What can I do about neglected dog next door?

Our neighbour keeps his dog in a shed at the bottom of his garden. We have never seen him take it for a walk. It barks and howls intermittently day and night, bangs itself against the gate and chews on the lock.



My husband has spoken to theneighbour several times but he just makes promises he doesn't keep. Other neighbours have spoken to him as well with no results.



Eventually we called the RSPCA but they did nothing either. We have called them numerous times but things are just the same.



My husband went down to see the dog and she does appear to be fed and cleaned sometimes but we have never seen her let out in months.



My daughter is particularly distressed as her bedroom window faces the shed and she has to look at the dogs misery.



Today my husband went round again and the man said the dog made a fuss because she is highly strung! My husband asked if we could let him out in the day but he said no.



Does anyone have any ideas on what we could do?

What can I do about neglected dog next door?
Unfortunately your neighbor doesn't meet the standard for neglect and/or abuse.



However, consider that he may just love that dog in his own passive way and not want to part with her. Some people love their dogs and spoil them like children. Others love their dogs but feel there is a 'place' for them and it's in not in the house.

Putting pressure on him will probably only backfire, so it's a last resort.



Since it's the Holiday season, why not take your daughter out and get the dog a gift --- a box of biscuits, a frisbee, a leash (hint hint!), and make the owner a batch of cookies. Your daughter could make a nice card and present it to the owner %26amp; dog. Maybe showing him that you're interested in being a neighbor to him as well as his dog, would melt that ice a little %26amp; he'd reconsider allowing visits with the dog.

If not, then at least your daughter can feel good about doing the right thing. You and your husband will just have to decide if you need to go further.

You mentioned calling the RSPCA . Did they check as to whether he has the dog up to date on vaccinations and license? If not, it may be an issue worth bringing up...he might rather rehome the dog than spend money on it.



Perhaps other neighbors would be willing to join you in getting him to make some changes or rehome his dog. Do you have a Homeowners Association?



Lastly, the barking may also be a nuisance issue that you can get the police involved in.

Cheers to you for wanting to help an animal in need! Just be careful and reasonable in your attempts to do so.



PLEASE DON'T CALL PETA.

(Google : Peta Kills Animals.com)

PetaKillsAnimals.com
Reply:Most animal controls won't do anything if the animal is kept in suitable living conditions with food and water. I agree with the first poster. Ask if they are willing to give the dog up.......
Reply:If the dog has adequate shelter, food and water then there is nothing, legally, you can do about the dog's situation.



There is nothing, in law, that says someone can't keep a dog in a shed.



There are usually, however, local noise abatement laws. You could talk to your local council and find out if you could have your neighbour prosecuted for the howling and barking.
Reply:Contact the animal welfare charity in your area and the police. This is illegal maltreatment of the dog. It makes me so angry.
Reply:call the police wildlife officer not 999 just call your local police station and ask to speak to the wildlife officer
Reply:Unfortunately, depending on where you live, the law states that the dog must only have food, shelter, and water. If there is no abuse, the police may not be able to help.



You can call to report the noise the animal makes, but that might make the neighbor take out his anger on his already neglected dog.



If all else fails, offer to purchase the dog.
Reply:Just ring the RSPCA
Reply:The only thing you could probably do would be regarding the noise ordinance in your town for the barking. We were in almost the same situation a few years back, the humane society said they could not do anything if the dog had food and water and somewhere for cover and if the rope or chain was a certain length.



These people did not once in the three years we lived there let the dog off of it's chain, I felt really bad for the poor thing, why have a dog if you aren't even going to pay attention to it?
Reply:I Would Call The Police And See What They Think About The RSPCA Not doing anything about it RSPCA is like animal police working with the goverment and if they are not doing there job u might want to see if the police could do it because this dog will end up dying if this man does not feed his dog and then there will be more depression for your daughter
Reply:call the police and they send your local animal team over imideitly but say you want your name to annonoomous lol and that owner IS GOING DOWNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Reply:you can call your local spca they handle cruelty cases
Reply:If you want action, contact your local PETA Rep.!
Reply:This sort of thing really gets to me.



Also regarding the RSPCA the amount of campaigning they do and constantly insist with us, yet they cannot take a genuine phone call - it is ridiculous.



Phone the local police if need be, and they with be asble to deal with a dog handler who will obviously have better links to the RSPCA for example. Same as kennels and shelters, they will have more direct contact for these situations.
Reply:see if you can buy the dog off your neighbor and if you cant call the rspca back and try to reason with them that what your neighbor is doing to their dog is not right. but whatever you do don't call peta because the only thing they will do is try to destroy the dog because all it seems like they care about is high news coverage events and all the other animals can suffer
Reply:Phone the RSPCA again, tell them you have made numerous complaints and nothing has been done. It's time to get tough!! Tell them unless they respond you will contact the media as the dog is so obviously in distress and they are the ones who are supposed to do something about it. Don't be fobbed off by them, if they don't do anything in a few days ring again and keep on until they do. Get your other neighbours to phone too if you can, the more complaints they get the more likely they are to react. At the same time contact the council about the noise, tell them you are concerned about the hygiene of the shed too as there is a terrible smell coming from it (there may not be but it might get them moving). If the council get in to see the shed and make sure it is clean they will also get a look at the dog and can take action too.

