Family who leave dog alone for long periods of time

[Merlin24]

How would you deal with this? As I have tried to drop hints about a dog being left for 10 hours or more. With no toilet break and lack of water.

Family memebers do not think it is wrong to leave a springer spaniel for over 6 hours and more with may be no fresh water being topped up.

My local vet thinks this is not on but RSPCA guidle lines say they can't do anything!!!

two different stories there

There is nothing that can be done. Surprised their house isn't destroyed- Is it a working spaniel? Mine can be left 6 hours if someone pops in to take her out, she is old though.

Not a working dog. She is just over 7 years old. Does get walked but not every day. Like you say 6 hours but you are being responsible and getting someone to go and let the dog out for a comfort break.

Still can't believe that owner thinks it's ok to do this and her mother unbelievable!

That's terrible but not a lot you can do unless you can take pictures etc and prove that the dog is left without water and report that as cruelty.

WEll I don't live close. And this has caused a family rift as you can imagine. Tried to sort it out without involving the RSPCA. But they say under the guidelines they follow dogs can be left for 12 hours and more in some cases. How this isn't actual cruelty is beyond me.

Do you know if it's left without water?or how much they leave? A big enough bowl might not need topping up in 7 hrs. Ot depends on the dog and you can't really judge if it's cruel based purely on time. Our current dog couldn't be left for a fraction of that time but our old dog was quite happy to be left as long as she had the run of the house and a window to stare out of. I'd have been mighty miffed if a family member had contacted the rspca without knowing the facts .

We have a springer. On the rare occasions when he is left, he doesn't touch his water anyway. Same if there's food in his bowl. We usually leave him with access to several rooms and he seems to cope. He is 14 though, and probably sleeps most of the time.

It is cruel - a dog of that breed should have a walk in the morning and the evening every day & someone to let it out for some air at lunch time. We pay a dog walker when we are in work & our dog also has decent walk before and after work. So three walks a day. 6 hours would probably be bearable but 10 hours is way too long.
I don't know what more you can do if the RSPCA say they can't get involved.

The RSPCA won't do anything if the dog has water, food and shelter. I agree with you that 10 hours is awful though, the dog will need the toilet and like Android my spaniel won't drink if she thinks she can't easily access somewhere to wee. Poor dog

Well my local vet and PDSA guide lines are a dog shouldn't really be left alone for more than six hours. It doesn't get much exercise but is walked sometimes. So guess that's better than nothing.

May be my niece will take more care of her dog if it starts to make a mess in the house! Wouldn't mind but her friend lives across the road. Can't understand why she hasn't asked her to come and check the dog.