My nephew and his wife are keeping their new puppy in the garage, because they don't believe that dogs should be allowed in living areas.
The garage is at the end of the garden, not attached to the house, and currently contains all the usual rubbish you fill your garage with.
The plan is to empty it, add heating etc, and make it into an office space with the dog in, rather than a dumping ground, but they've been saying that for years.
They say that he will always live outside, and that they will get someone in to train him as a guard dog.
I am really upset at the thought of this puppy being left alone and scared, in a cold, dark, garage, when he could be living inside with the family.
The family will be with him outside when they have time, but they have 2 young kids, 2 cats, and a busy online "influencer" business.
(They have time to use him for their Instagram posts mind you!)
I have sent them info about the RSPCA campaign to change the law so dogs can't be kept outside. I have flagged the risk of getting someone in to train the dog to be a guard dog, rather than taking time themselves to train him to just be a loving family dog. (He's a doberman type).
But right now, I'm mostly just in bits that there is a little puppy being left outside on his own in the garage when he could be having a loving life inside with the family.
They bought him to be a guard dog, and an Instagram tool.
It breaks my heart.
My sister and mum have completely turned on me, because I put a message on their Instagram post of the puppy, asking for a photo of the garage he was living in, and asking why he couldn't live in the house. My sister went as far as to say I'm no longer part of her family if I'm "going for" her son like that.
I did ask them on a private what's app message when i first heard they had a puppy, and they outright lied to me saying he wouldn't be left outside, when this is what they had planned all along apparently. (I live 3 hours from them, it was my sister, his mum, that told me initially, then I saw messages on the Instagram post confirming he wasn't allowed in the house)
Am I being unreasonable to be so worried about this puppy? I honestly am not sure what to do next.