How to respond to my neighbours snotty letter?

[Cloudygreydaysahead]

They got a puppy at the start of lockdown. The poor thing is out in the garden alone in all weathers with only a towel and some water until recently when they made a small kennel. It cries all hours of the day from 6-7am onwards. Our main concern is the puppies welfare as it’s clearly distressed. My husband went round the other morning as we wanted to be upfront and just asked to make sure they didn’t leave the dog out for extended periods of time and it is waking us and our children up. They apologised then this morning we received this. They clearly like letters as they also wrote us an anonymous letter about some of our recycling blowing onto the street but we have ring doorbell and saw it was them!
What do I do from here? Leave it? Reply via a letter seen as that’s the way he likes to speak clearly?

[lynsey91]

I also think its a good idea for him to be taken and rehomed. Even if the RSPCA were interested they are likely to take a while to do anything.

You say the pup is in the garage or conservatory overnight so is it getting any human contact? That is awful for any dog but a puppy needs training. Also puppies need to be fed several times a day. How can they be doing that if they are not there?

It makes me so sad. The poor puppy must be so distressed. He has been taken from his mother and siblings and left alone with no love, no playing etc.

Please please get someone to take him and rehome him.

[Cloudygreydaysahead]

@HappyHammy that link is really helpful, thank you. I wonder if that’s what he’s shitting himself about.. that we would complain and he would get fined. It never even entered my head to have them fined, I just want the poor dog to be cared for and not shoved outside all its life as it’s not fair on anyone!
Thank you all for your replies x

[sunshinesupermum]

Please report them to RSPCA. My heart bleeds for that poor pup.

[Flittingabout]

I think it is illegal yep because they are not in a public area.

[Vodkacranberryplease]

Go on OP just do it. Poor wee thing. You would be saving its life and they have said they are out all day!!

[Cloudygreydaysahead]

I also liked @googledontknow’s suggestion! I thought I was going to be told I was in the wrong at first but then read the second paragraph.. brilliant! I think he’s a mix breed, he’s like a cocker spaniel size but doesn’t have a coat like a spaniel. Bonny little thing. Thank you all x

[Coyoacan]

I must admit I like googledontknow's suggestion.

Don't allow the problem with your neighbours to escalate because nobody wins a war with their neighbours.

Apologise insincerely and then a few weeks later either report them to the right authorities anonymously or steal the dog.

[okiedokieme]

Contact the rspca - they can offer advice, education and ultimately rehome (don't think it warrants that)

[Sitdowncupoftea]

what type of dog / puppy is it. Not all dogs are outdoor dogs. I would be reporting them to the environmental health department of the council. Puppies need training and cared for not just left alone outside. Report them to dogs trust as RSPCA are useless.

[SkinRash]

The poor dog needs rescuing from that awful existence. Dogs go missing from gardens all the time

[HappyHammy]

www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/info/432/dog_warden_service/262/complaining_about_barking_dogs

[User56781234]

I agree with PP, the gobbledegook letter is a diversion tactic away from their treatment of their dog which is the issue you're concerned about. The letter's purpose is to confuse and frighten you and make you question your actions.

Here's the Government and Information Commissioner's guidance on the use of domestic CCTV.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property/domestic-cctv-using-cctv-systems-on-your-property

ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-being-filmed/

[SlothMama]

@crosseyedMary

high energy breeds. They bark all day long
We need better legislation to deal with people who keep unsuitable pets to the detriment of their neighbours!

I totally agree, it's completely unfair to the animals. The current ruling of food, water and shelter isn't enough. Dogs shouldn't be left all day to be bored out of their minds so that they end up barking. It's no life for them and it's cruel.

[HappyHammy]

It's a bizarre letter and I wouldnt assume they have any legal knowledge at all. What is the solid structure they have built for themselves. By claiming they have built a dog house, fence etc.they admit the pup is outside and hope it will sit in his kennel. Theres no mention of the pups welfare, just a load of rambling nonsense about a noise assessment. I wonder if they have had issues with something like planning permission before. With filming, can you see anything now, is pup still crying. Maybe the RSPCA, dog warden , environmental health or dogs trust can advise you, it wouldnt hurt to ask.

[crosseyedMary]

high energy breeds. They bark all day long
We need better legislation to deal with people who keep unsuitable pets to the detriment of their neighbours!

