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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

What would you do?

50 replies

Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 17:51

I am looking after a friends animals for the week, the cat's litter tray needs changing but they didn't leave me enough litter, I don't think the food provided is going to last for the duration of their holiday, I have just got home and can hear the dogs howling :( (I live in the same street)
The dogs haven't been eating that well, they've eaten, just not as much as I would like.
What should i do?
I'm loathed to buy more cat litter and food because I can't really afford it, the dogs are making me sad, are they lonely? Sick? I don't know what to do to cheer them up?
I can't bring them here because I have a dog also and a cat and a baby....

OP posts:
SpicyBeat · 09/02/2015 18:21

Do you mean the dogs being left alone all week with someone just going in to feed?

ender · 09/02/2015 18:43

As you've got a dog and a cat you must have known what you'd be taking on.
Surprised you're asking as it seems obvious - buy more cat litter and dog food and give the dogs more attention, walks, play etc.

badoomtish · 09/02/2015 18:46

What ender said.

Obviously the dogs will be lonely - I can't believe anyone thinks it's ok to leave a dog locked up day and night for a week. And you will just have to find money to buy more litter or food if you run out - couldn't you just use some of your own for the little you'd need?

Original poster
Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 18:59

Yeah, all week with me feeding.
I pay them as much attention as I can each day.

Ender - I was expecting them to leave me enough food and litter. Is that unreasonable?
I would have left out more than enough if it was my animals?
As for more walk and play, first of all they are ancient. I have been told not to let them out too long and second, to be quite honest, I have enough to do shopping each day (have no car), 2 school runs, housework and care of my own dog plus a baby!

At the end of the day, I was doing them a favour as they had no one and I thought it would be a shame for them to miss out on their holiday.

I am just annoyed that they haven't left me enough and no I can't really buy the stuff for them because then I will likely be short on money for my families food and my animals food!
I work to a strict budget and only have so much each week

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 09/02/2015 19:18

I can't believe anyone can think it's acceptable to leave a dog at home alone whilst they go on holiday , however old the dog is , and as a dog owner yourself you should have known that . That said you accepted the responsibility so you will just have to find some way of feeding them .

Original poster
Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 19:26

Neither do I.
I would have put them in boarding.
I was only trying to be nice :(
They said their person had let them down and the holiday had cost a lot. The kids had been looking forward to, I was trying to be kind.
I know I will have to feed them, I can't them starve I am just feeling angry that they didn't leave enough.

OP posts:
SpicyBeat · 09/02/2015 20:42

As has been said, it's completely unacceptable to leave them alone in the house with occasional visits. Of course they are lonely and distressed.

What you did may have been a nice thing for the people but it certainly wasn't for the dogs. They should have cancelled - this is cruel and you have encouraged it by agreeing.

EasyToEatTiger · 09/02/2015 21:24

Re the cat litter. Clearly they have lower standards than you do for cleanliness. You can only do as much as you can. Some butchers doggy bags and bones if you think they are safe. You can get very cheap bags of rice to bulk up whatever they have. How really really annoying of them to leave you in such a difficult situation.

hmc · 09/02/2015 21:27

Could you take the dogs over to your house for a few hours in the day?

SunshineAndShadows · 09/02/2015 21:35

How often are the dogs being left for and how long for? How much walking and human interaction are they getting?
Your OP was at 17.51 - when will they next have company or a toilet break?

I'm astounded that your friends think the dogs can be left alone for a week or that you agreed to do this, though I understand that you're trying to be nice to your friends.
Can you contact your friend and explain that the dogs are suffering? Is there any way you can bring them to your house and keep them in a different room, or do you know anyone that could stay in their house with them?
The owners should have left you enough food and litter but if they haven't you'll need to buy more (or at a pinch use soil from garden or shredded newspapers in the litter tray).
Sorry you're in this position OP but those poor dogs must be feeling terrible Sad

Original poster
Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 21:58

Yes.
I know I will end up buying it all and probably have pot noodle for dinner....

Unless I be unreasonable and phone and explain that their out of litter and food and need to come back because I am not prepared to buy any?

I did think about bringing the dogs in for a bit, the problems there are I already have a rather large dog who although friendly can be a) nervous around other dogs and b) clumsy and these are old, decrepit dogs. There would be a loud baby walking round and a little kitten bombing about in a small two bed house. I also can't find leads anywhere! I looked as I thought about taking them out for a walk today but my husband talked me out of it saying we have been told not to let them out much and if it got injured, died etc I would be responsible...

Around 8 tomorrow morning :(
I try and visit in the afternoon also and go round in the evening around half four.

I know, my heart broke hearing them howl.

One thing is for certain and that is that I will never do this ever again.

OP posts:
SunshineAndShadows · 09/02/2015 22:02

So those dogs are alone from before 6pm - 8am? thats 14 hours! with no toilet access or human company? And they've not had a walk all day? You at least need to contact your friend to ask for leads.

OP this sounds horrific and horribly disorganised - did you not talk to your friend about their routines and where everything is kept? What if there's an accident or injury? Do you know who their vet is or if they're insured?
You've been told not to let them out much?? WTF? Your 'friend' sounds like an irresponsible, selfish twunt and I'd be calling the RSPCA on her for animal abandonment. Fucking unacceptable

Floralnomad · 09/02/2015 22:08

I'm surprised that the immediate neighbours have not reported the noise .

badoomtish · 09/02/2015 22:08

So they're shut in from 4.30pm until 8am, and they will have top endure that all week?

