Dog left alone in house from 9am until midnight

[fakenamefornow]

I'm a ll with a very difficult tenant. He is very bad about contacting me with any maintained needed. He doesn't respond to emails or phone calls. He contacted me the other day to say the boiler wasn't working and he wasn't paying the rent until it's fixed, he said it stopped working a few weeks ago, and only told me the day the rent was due (it was late the last few months as well). I had the boiler fixed the same day. He says it's not fixed even though I have a letter from the plumber saying it is.

Anyway, he has told me he can't answer calls/emails because he works 9am to midnight in a pub. He has a dog, I let the dog live in the house because he said it wouldn't be alone for more than a couple of hours (he did have a girlfriend who was at home, she's since left). Now I don't believe he works as much as he says but I do know he works very long hours. I'm worried about the welfare of the dog. Should I try to do anything, if so what?

Could you find out from neighbours if the dog is still in the property? Do you really want a dog left alone in a property that you are ultimately responsible for, for 15 hours at a time? Could you contact the local council? If the dog is there, there may well be welfare issues. The place will smell awful and there could easily be complaints from neighbours if there are any. The RSPCA might also offer a bit of moral support.

The RSPCA will do nothing. A more useless bunch would be hard to find.

Would contact RSPCA although I'm not sure they would actually be able to do anything in this situation, their resources are so stretched. I always think though that if you have a welfare concern, even if it turns out to be false, better to contact them than not.

What Thatsnotmyrabbit said re the RSPCA.

I think he is bullshitting about his working hours - is he a junior Dr???

in your shoes, id be evicting him i think. Plenty of other decent people looking for accomodation, dog or no dog.

If the dog has food, water and shelter I doubt if it's a welfare issue. However ANY dog would need to use the toilet every few hours. We rescued a dog from a flat where the girl worked/drank similar hours. She complained that the dog urinated inside. Dogs need company too of course. Sounds like the tenant from hell, I feel sorry for you and his dog. Are you close by? For example if you live next door you could offer to let the dog out for a wee/poo break during the day. But realistically I'm not sure what else you could do.

Do you have regularly scheduled inspections of the property? My agents do them every 3 months (when they remember, or I remind them, although even then they didn't notice our first tenants had dug up all the plants in the garden and the second set installed chickens in the now rather denuded garden, bitter, moi?) An inspection would allow you to check for smells or dog mess, and AFAIK can take place during the day while he's out if you have given sufficient notice.

The RSPCA may not be able to help but they may be able to advise. I know they have had their share of problems. Me, I've had massive issues with a major childrens' charity. We are all fallible and we all get it wrong sometimes. However, without these refuges we would be really stuck.

Trevor Cooper at Doglaw may be able to advise you. Poor dog if it still lives alone with no-one to care for it.

What do the neighbours say about it? Do you know them?
Dog warden? Is it a noise nuisance?

Have you inspected the property? It must be shut outside or shitting all over the house. Pretty sure no dog can hold it for 15 hours.

One of my dogs could hold it for hours (he had plenty of opportunity to go out when I opened the door for the others) but the point is that you need to give them the opportunity - can't be good for their bladders otherwise.

I went round there today. I am evicting the tenant, or well I've told him he has to leave and will start formal eviction after Christmas if no rent is paid and no efforts to move out made. He told me the dog is going to the RSPCA on Thursday as he knows it not fair leaving her for so long (although it is bullshit he works 15 hour a day) also he knows the dog will make it almost impossible to find somewhere else to live.

His ex was there today with the baby, she's living in some sort of mother and baby unit waiting for a council place. I overed to take the dog for a while and when the ex gets a council place the dog could live with her. I think maybe the best option is the dog gets rehomed through the RSPCA though. He is a nightmare tenant but I did feel really sad for him loosing his dog.

The RSPCA execute animals in their care, is there no one who would want her? Or a no kill shelter, he needs to give them a huge donation for his shit choices. Fuckin dick. Glad you're getting rid of him.