Should I phone the RSPCA...... would you?

[zephyrcat]

When we first moved into our house 2 years ago we were looking into getting 2 Alaskan Malamutes. We spent a good couple of months learning about them and we now have a folder full of info on them! We decided it wasnt the right time as they need alot of space and exercise. Anyway - I noticed that a family down the road had a similar dog in a cage at the front of their garden but couldnt see properly as it was dark. The next time I went past I saw it properly - it was so skinny you could see its ribs. It loked miserable and was standing in its own excrement. I nearly reported them then. I assume that dog died because the cage disappeared and they now have two new Alaskan Malamutes. They've had these ones for almost a year and they dont seem to be growing any bigger. Their garden is over-run with rubbish - an old car, bits of bikes, old matresses etc and a couple of months ago the whole lot caught fire including the kennel! Quite often the dogs are tied to a pole in the front garden, I've never seen them out walking with them.
Do I call someone or mind my own business??!!

Call... if only based on the way they treated their previous dog. That said, Malamutes need a vast amount of exercise so I cannot believe that they are getting the right amount of care if you have never seen them being walked. As for being tied to a pole in the front garden... that might be a tough one to call. Malamutes will climb or dig their way out of pretty much anywhere - you're advised to have very high fences with very deep foundations - and sled dogs are regularly tied up outside in the snow - so maybe this isn't as unkind as it looks? (Although I wouldn't treat a dog like that...)

cages can be OK I think, in the sence that the puppy will have somewhere to go, (of course the door would be left open). our dogs had a cupboard (the door was taken off) in the kitchen which was big enough for both of them to sleep in nicely, they liked it as it was their space to lie down and relax, they also felt safer in there when the hoover was out as it couldn';t get in!

but I do think keeping a dog tied to a pole is cruel. They normally turn vicious from what i understand.

i didnt thin kthe pole thing was too bad because their garden pretty much ends on the pavement and they have no fencing (what they did have was burnt down when the whole garden caught fire. Thing is there isn't a single bit of space on the garden for them to be on - the whole garden is covered in about 3 feet high piles of crap!!!
The cage the old dog was in was fairly big - the bit that got me is that it was left standing there all day in its own excrement
I'm going to give them a call this weekend just to be sure

Why wait for the weekend? if no luck with RSPCA try Alaskan Malamute Club Rescue
Co-ordinator, Julie Breame, Swindon. Tel: 01793 613400
E-mail: [email protected] hope you have good luck.

it was only because dp is at work constantly this week and he's the only one with a working phone just now!! Thanks for that email though - am going to do that in the morning

I would call - the RSPCA can investigate and make their own judgement at least (and you are anonymous). If they find all is well then the worse that will happen is that your neighburs won't be so tardy with their care in the future because they know that "someone" has noticed. If all isn't well then they will get what they deserve and be prosecuted! Either way the poor animal has been noticed.

neighbours*

We were reported to the RSPCA once for allegedly not feeding one of our cats. He had been a Rescue cat & was in the care of the vet. Apparently he'd had sinusitis when he was younger & it hadn't been treated, leaving him snuffly & thin.

I was furious to be reported by some nosey parker, especially as they hadn't had the guts to knock on the door. We were lucky that the RSPCA went straight to our vet who confirmed what we'd said & that we were in the middle of a very expensive ongoing course of treatment.

I realise they need to keep things confidential in the case of abuse but I do think it's wrong that someone can report you anonymously & once they've checked that there is no abuse they won't/can't tell you who it was. We were looking over our shoulders for weeks to see who was watching us.

Can't you speak to the owners of these dogs first?

Sorry tallulah, I really didn't mean to offend. I suppoese there are some people who are easy to approach and there are others that aren't - I am not sure I would find it easy to approach somebody who keeps their dog in a cage.

Plus there is also the tact involved, would you really go to the person concerned and broach the subject as to why their pet looks less than well only to be told that they are critically ill? My work colleague's cats have both got throat cancer and struggling with their food now, I know it would pain her to have someone come round and ask her about it as she has had "her boys" for 16 years and time is of the essence.

It is a toughie . . .

I would go and talk to them - especially as i know lots about that breed of dog but they're a bit scary - the people not the dogs!!! I suppose one way to describe them would be 'Wayne and Waynetta'! and their kids are either sat in the dumped car in the garden or standing on the roof of it glaring at you anytime you walk past the garden!

I'd call too zephyrcat, poor dogs

i would call. i nearly reported a neighbour once. they had several dogs come and go, all of which were chained to a post. i could see from my garden that these dogs had no water in the bowl (which was so far away from the chain that they wouldnt have been able to drink it anyway), and no shelter. however, they havent had any dogs now for a long time so i presume they gave up. imo if the animals are treated well then these people have nothing to fear anyway and the RSPCA will see that?