right to tell someone else what they 'should' do.

So youve been able to clearly see that the dog has no water for 5 days, are worried about him being dehydrated yet still haven't filled up his water bowl? What exactly are you waiting for?

Probably someone is coming around and feeding and watering him while you're out at work. It would only take 5 mins for someone to come in, fill his bowl and for him to eat it. My dog demolishes any food/water put down to him in 30 seconds flat!

People are being unnecessarily harsh on here. My dog drinks all of his bowl straight away and eats all of his food so it isnt always easy to tell if they have/havent been fed and watered!

I think the general consensus these days is that keeping a dog outside permanently is wrong.

What a load of crap

I have contacted the RSPCA and they said that there is no evidence to suggest that nobody is coming when I'm not there so they won't be calling out to the house. They have advised me to call them back when the owner is home and they may be able to make contact with her then

It saddens but does not surprise me that this is the response you got from the RSPCA. They do fuck all unless they have a camera crew following them, useless cunts
OP call your neighbour and tell them you think something must have happened to the person who is supposed to be feeding it as the dog sounds like it's in so much distress, and ask if she would like you to feed and water it. Even if the dog is being fed at least neighbours will know that you and others are aware that they emotionally neglect their dog and may feel shamed into not doing this again.

Dogs are not meant to be left for more than 4/5 hrs unattended. This is neglect. I would report it but the RSPCA are not great at responding. Give the dog some boiled chicken that won't affect its stomach and make sure it has water.

If the dog had no food or water for five days wouldn’t he be dead? No water at all, for five days? Obviously someone is coming when you’re at work. My dog wolfs down food and water so you’d probably think my dog was being starved too, if you looked at his food bowl any time of day other than when I’d literally just put it down

If the dog had no food or water for five days wouldn’t he be dead?

No: he would be starving and dehydrated.

If the dog is being fed and is outside with shelter then there is no immediate danger to the dog is there ?
It maybe barking alot that's probably due to it missing its owners
Give it water as obviously it should not ever be without and if u feel really strongly give it some food but some dogs are only fed once a day so I would like tho think that it is being fed but a couple of days overfeeding won't hurt
Text your neighbors and tell them when u come home from work u have noticed the dog has no food or water and you haven't seen the dad to ask if the dog is ok
That gives them an opportunity to resolve any of your worries without causing any drama
I think your H2b is right no point causing any drama if u don't need to
U can access the dog and u seem to be happy to so u can resolve this
It could be something going on in the dad's life just now that's happened and he's unable to go round as much as the neighbors thought he would
Could be any number of reasons
But as long as the dog is fed and watered it's going to be ok tell your neighbors that the dog seemed to struggle being on its own so much and hopefully they can get someone else in if needed

@RiddleMeThis3 can I ask urgently if you have managed to drop a container of water over the fence ?

Keeping a dog outside is wrong

Seriously? It's a dog

Have you even contacted your neighbor again after this??

Keeping a dog outside without a proper form of shelter to get away from hot sun, wind or rain is wrong. Although I wouldn't do it, keeping a dog outside with an appropriate kennel is OK, but not a pet carrier where they have no protection from the weather.

I think the idea of texting the neighbour is the best and take it from there. If you don't get a reply, I'd try and get some water to the dog. Also plain rice or chicken is gentle on dogs stomach so should be fine to feed.

What a shame for the poor thing, I think it's disgusting going on holiday and not arranging appropriate care for your pets.

@mrssunshinexxx I threaded some string through the handles of my pasta pot and lowered some water down to him.

I texted the neighbour yesterday afternoon and I've just gotten this response "Don't worry about my dog".

Glad he has water @RiddleMeThis3

She sounds nice .. I would call dog warden x

Keeping a dog outside is wrong

Seriously? It's a dog

If the dog is crying all day, of course it's fucking wrong. Do not have a pet if you're not prepared to do all you can to make sure it's happy.

Ask her who is looking after the dog. Tell her it's been crying and its bowls are empty. Also, feed and hydrate it.

Why are you having to lower things over the fence? Your soap said you were able to open the gate to put the dog back in the garden, could you not have just used the gate to give water?

Soap = OP 🙄😂

@lilypips Apologies for lack of clarity. After I texted to say the side gate was open, someone had come and closed it by the time I got back from work on Monday. So I have no access to the dog other than leaning over my wall. I can also see him from my back upstairs window. Someone has just come and spent 15 minutes here, so maybe this has been happening all week. Still not good enough in my opinion.

What dog is it?

If concerned about changing food, give chicken and brown rice if possible.

I'd be tempted to break open the gate and remove the dog and tell the neighbour a dog thief must have taken it. Then find it a better home.