NEED QUICK ADVICE! - Neighbour’s Dog Alone

[PolarBear559]

My neighbour frequently stays out for the night and leaves the dog at home alone. I don’t know exactly how long for but I know for certain one evening the dog was left alone from around 7pm until around 11am the following morning.

I’ve just found out my neighbour has gone on holiday and left the dog at home! Someone is popping in, but not for very long. All I can think about is how hot it is and how there’s no airflow in the house, or if it needs to go to the toilet, or runs out of water, or even just the poor thing having no interaction, exercise or company!

Please offer some advice on whether I should do anything about this and if so, what’s the best thing to do?

Thanks in advance x

@tumblingdowntherabbithole This.

I just know from experience that they won't be able to do anything about it. A dog being kept alone at home with regular visits is perfectly legal and not something the RSPCA will be even remotely interested in.

I would be doing everything in my power in making sure that dog wasn't being neglected. How on earth is it acceptable to make the same provision for leaving a dog, to those you'd make for a cat!

Couldn’t agree more.

The OP can assess how often the visits are taking place before she discounts calling them.

I just think she'll be surprised at how disinterested they are.

People think the RSPCA have way more powers than they do.

I know all about the attitude of the RSPCA. Best advice was given earlier, in catching the visitor and enquiring what provision is being made. If she's told to mind her own business, then the OP can monitor the situation.

I'm not sure I'd tell a random stranger about what arrangements were in place for their neighbours dog, tbh.

Of course she can monitor the situation, I'm just saying that it's not illegal to leave your dog home alone with visits and as long as it has shelter, food and water, nobody in authority will be able to do anything to intervene.

That poor dog. A person popping in to feed and let the dog out is nothing in that poor dogs life. Dogs need company. He will be frightened and very lonely, let alone hot.
The RSPCA will do nothing, if he looks healthy etc... I don't know the answer.

Yep!

@BringYourOwnBullshit I am with you on this.

Leaving a dog while one goes on holiday, is entirely different to leaving an independent cat. As for telling a random stranger, it's a concerned neighbour. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't even think about leaving a dog for any length of time where somebody occasionally pops in to let it out, feed it etc. It might not be illegal but it's certainly immoral. I would be liberal with the facts when calling the RSPCA. As busy as they are, a note through the tosser's door might make them think twice about being irresponsible. I kept on at the RSPCA when a former neighbour was leaving her dog out all day, chained up, in all weather, whike she worked full time. As much as I pissed them off, they did still pay the neighbour a visit.

So as a dog owner yourself, you feel it’s acceptable to leave a dog for a full week on its own, with the occasional visit to let it outside? That isn’t a “dog sitter” to me. A dog sitter is with them all of the time/takes them in/lives in the dogs home temporarily. But this person is popping in. The most recent visit was 15 mins long.

How often are they popping in?

@Dangermoo I don't disagree with you, honestly, I just know from experience that the RSPCA will do absolutely jack shit, sadly.

I know it's distressing, and your neighbours are disgusting, but, sadly this is seen as OK and nothing will be done.

If you call the RSPCA they will tell you as much, and then start calling and harassing you for money because they 'helped'.

The dog has adequate food, water and shelter and someone checking in so a health concern would be picked up.

Poor pup, especially in this weather.

How will she do this? Watch the house for an entire 24 hrs?

Well that's more than the dog owner and dog 'sitter' are doing.

@LeavesTrees Please don’t comment without actually reading the content of the post sufficiently. Because it leads to exactly this right here - accusing me of making potential false accusations when I’m not. I didn’t once say no one was popping in. And yes there may be 24 hours in a day but funnily enough smart doorbells run 24 hours a day so it’s entirely possible for me to tell with absolute certainty how long the dog is alone for.

Let's hope the dog shits all over the carpets. I'd be throwing treats through the letterbox.

God, people are twats and never cease to amaze me. I agree that the RSPCA wouldn't do much/anything as technically the dogs physical needs are being met (food, water, shelter) but the poor babies psychological needs obviously aren't. I have no idea what I'd do so I'm not much help, but how can people be so stupid and selfish.

How do you know how often the dog walker is going in and out? I assume you aren't spending 24hrs looking at their front door.

I dont think op is over reacting...this is not adequate to meet a dogs needs for more than a day.

A day needs more care and attention than pop in visits to meet its needs, and I would hope that the RSPCA would act.

Even if they do not remove the dog (which they won't), I would hope they would visit the family and issue a penalty or at very least advice on appropriate level of care when away.

Op, I would ring the RSPCA and log a welfare concern for animal neglect

This is grim behaviour by your neighbour. I really have nothing to suggest (that is legal anyway).

I look after dogs for a living. What you are describing here is fine for cats, but not for dogs.

Are you saying that the dog is only being visited ONCE a day for 15 minutes?

Do you have your neighbours phone number? You could call them and ask what provision they made for their dog, because it's only being attended to once a day. They may have paid for 4 visits a day (still not good enough) but there you go. Are you in any position to take the dog in yourself?