Good luck

ps as you mention the RSPCA I take it you are in the UK and so under the new animal welfare act providing food and shelter is not enough so that is not an excuse for the RSPCA not to act.
Reply:This is sort of a ridculous answer, but would you be willing to buy the dog off of her?
Reply:ask your neighbor if you can just have the dog. i know you care about this animal or you would not be on here. or do what i did, i walked to my neighbors house, told him i was taking his dog, and that was that. he said okay, and could not understand why he was still alive. he had not fed the dog in 2 months, i was feeding him. some people just don't deserve the loyalty of a dog.
Reply:I would keep calling the humane society. eventually maybe they will get tired of hearing the complaints and do something.
Reply:Okay, stop right here, and pickup the phone to the local Humane Society, they will not tell who called them, inform them of the cruelty to the dog, not ever being let out, and they will send an investigator to get the dog out and check it, sounds like really bad abuse...you cannot let that dog suffer any longer by doing nothing....please call them now.....the dog may be underfed and no light ever, may have eye problems......do not wait, call now....
Reply:I have to agree with the first answer. The owner clearly doesn't care about the dog so if it were me personally I would offer some money to buy the dog off of them (I doubt it would take much). I wouldn't nessesarily keep the dog after that, just help it with socialization and then rehome it to a good home that won't be so mean and neglectful.

Otherwise there really is nothing you can do.
Reply:I find it hard to believe that the RSPCA have done nothing.Be more persistant.
Reply:this poor dog have you tried any of the other humane societies as this dog may be fed and cleaned but has no quality of life or as above postings could you or maybe someone else home this dog if you can convince your neighbour to part with it this is cruelty at its worst because he is being allowed to get away with it maybe try the dog warden at your local council offices they may be able to advise you
Reply:Situations like this are very disturbing to some children. I know you have discussed this with your neighbor, but maybe try explaining it to him as a parenting issue, rather than an issue of neglect (his reluctance probably comes from feeling guilty and maybe a little embarrassed about the situation).



Try explaining to the neighbor that your daughter just doesn't see the situation the way he does...reaffirm that you KNOW the dog is being cared for (even if it is not, say this to try to help sway him), but that your daughter believes that the dog needs a friend and more attention. Explain that your daughter does not understand the concept of "outdoor dogs" (I don't either, but that's another story), and that you'd LOVE it if they would allow her to help care for the dog (walks, play, maybe giving some toys or treats). Lie all you have to...tell them she is having nightmares-whatever works. Perhaps he'll let you and your daugher take a role in the dog's life, and make the poor creature's life a little better. It's difficult to get animal control to help when their hands might be tied due to local laws, and it's hard to have a bad relationship with neighbors. Maybe convincing him that he is doing YOU a favor would help sway his opinion on the matter. I hope you are able to create some good out of this sad situation, the world could use more concerned people like you.
Reply:if you could call the rspca one more time and get to talk to them in person. explain how the dog is consistantly barking and the owner does nothing about it. ask them to search the dog for any sign of fleas, worms, or anything else that could be harmful to the dog.
Reply:i am quite shocked at the fact the rspca haven't done anything. the dog might not be physically abused and may always have food and water. but if it is banging itself against the gate and chewing the lock then it is obviously distressed. i would take legal action against the rspca and the owner. the rspca are there to help all types of cases, including distressed animals. they wouldn't leave a stray animal on the streets distressed. if you take the dog it could all turn around on you and you could be the one facing a charge, if not a sentence. talk to your neighbour and see if you can come up to some sort of agreement that meets both of your needs. if that fails, talk to the rspca again and explain to them that you will take them to court if they don't act immediately as the dog is clearly distressed. also, before that you could try the police as others have said.
Reply:Not much you can do other than try to convince the neighbors to give the dog to someone else. If they are not abusing the dog, or neglecting it (meaning not giving it adequate food/water/shelter, not simply ignoring it) then you have no legal options realistically.
Reply:i agree with the first answer, ask if you can buy the dog off the owner
Reply:call the cops right know and report animal crulty and they shouls come out or just but the dog off of them and if that doesnt work i had the same problem and i called the cops and they came out and they still didnt do anything about it the i told them i would but the dog and they said no so i stole it they left the dog outside in the winter no dog house and the dogs ear where frozzen and we took the dog and they called the cops and they went to jail for animal crulty ( youu would have to take pics so you have a case over them
Reply:Call your local tv station and tell them the story. They love things like that and they may be able to get the ASCPA to do something. However, it sounds like the dog has adequate food, water and shelter and that may be why the SCPA can't do anything.
Reply:I agree with calling Peta. Sounds as though you're in the UK, so if the RSPCA didn't take action (I'm surprised by that) I would call or email Peta.

http://www.peta.org.uk/

Good luck with this, and I hope the dog finds a DECENT home soon
Reply:I'm surprised that yu or the neighbors haven't taken the dog.

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