To think this is a disaster waiting to happen?

[PoppyDotx]

Hi all,

I am a bit being unreasonable as it's none of my business but I just wanted to rant as I can't to anyone else really:-

My 17 year old cousin is having a baby, fine whatever people have children young however they live at home with the girls mum and it's a two bed house, her dad got her a dog for Christmas which doesn't get along with the resident dog so it's confined to the girls bedroom, not allowed out for toilet as it's a four grand dog and they're scared of it being stolen, it wees and poos in the room, my cousin works 12 hours a day and the girl won't take the dog out (to be fair she is heavily pregnant so I get it) but they refuse to rehome it and her dad has bought her a house (to commit benefit fraud but that's a whole other story) but they need to build it up from scratch and won't be ready so when the baby's born he will be confined to the same room with the dog and all the mess. They believe the dog will be fine with the baby as it's well socialised (it's not) and I have tried to explain that dogs don't really see babies as humans at first as they smell and sound different and with it being a pit type dog they have a really strong bite so they'll have to be really careful but at 17 they already know everything of course and aren't listening to what anyone's saying.

I know it's none of my business so I understand I am being a bit unreasonable but I just genuinely think it's a disaster waiting to happen and I feel sad for both the baby and the dog but also when I had my baby the midwife visited the day after and the health visitor not long after that so I'm wondering what they'll say and do about the situation.

@HelpIcantfindaname

When the midwife & health visitor do visit they are most likely to see mum & baby in the sitting room, & not go into the room where the dog & baby sleep at all, so they won't actually see a potentially dangerous dog & all it's mess. I had my first baby at 16, & my 4th at 40. The midwives & health visitors never went in my childrens rooms..

Oh really? My health visitor wanted to see where baby slept and I had to take her to my bedroom which is why I originally thought they might have a look.

My midwives or health visitors never went in my children's rooms either.

her dad has bought her a house (to commit benefit fraud but that's a whole other story
In what way benefit fraud? Is he charging her rent ? ( IIRC rent cannot be paid to a family member through benefits )

Does the dog use a tray for toileting (like a cat) or just all over the floor ? < not envy
Surely the HV.MW will realise as soon as they walk into the house that there's a poor dog confined to a room and lierally shitting in its bed

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

her dad has bought her a house (to commit benefit fraud but that's a whole other story In what way benefit fraud? Is he charging her rent ? ( IIRC rent cannot be paid to a family member through benefits )

Does the dog use a tray for toileting (like a cat) or just all over the floor ? < not envy
Surely the HV.MW will realise as soon as they walk into the house that there's a poor dog confined to a room and lierally shitting in its bed

He's "charging" her rent so she'll claim it through UC but keep the full amount and say my cousin isn't living there - well that's what my aunt says anyway.

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

her dad has bought her a house (to commit benefit fraud but that's a whole other story In what way benefit fraud? Is he charging her rent ? ( IIRC rent cannot be paid to a family member through benefits )

Does the dog use a tray for toileting (like a cat) or just all over the floor ? < not envy
Surely the HV.MW will realise as soon as they walk into the house that there's a poor dog confined to a room and lierally shitting in its bed

I think she has a different name to her dad so think that's how they're getting away with it, I don't know much about how it all works to be honest.

next thing we know this situation will be a headline in a paper with a dead or badly injured baby, and the authorities saying lessons will be learnt and it must never happen again......but it will

Speaking as a midwife they will definitely flag this up 100% the HV also.
This is total madness as you say a recipe for disaster.
Our pregnant teenagers have a specialist team of midwives looking after them dealing with all their social needs as well as pregnancy care.

I feel sorry for the dog and the baby. Hope this does not end up as one of those horrendous stories on the news.

Shocking situation all round, Why are some people so dumb,.?

A cooped up and under-exercised dog is a dog that will easily get frustrated and snap - an avoidable tragedy waiting to happen.

Does the Health visitor not come and check where the baby is sleeping? I feel like mine did but can’t quiet remember. This was a few years ago. I also had a child at 17 and was in an abusive relationship, I attempted to get the health visitor to realise without actually saying it and she didn’t take me on, it was an awful feeling and they did not check where my baby was sleeping then. They didn’t take anymore interest in me because of my age which I think they should of. It maybe different now and you’d hope they’d pick up on this situation.

If you knew her GP or which hospital she is due to give birth in, social services could track her down by contacting the community midwives. If social services weren't interested, and you know which hospital, you could ring the community midwives yourself, or ask to speak to the safeguarding nurse advisor for the hospital. Don't let this baby be another horror story on the news. Share what you do know - ignore anyone who says not your business.

If this is true and actually I hope it’s a thread that isn’t then instead of using your anger to vent do something . Find out where she lives and report it it’s cruel and honestly not a way to live for the dog or the baby .

@Imnothereforthedrama

If this is true and actually I hope it’s a thread that isn’t then instead of using your anger to vent do something . Find out where she lives and report it it’s cruel and honestly not a way to live for the dog or the baby .

It's true, I've read some of the advice on here and taking action once I've finished work tomorrow.

Report to rspca pronto

Just seen your update OP as I've been thinking about this and was coming back to say please report this asap.

Goodluck you are potentially helping to avoid a disaster.

This is the kind of thing that could fall through the cracks tbh. They might not be very proactive in identifying the family without an address. And at the pre birth- stage legally there are different rules and powers.
Also they won't tell you the outcome of their assessment or if they visit- it's very frustrating!

To be sure, try to get as many details as possible- dates of birth of both parents and baby, even a street name/part of town would be more helpful. Then try to visit yourself after the birth and report what you see then.

Immediately phone the RSPCA (They will come for a housevisit and check the conditions)
Immediately call social services(They will not do anything until the baby is harmed)

Perhaps direct your relatives to this website : www.dogsbite.org

which documents the hundreds of people who have been maimed and killed by (predominantly pit bulls). It's an American website but then the breed isn't illegal over there as it is here.

In many cases the attacking dogs were loved family pets who just snapped unprovoked.

The dog you refer to isn't walked or socialised and spends it's life cooped up in a bedroom. The chances are we will be hearing about a mauled/possibly killed baby on the news in a couple of months......