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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

Abandoned dog...advice please :(

190 replies

ohbigdaddio · 14/03/2018 15:44

Our horrendous, criminals-on-the-run next door neighbours moved out yesterday and left their dog in the back garden. It lives outside the whole time and they never interacted with it or took it for a walk. I've no idea if they are coming back to get it but the dog has been alone and unfed/watered for 24 hours now. (Who moves out and leaves their dog??)

It's a small westie type dog, looks healthy (but bet it's never been to the vet) and is used to living outside so the RSPCA won't come out to get it I presume.

Sorry if I sound stupid but what would you do? Wait to see if they come back for the dog (I can see belongings still in their house)? Or just find some way of helping it?

There is a 6ft brick wall between our garden and theirs, I'd love to climb over and 'rescue' the dog but not sure how to do that as there is a soil border on our side so a ladder will not be stable/safe! Tried with a step ladder and it sank.

I have 2 cats so we can't really take the dog in (though I would love to!) and we have no car to take it anywhere. The local rescue centre is for cats only!

Any ideas as I'm not coming up with any great ones!

OP posts:
TheLastNigel · 17/03/2018 15:21

Well done OP-what a superstar you are. I'm sitting here with my Dog on my knee-and hoping 'your' Dog soon gets someone lovely to sit on too.

honeyroar · 17/03/2018 15:21

No flying monkey you'd rather leave it shivering and unfed and crossed your fingers, I've got it. I'm also well aware of how the RSPCA works but also aware that it often doesn't work, sadly from experience. And you kind of get an Idea, when leaning over a fence, whether the animal is a snarling, frightened animal that you can't grab, or something (like this obviously was) something crying out to be rescued and safe. But we're going to have to agree to disagree, we're turning into the thread bores.

I wouldn't be surprised if it were somebody else's dog anyway that he took in payment for something dodgy they couldn't afford. I'd be amazed if he had gone to the effort of microchiping it if it were his, he doesn't come across as the law abiding type.

LaurieFairyCake · 17/03/2018 15:24

ShiftyGifty - YES, the dog has been legally removed according to the OP and the RSPCA as they’ve picked it up and will be keeping it 2 weeks Hmm

Not sure how you haven’t read that

Original poster
ohbigdaddio · 17/03/2018 15:24

To everyone saying I've the wrong thing, you have no idea of the full picture. I can't be bothered arguing with antagonistic people on the internet. She was treated like dirt by her owners, ignored, given no love or affection and thrown cans of dog food which she had to get her nose into to get the food. She was not 'well cared for' and ultimately she has been left by her owners for 4 days with no food and water.

Thanks to everyone else 👍

OP posts:
Original poster
ohbigdaddio · 17/03/2018 15:26

And no, she wasn't microchipped...the RSPCA officer scanned her while he was in our house.

OP posts:
Haffdonga · 17/03/2018 15:27

What the OP has done is protect the neighbours from potential charges of cruelty. They can now happily acquire more animals and keep them in the same inhumane way.

The dog's life was not at risk. It was being fed and watered and one more day in the garden where the dog has lived all its life as opposed to 2 extra weeks in a cage plus the removal of evidence of the crime the neighbour was committing and breaking the law herself was in nobody's best interest, let alone this dog or any future dogs belonging to those people.

Original poster
ohbigdaddio · 17/03/2018 15:29

Also her legs and body were soaking wet after being out in this awful weather!

OP posts:
Lovesagin · 17/03/2018 15:32

Actual lol at the thought of the police not catching them, but oh yes, the RSPCA, they will surely and make sure they can't keep a pet and TOTALLY reinforce that.

Haffdonga · 17/03/2018 15:33

But the most heartbreaking thing is that as a result of your actions the RSPCA will now have to give the dog back to those owners if they ask about it .

24 hours longer and they would have lost all their rights to it. Sad

LaurieFairyCake · 17/03/2018 15:36

They’re not coming back for the dog ffs

They left it for 4 days, the time could easily have passed already earlier in the week

They’re not going to magically wake up, decide to not be ON THE RUN FROM THE ROZZERS, nip round their old house and notice the dog is gone. And then start calling rescue centres.

ShiftyMcGifty · 17/03/2018 15:45

Lauriecake, just because you say it, doesn’t make it true. I’m not berating the OP but it’s ridiculous to suggest it was legal. And it’s precisely why they now have to keep the dog for 2 weeks and return it to the owners instead of retrieving it on Monday and telling the owners they have evidence to prosecute them.