[crosseyedMary]

He has taken a lot of trouble to seem lawyerly in order to intimidate you and make you go away
I wonder why he's so defensive I wonder what else he is hiding, after all if he can treat a puppy like that what else is he capable of?
I would avoid locking horns with him, I would go quiet watch and wait.

[SlothMama]

They sound really selfish, a dog barking throughout the day is very annoying. It's also so unfair to the dog, my neighbours built an outdoor run and keep 2 high energy breed dogs there. They bark all day long and it's very frustrating as I'm WFH!

[Cloudygreydaysahead]

Is it legal to film someone’s property for evidence? As seen as he seems to think he knows the law inside out I’m worried if we say we do have evidence he’ll come back saying we broke the law by filming and taking photographs?

[googledontknow]

I would go round and apologise - say you were out of line and their letter made you realise that you are rude and interfering. Please can they forgive you for being such a dick? Don't lay it on too thick, but just say can we forget this and just move on?

Then one day in a few weeks when neighbours are at work remove the puppy from the garden.

Have a friend/relative lined up to immediately smuggle it to another area/county and get it rehomed.

I haven't RTWT but have got the flavour of your neighbours, the RSPCA won't give a shit, fair enough.
There is no other way this poor dog will have a decent, let alone, good life unless you intervene.

Yesterday due to a small family emergency I had to ask a friend of a friend to look after my dog for a couple of nights. (I was 300 miles away from my own home with work, with my dog - so didn't have my usual dog sitting friends to ask).
The care and love my dog received was amazing, my dog is lovely and I knew they would be fine - dog is an ex-rescue who lived on the street for most of her life before I had her, so I'm a bit protective of her feeling safe.
I needn't have worried, the lady took her for lots of walks, played ball with her all day long, had her sleep in bed with her - (I warned the lady that my dog has to sleep in the same room as she gets separation anxiety at night) - my dog reportedly slept in the lady's bed with her head on the pillow! Dog doesn't do that at home!

So there are such wonderful loving dog owners out there - I personally couldn't bare to see a puppy/dog living with such callous owners. Dogs, like people & children need company. I'm not a sloppy dog owner, mine doesn't get dressed up or called my 'fur-baby' etc, but I can't abide cruelty.

I would consider removing that puppy to a good home a small heroic act that makes the world a slightly better place - and a fantastic place for that dog.

Yes they might go out and replace puppy with another, but there's a good chance that they won't. I'd take the gamble.

[TeddyIsaHe]

He is utterly batshit 😂

[Cloudygreydaysahead]

Just noticed he’d kindly gone to the effort of highlighting this

[Cloudygreydaysahead]

Thank you everyone. It’s made me feel more reassured that it’s him that’s bat shit crazy and not us that has been unreasonable! Unless he’s been a lawyer in another life at the moment he works for a local agricultural pet food company at the moment! I don’t understand why he felt the need to throw all this legal jargon at us when we simply and politely asked them just to pay a bit more attention to their poor puppy. I would be mortified if the shoe was on the other foot.. not writing letters. If we were talking about music playing I would understand it, but this is about a living thing. They have shut it down the side of their house so we can’t see it now which is the complete opposite really of what we were asking so now not only is it still alone, it has even less room than it did before.

[dontdisturbmenow]

it’s usually outside from 6am-8pm. I think they shut it in either the garage or conservatory at night
This is the only part that matters. The letter seems to imply that it is not the case and that they are only at times both out.

So either they let the dog out for say 10mns every hour, when they are in, and then for a couple of hours after times a week, which would be acceptable. Or they really leave the dog alone for 14h a day which clearly would be dog cruelty.

I expect it is something in between that. Recording the barking is the best thing to do. Their wording sounds like they have legal experience or pretend they do!

[Coyoacan]

I'm sorry OP, no advice reading that letter makes me think of a John Cleese-type character asking his wife if she would like to have sex.

[AlviesMam]

What a dick!
Report them!
Poor puppy! - you get a dog to look after and treat properly not to shot it outside all day. Poor thing must be terrified. Please report this! I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing it's alone every day. The barking ontop of that is also just inconsiderate whether it's below noise levels or not, he should have some respect for his neighbours!