You can't allow that all week. Either they come back from holiday early or arrange for more help. Did the owners know this was all you could do, ie that the dogs would be home alone for such long periods?

I really don't think this is OK at all, it's cruel and completely unreasonable.

Original poster
Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 22:09

Yeah.

Routine, I was told let out two or three times a day for loo, feed once, don't let them out much in the cold because their old, don't need to walk them.

Have absolutely no idea about vets or insurance, if something happened I would be fucked quite honestly.

I think I will have to phone and ask.
Then phone again when the food is almost out and insist they come home.
Then make excuses next time.

Too fucking nice for my own good, find it hard saying no to people and letting them down but as time goes on its clearer and clearer how wrong this is. Never again.

OP posts:
Original poster
Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 22:11

I think they knew..
I try and stay as long as I can to fuss over them but they are still being alone for long periods of time.

OP posts:
badoomtish · 09/02/2015 22:13

Being honest, while they are clearly fuckwits, did you not hear alarm bells ringing? Do you think it's OK to let a dog out to the toilet twice a day and not have any interaction other than that? Come on. This whole situation is ludicrous and the dogs are suffering. I'm just shocked that any of you thought for one moment that this was reasonable.

averylongtimeago · 09/02/2015 22:16

You know this is wrong- you have posted several times recently on a thread about puppies, on one about Golden retrievers and another about dachshunds - so seem to think you know something about dogs.
To leave 2 elderly dogs in for 14 hours at a stretch, for day after day, only visiting once or twice a day with no walks, and then to complain you may have to buy more food! And that's without the cat....you can at least use newspaper if you can't afford cat litter, but the cat will need food as well.
Words fail me, if I knew where you were I would report this myself.
The people most to blame are the owners - but you are helping them know their neglect, you must know this!

sweetkitty · 09/02/2015 22:18

Can you not send them a text saying I've run out of dog food/cat litter, I'll buy them some more and you can square me up once your back off holiday as you know I'm on a tight budget?

Sounds like they've taken you for a ride a bit, swan off on holiday knowing they've not left enough food/cat litter/knowing their poor old dogs will be alone for hours, probably knew it would be £££s for a kennel/boarding

Floralnomad · 09/02/2015 22:19

Just ring them and tell them that the dogs are howling the house down and you are concerned that someone will ring the RSPCA / council . I dont believe that all the local kennels are booked up at this time of the year and they need to make proper arrangements .

RonaldMcFartNuggets · 09/02/2015 22:20

Tell them to send you more money

SnakeyMcBadass · 09/02/2015 22:20

At the very least those dogs need letting out last thing at night. You are in no way being kind allowing this to continue.

ohtheholidays · 09/02/2015 22:22

Could your husband pop in to see the dogs a few times each evening and you go round in the day.At least that way it will break up how long they're being left on they're own.

Ring your friends,ask them where the leads are and ask them to transfer some money into your bank account to cover the bits for they're animals.

And feed them at least twice a day.Once a day is not enough!No matter what they've told you.

SunshineAndShadows · 09/02/2015 22:32

And I'm assuming that these old dogs don't need walking because they're 'old' and 'arthritic'? But they're not on any medication for this painful condition? Or under veterinary care? But your mate can afford a holiday?

Just not to give her faithful companions a decent quality of life. In pain, alone, peeing twice a day.
Unfuckingbelieveable.

On the off chance you're friend has no sense of moral responsibility, you might want to remind her of her legal obligations under the Animal welfare act. She's failing miserably, and unfortunately at the moment you are too as legally you'd be classed as the person responsible for the dogs at the moment.

"Part of the new legislation was specifically aimed at pet owners, and introduced a ‘duty of care’. This is a list of five ‘welfare needs’ which owners must legally provide for any animal in their care. The duty of care also applies to people who are responsible for animals, rather than actually owning
them outright, such as working animals. Providing animals with their five welfare needs is the key to ensuring they lead a healthy and happy
life.
The five welfare needs included in the ‘duty of care’ are:
The need for a suitable environment (place to live)
The need for a suitable diet
The need for suitable companionship
The need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour
The need to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease
Anyone who does not meet their pet’s needs can be prosecuted.
The new Act includes greater penalties for neglect and cruelty, which includes a ban from owning animals, fines up to £20,000 and a maximum jail term of 51 weeks.
The Animal Welfare Act applies only to England and Wales, but Scotland also passed new animal welfare legislation in 2006 called the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act. This also includes duty of care. The main legislation in Northern Ireland is the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972."

Original poster
Buttholelane · 09/02/2015 22:34

i know its wrong, it's horrendous.
To the poster who said about alarm bells - if you pop into cat chat try and find the thread I started about my cat. The day my husband left home (friend didn't know this) was the day I was asked about home sitting about the animals. Nothing quite registered, I just wanted to be left alone and didn't want any aggro or to disappoint anyone so just said yeah.
Since husband came home we have talked a lot I have felt lot better and more balanced but felt cross every time I have got back from being with these animals, the longer it goes on the more annoyed I get.

I think I will ring tomorrow and explain about the howling and that they are distressed.

OP posts:
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