To think this is really cruel?

[RosieGuacamosie]

My friend got a lockdown puppy last summer and is now having to go back to work in the office and is planning to leave her dog in a crate whilst she’s at work. I offered her the details of my dog Walker but at £15/day apparently that’s too expensive. I understand £75 a week is a lot of money but surely that should have been thought of at the time she got the dog?

I think it’s bad enough leaving a dog in the kitchen for 8 hours on it’s own, but to leave it in a crate seems extra cruel.

Am I being precious and the dog will actually sleep most of the time which is what everyone else seems to be saying? Friend pointed out it’s no different to leaving the dog downstairs whilst she sleeps for 8 hours.

[Sparklingbrook]

I don't think you should leave a dog for 8 hours let alone in a crate. They like company, they are pack animals.
The sleeping would be out of boredom/loneliness. And sleeping all night and all day is more cat behaviour.
I would imagine there's going to be a lot of this going on. Did people just assume they'd be able to WFH forever when they got a dog last year?

[anothernamereally]

@21Flora

Crates aren’t supposed to be locked in crate training, they are meant to be covered and open so dogs can go and have some peace if they want it in a quiet, safe space. Not to lock a dog in for hours on end.

^^ this
A safe covered area, I only ever shut mine if she was in the car for travelling, sadly she's no longer with us and I have too many other responsibilities to get another dog as much as I would like to

[cupsofcoffee]

That's really horrible! Dogs shouldn't be left alone for longer than 3-4 hours at a time. It's the law in some countries & rightly so.

Actually, the recommendation is that they shouldn't be left longer than four hours per day. Leaving them four hours, coming home for lunch and leaving them four another four hours is far too long imo, though I know lots of people have a similar set-up to yourself and it seems to work.

[OhDear2200]

My neighbours got a lockdown dog, asked me for our dog walkers details. They were pissed off that non of the retired neighbours wanted to just ‘pop in’ everyday to see their dog so were having to look for options. I think they wanted me to say ‘oh I’ll let him out’, no fucking way it makes me soooooop mad that people don’t plan for this.

I also think people are for a very rude awakening in a couple of years time when they want to go abroad and have a dog to discover that finding someone to look after it is really difficult and really expensive.

[BlackSwan]

Disgusting. Inhuman. Please report her to the RSPCA

[Thisisworsethananticpated]

I’m not a passionate dog
Person
But this is vile

I’d be
Prepared to lose her if you report her though

[UnreasonablyPissedOff]

Our journey home from work to let them out was a 20 min drive each way too so took real planning & effort & often times meant working late (once someone was home) to make up for the time.
Dh is self employed & I worked part time for about 6 yrs when dc was small so we worked it out between us. But our care for our dogs was as central to our daily lives as work / childcare etc & that's how it should be imo. I'm not suggesting we deserved medals for that. It's what an animal needs & deserves to have happy fulfilled lives & if we have pets to fulfil some need in us then we need to look after them properly
Ours were rescue dogs who found us - we never actively sought or bought a dog. But we picked up the pieces of other dispicable humans who did not look after their animals & we saw those dogs needed a home & we gave them one & they lived very long healthy lives in the end (17 & 18 yrs)
These We're starving pups found alone & defenceless wandering about terrified. On two different occassions. We've also successfully rescued & paid vets bills & found loving home for 2 other beautiful discarded dogs as we knew 2 was our limit
Cruelty comes in many forms

[cupsofcoffee]

@OhDear2200

My neighbours got a lockdown dog, asked me for our dog walkers details. They were pissed off that non of the retired neighbours wanted to just ‘pop in’ everyday to see their dog so were having to look for options. I think they wanted me to say ‘oh I’ll let him out’, no fucking way it makes me soooooop mad that people don’t plan for this.

I also think people are for a very rude awakening in a couple of years time when they want to go abroad and have a dog to discover that finding someone to look after it is really difficult and really expensive.

Yeah, I definitely agree with this. Kennels and home boarders aren't cheap.

Even a dog walker coming in for an hour, five days a week will set you back £200 per month on average, more in some areas. I have owners who pay me nearly £100 a week to walk their two dogs for an hour a day Monday-Friday.

[UnreasonablyPissedOff]

@cupsofcoffee my post wasn't v clear & I totally agree with you..4 hours was the max we would ever leave them but that was rare as dh is self employed & works from home a lot & when the dogs were alive I worked till 2pm & then dc & I were home with them

[Thelnebriati]

This is crate abuse, she is forcing the dog to either hold its bladder for the whole day or mess in its own bed.

[GabsAlot]

how can u say you cant afford care for a dog-dont bloody get one then-cruel to keep a dog in a crate for 16 hours a day

[Crinkle77]

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

Word of warning - the RSPCA are shit and will do fuck all. Well actually they might call you a few days later to ask for a monthly donation but don't expect to do anything about the dog

Yep was going to say the same. As long as there is food and water I doubt they'll do very much.

