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.

Meanwhile you could report her to the RSPCA , crating a dog all day every day is animal cruelty for the above reasons.

The RSPCA have very low standards when it comes to dog welfare, sadly. If it has access to food, water and shelter they're not interested.

I've "rescued" a Bulldog from one my OHs work colleagues after they slipped in convo that since his GF had their second baby (2 under 3), the poor thing was left in a crate all day WHILST SHE WAS AT HOME.

She couldn't cope with the mess, lovely house and all that tripe.

In their defence, I offered money for the dog because they paid such a huge amount for him due to his bloodline, but they wouldn't accept money and "were happy he would have a decent life".

He now has the run of the house, regular exercise and is spoilt rotten. He spends 7 hours a day fast asleep somewhere fluffy, he's no bother at all.

You're friend is cruel, she should re-home.

Your, not you're

Terrible. Treating the dog like it is a toy that can be switched off while she is at work

I wonder how many other poor lock down dogs are stuck in crates Monday to Friday

Id call the RSPCA this is cruelty.

@Coldwine75

Id call the RSPCA this is cruelty.

They wouldn't see it like that. The dog isn't in imminent danger and it is fed and has a home. Also they are not known for being massively helpful even if it was in genuine need.

That’s awful, poor dog

Thus is why I hate crates. Stupid owners use them irresponsibly and cause massive problems for their dogs. You just can't trust joe public to use them as intended. If they sold them as 'cages' their popularity would never have grown like this

So awful to read this. I would imagine that this has happened quite lot,with people who have bought puppies in lock down. Saying that a puppy will be nice and cosy and safe,and happy in a cage for most of the day is madness, The dog will be in it's Own lockdown. the dog would miss out on early training,and being with the owner, which is important for the dog.

If you study any dog behaviour, you should know, that they do not like to be shut away in an empty house or room,for long periods of time,never mind a cage.

Encourage her to hand it to a rescue centre for rehoming - that is too cruel leaving a dog all day alone. They are pack animals and you are it’s pack and an owner to think that this treatment is ok should not ever have a dog. The neighbours will soon be ringing the RSPCA as most dogs will howl and cry loudly when left like that.

That really is cruel, she needs to rehome that poor puppy.

My parents dog has a crate and she was only ever locked in for a "long" period at night (11pm-6am) as a puppy and that was only because their ground floor is open plan and the options were either leaving her to chew everything have free reign of the house or restrict her to the crate overnight. Since then they have put in a large utility room which is where her crate now lives with her bed inside so at night she can access her food/water bowls as well as get out of the crate if she wants but still doesn't have free reign of the whole house to get into the kitchen bin for scraps

Even during the day, when she can go anywhere in the house/garden and has multiple dog beds that the cats keep claiming around the house she will often take herself off for a nap in her crate mid afternoon. The only time she is ever shut in the crate is when they come back from a walk and she has had to be rinsed down because she is dirty/sandy - after her rinse she will be towel dried and put in her crate to give my parents time to clean up any dirt/sand she tracked in before she has a chance to roll in it again or track it further into the house and go clean up/change themselves. Most times by the time they come back to open the door about 20 mins later she has fallen asleep after the exertion of her walk

It is useful to have a dog be crate trained as it means they know where their safe space is and it doesn't distress them if they do have to spend time in a crate - especially if it is following a vets trip/injury etc - but that is achieved by having the crate open and available not by being constantly shut in it for long periods.

Crates can be good for training ,but not to lock a dog in all day
Mine had one when a puppy and was a safe place for him to sleep at night and also if we nipped out for an hr so he couldn't hurt himself of chew house
As he got older we would just leave the door open and leave him in kitchen where he couldn't get hurt but had crate as he liked to sleep in it.
At about 18 months we ditched it as he is fully trusted around house in terms of his safety and not wrecking anywhere.
We do leave him upto about 6 hrs though but he has the run of the house and at night sleeps in one of bedrooms.
If I got a crate out now though he would still choose to sleep in it as he likes small spaces and is often found asleep in small gaps between beds and sofas , also often on the sofa when we are not home as he technically isn't allowed
But 8 hrs in a crate day and then night is unfair

How can anyone in their right minds think putting a sociable, active animal in a tiny cage for 16 hours a day is anything other than brutal?

Poor dog.

You’re friend is a cunt if she does this.

Report as others have said, but probably nothing will be done. 😔

She wouldn’t be my friend anymore.

Dogs sleep all night and nap through the day...it won’t want to wake up, have a quick walk and then go back to sleep for eight hours.

Also a dog won’t go to the loo in its crate however desperate it is. Eight hours is too long to wait for a wee and what if it has diarrhoea?

Leaving your animal in a crate for 8 hours a day - what about toiletting etc

RSPCA pronto

It's fine to put a dog in a crate for certain periods of time. I really dislike the use of the word "cage".

Sadly, it is just that - a cage. I've never had a dog that considers a 'cage' to be it's home. I can't imagine shutting any of my dogs away in a cage in my/their home ever.

Even prisoners aren't treated so badly.

Very cruel and irresponsible. You must report this. Such cruelty is dreadful.

@PearlclutchersInc

Leaving your animal in a crate for 8 hours a day - what about toiletting etc

RSPCA pronto

As has been said, the RSPCA will likely do nothing.

If the dog has access to shelter, food and water they're not interested.

Also a dog won’t go to the loo in its crate however desperate it is. Eight hours is too long to wait for a wee and what if it has diarrhoea?

Sadly that's a bit of a myth - dogs will toilet in their crates, though they certainly don't want to and will avoid it where possible.

Puppies often have no choice but to toilet in their crates (as their owners leave them too long without a toilet break) and any dog that is distressed in a crate will also do their business through panic/fear.

This is so awful and I suspect will happen lots once people return to the actual workplace. I'd definitely report her. That poor dog

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