What would you do?

[suziesue45]

One of my friends has a young female dog who stays in a cage in the house while my friend is at work. My friend works 12 hour shifts and has no one to let the dog out, check on her or feed her during the day. I've spoken to him about this and he told me he cannot afford to pay for someone to go and walk to dog (even though he's doing 12 hour shifts) and he cannot get rid of her (even though she has no life and he barely sees her) Last time she went for a proper walk was 4 weeks ago when I took her because I felt so sorry for her being locked up all day. She has no food or water in her cage, just a few toys and she gets treats. I don't know how else to approach this with him and he went mad at me last time I brought the subject up with him. Any ideas what I can do as its killing me knowing she's locked up for so many hours a day.

Please report this to the rspca. That poor dog with be suffering so badly. There are so many things wrong with this scenario I don't even know where to begin so just REPORT please for the sake of the poor animal

The rspca won’t be interested. It’s not illegal to cage or not walk a dog. Can you suggest the site ‘borrow my doggy’ op? There may be someone local on there who’ll walk the dog.

I'm not sure the RSPCA will take this seriously as she is a healthy dog just locked up for long hours and has no access to food or water during those hours and they are only interested in sick or injured animals, neither of which she is.

I couldn't be friends with anyone who treated a dog like that.

@FrannySalinger
I'm very close to not been friends with him, this is very much the last straw.

No water for 12 hours is what the RSPCA will take notice of. Please report don’t do nothing.

How awful for the poor dog. It must be so mentally and physically distressed.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf

Maybe you could give him this information. I haven't read through fully, but there are certainly elements he isn't adhering to.
I would call the rspca anyway. What's the worst that could happen?
No water for 12 hours??

@purpleboy
I can try to get him to read it but he always "knows better" than anyone else and hates been told he is wrong, hence why I'm about to walk away from him.

I'm currently on hold to the RSPCA due to the no water or food for the time she's locked in her cage I'm hoping they take some notice.

That is appalling. I hope the RSPCA can act.

I've just got off the phone to the RSPCA and because the dog isn't neglected and seems healthy enough there's nothing they can do.

I live in Devon so I'm hoping there are some local charities or other agencies that could enforce something on him to get the dog looked after.

Well done for trying them anyway, it's just shocking that an animal can be kept in those circumstances and it's not classed as abuse, poor little mite.

Why does he have the dog if he isn't prepared to walk her etc..?
How long has he had her?

He's had her a few years but this is just a recent development, last few months or so. The dog belongs to his ex but they broke up and his ex moved back with her parents who live on a farm so she couldn't take the dog with her.

who live on a farm so she couldn't take the dog with her
Dogs live on farms all over the world. Not just working dogs, also pets. This sounds like two people making feeble excuses for not looking after a dog. I have no idea what to suggest, other than persuade him to surrender the dog to someone who might actually care for it.

I don't understand why living on a farm would be a problem.

I know the RSPCA are really slow to act unfortunately. 12 hours with nothing that poor dog

I would offer to have the dog. Then sort anything else out after. Then you can re home ur self. Poor thing.

Does the ex know this is how the dog is being kept?
It is cruel even if not illegal.
He really should surrender it for rehoming if this is going to continue indefinitely.