[Mollymalone123]

I would still report her to rspca- that poor dog-send her the link to this thread too- she needs to give the dog to a rescue centre .

[cupsofcoffee]

[quote UnreasonablyPissedOff]@cupsofcoffee my post wasn't v clear & I totally agree with you..4 hours was the max we would ever leave them but that was rare as dh is self employed & works from home a lot & when the dogs were alive I worked till 2pm & then dc & I were home with them[/quote]
Ah, I got you :) thanks for clarifying!

[Cleverpolly3]

It’s utterly abusive
Another one of these absolute morons who bought a puppy without thinking.

Of course you have to report it, that poor dog cannot be left like that. I wouldn’t want that sort of cruel fucker as a friend a test so would be quite happy to let her know I’d reported her

[littlepattilou]

@RosieGuacamosie Wow. That is a horrible way to treat a dog. I would seriously be reporting this to the RSPCA.

My colleague knows a woman who has a dog that she leaves alone in the house all day whilst she is at work. He is alone from 8.00am. to 6.30pm every weekday.

I don't know - or care - if it's acceptable to leave dogs for that long; it's fucking CRUEL. Dogs need company and affection and love, and exercise and fresh air. And he must be DESPERATE for a pee/a poo. (He probably does it on the kitchen floor actually, because I can't believe he can hold it all for ten and a half hours...)

Also, she is just leaving him with one bowl of food from 8 am, til 6.30pm. In the summer, it will go manky and sour in the heat! Leaving them alone for such long amounts of time, is just bang out of order IMO.

I told my colleague to report this woman to the RSPCA, but she says she 'doesn't want any trouble.' She's scared the woman will find out it's her. I wouldn't give a shit, and would be more concerned about the poor animal, and his welfare! I said I will report it, but she won't let me, and won't give me her address.

At least cats can get in and out of the bloody catflap!

I agree with the posters saying it's inhumane to keep the dog is a fucking CRATE all day! WTAF? PLEASE report her to the RSPCA! (Although I do have to agree that the RSPCA in the UK are a bit shit, and are only interested in portraying themselves rescuing kittens from drains, and looking all 'heroic.')

Still worth reporting it though.

[ElephantsNest]

I am not a dog person but this is very unfair on the dog. If any vets or anyone working in animal welfare could comment on this thread it would be helpful, so bumping for you.

[Keyring]

this is upsetting. Please do report it to the RSPCA. Very very unkind. People are so thoughtless.

[noblegreenk]

@RosieGuacamosie

She seems to think the crate is it’s “safe space” and therefore it’s more likely to settle down and sleep and not whine all day. I suspect there’s an element of not wanting her house chewed too.

My first thought was that she doesn't want her house chewed. If she didn't want to deal with normal dog behaviour/development then she shouldn't have got one. It's a dog, not a cuddly toy.

[Dogoodfeelgood]

That’s horrible! A cockerpoo is a mix of two very intelligent lively breeds. Has she considered apps like “borrow my doggy”? If it’s just a budgeting issue then she could build relationships with people nearby who are maybe still working from home long term who would be able to pop over and take dog out for a lunchtime walk, or have the dog with them during the afternoons if it’s well behaved.

[Cleverpolly3]

I have a nine year old cockapoo

She is and always has been very lively, loves company, hates being left alone and requires a LOT of exercise.

The amount of people I know and see with cockapoos who hardly walk them and treat them as toys because they look cute is astounding.

[noblegreenk]

I agree with you. I've had dogs for over 20 years and never had a crate in the house. They're for car use only IMO. My dogs have always been allowed upstairs and on furniture but only when invited. My first dog could be a bit destructive as she was very high energy and clever (collie cross), but my current dog has never chewed or destroyed anything in the house.

[Mrgrinch]

This is beyond cruel. cockerpoos are an energetic breed and need lots of exercise. Does she walk the dog?

Does she expect it to go to the toilet in its cage? So it has the choice of either sit in its own excrement or hold it in. I'd tell her she's an animal abuser.

[Annoymoususer]

I think people should only get dogs if they are there all the time to keep them company, having a pet that needs constant attention is no good for someone who works all the time. Dogs are creatures that need to be part of a pack, in a household his pack is the family, thus he's part of the family. Keeping a dog locked up in crate for hours is disgusting, it's cruel and unnecessary. They want a pet then let him loose in the house when they are at work, if he wrecks the house because he's bored while they are at work maybe they shouldn't have a pet that needs affection and attention.

[unchienandalusia]

This is barbaric and your "friend" is a dreadful human being. Is report under the Animal Welfare Act. A mature dog should never be left alone for more than 4 hours.