ShiftyMcGifty · 17/03/2018 15:47

Return it if the owners claim it back, obviously. They will now need to put a note to notify them too. Angry. Just hope they don’t return

LaurieFairyCake · 17/03/2018 15:47

It’s true because the rspca have removed it - it’s really that simple

The rspca are not in the business of not removing dogs legally, they can’t afford it

userxx · 17/03/2018 15:48

So glad she will be safe and warm tonight. Well done op, I don't care that it wasn't legal. Let's hope her new family spoil her rotten.

ShiftyMcGifty · 17/03/2018 15:49

Just out of curiosity OP, why did you phone them instead of just sheltering the dog for the weekend and then putting it back on Monday morning for the RSPCA to officially rescue?

ShortandAnnoying · 17/03/2018 16:03

These rules are stupid. Surely they can tell if the owners have returned to the house whether the dog is there or not? They could have removed the dog and monitored the property. I think the rules should be changed to allow this. And much stricter rules on dogs being kept outside so that the dog can be removed straight away if it does not have a suitable shelter.
I think the OP was morally right here even if not legally.
As for the dog I'm sure a sweet natured, pretty little dog like that will quickly find a home.

MsMalcontent · 17/03/2018 16:28

Well done OP, hope the sweet little thing has a happy new life.

marchonto2018 · 17/03/2018 16:46

@ShiftyMcGifty op has house cats so couldn't

mydogisthebest · 17/03/2018 17:23

I applaud the OP for rescuing the dog. A poster says "the dog has been fed and watered for the 4 days". YES BY THE OP! As far as the actual owner is concerned their dog has had no food or water for 4 days and has been out in the cold and wet.

I too would have taken the dog inside. I wish I could get the dog next door and bring it into the warm and find him a nice new home with someone who actually cared about him.

I don't know whether the posters who think the OP is in the wrong don't like dogs much or are just argumentative.

RandomMess · 17/03/2018 18:07

So glad you managed op, I get why RSPCA have procedures but it is bitterly cold again and I would have been so worried Sad

ShiftyMcGifty · 17/03/2018 18:18

“It’s true because the rspca have removed it - it’s really that simple”

No, they didn’t! That’s the bloody point with the tape on the door as proof! The OP’s husband removed the dog by climbing their wall and trespassing on their property. Then they handed the technically “stolen” dog to them.

honeyroar · 17/03/2018 18:24

I agree with ShortandAnnoying, they could have seen that the door seal hadn't been opened whether the dog was there or not, or put a note through the door "dog removed for safety, please contact us within five days to collect". It's not necessary for the dog to remain suffering to establish that the owners haven't been back.

And as if this bloke on the run from the police is going to give a stuff whether he gets a cruelty conviction or not! He doesn't sound like a law abiding type.

ScreamingValenta · 17/03/2018 18:32

I would have done the same as you, OP. How touching that she was desperate for affection and trusting of you even though she'd known nothing but callousness from her previous owners.

Oops4 · 17/03/2018 19:08

I don't think anyone is suggesting that OP didn't do the right thing morally, or that the neighbour is likely to come back, but legally it would have been better to wait.

As hard as it is to watch, there are procedures for a reason. I was once on the receiving end of a complaint to the rspca by a meddling neighbour who disagreed with my cat being allowed out. She had a house full of fat house cats and was appalled at how thin (fit) my cat was and that she spent considerable time out in the rain (entirely her choice). We bought a new house and went to considerable expense to have a months overlap so we wouldn't have to move the cat during the initial work in the new house. The neighbour knew we hadn't moved yet, we were back at the house every day and someone spent each night there, albeit often getting back late, so the cat wasn't alone. She reported us to the RSPCA for "planning" to abandon our cat. I felt sick, and furious, when they knocked on the door to investigate if we were caring for our much loved animal correctly (they left within minutes when they saw her). Unfortunately much of animal care comes down to opinion. My neighbour obviously didn't agree with how I care for my cat, but then I don't agree with how she cares for hers. The procedures are there partly to stop well intentioned people taking other people's animals because they have a different opinion on how they should be cared for and also so if an animal does genuinely have to be removed it can be done in a way that means the owner cannot get it back.

I agree the owner seems very unlikely to come back and I'm not sure I could have watched it there for for days either, but if he does come back the owner has every legal right to get his dog back.

juneau · 17/03/2018 19:15

Well done OP - you did the right thing IMO. I've just been outside and it's -2.5 degrees and a blizzard. The thought of that poor dog outside in that Sad Bugger the owners and also bugger the law. The law is an ass on occasion.