Just needing to vent and ask for suggestions
I have been suffering from various respiratory issues since October and will be woken up out of my sleep with a spastic coughing attack, in order to stop the coughing I have to get up and get a drink of water to stop it. Kody of course thinks he has to assist me by leaning into me every step I take  . Anyway I got my water and Kody took off into the family room, suddenly he started going absolutely nuts and trying to get out the back door,as I walked in the room to see what was going on I could hear a dog barking. I looked at the clock to see the time was 2:40am.
I walked to the door and with the moonlight reflecting off of the snow I could see "Bear" the neighbors dog standing outside on the steps looking into their house and barking. I let Kody out thinking he needed to go to the bathroom...instead he rushed over to the fence and started barking as well. With the noise Kody was making "Baby" their other dog came running from around the back of the garage and joined in with all the noise. I looked at the house and noticed that there were no lights on anywhere, they had forgotten again to take the dogs in for the night  .
Kody stood with his back to the fence cocking his head and looking at me as if to say "Help them Mom"! I stood there for a few minutes watching and kept hitting the door when they stopped barking so that they would start again. All in the hopes that the neighbors hear the noise, wake up and let the dogs inside. Their bedroom window is at the back corner of the house next to my fence so I figured it would wake them up. Nothing! At 2:50am I picked up the phone and called the non-emergency number for the police and explained to them that it was 7 degrees outside and the neighbors dogs were outside with NO shelter, it was snowing and there were no dry spots for them to even lay down. They said they would send an officer out to see what was going on. By the time the officer got there the dogs were quietly sitting by the fence looking at me, I believe they thought I would be getting them a biscuit, so I had to walk out of their sight to get them going again. After about 5 minutes I watched the dogs fly across the back yard to the door and go inside. I know to some this may seem like I over reacted but when I give you a little more background you may change your mind. My new neighbors moved in around mid April 2009 and are renting the house from the previous neighbors daughter so I have been in touch with her several times regarding a few issues. First off they did not put out a dog house or any kind of shelter for the dogs, (they were told by the owner that they could since they pay extra to have them) they keep them in the garage at night. That's fine and good but there is only one tree in the backyard and it's not enough shelter when they are left out there during the day in the rain, heat etc. We NEVER see them come out and play with the dogs, they let them out in the morning and put them in the garage late at night...sometimes 10p or later, sometimes forgetting them all together. The dogs try to squeeze up against the house underneath the little soffitt overhang when it's raining because the wife doesn't bring them in...the husband does if he's home, but never her. I had to go over and talk to them about the Flea infestation... to which she actually told me that the female (Baby) doesn't get fleas, but they "Treat" them for fleas anyway  .
In the same breath the husband said that they had put flea collars on them but that they had no idea where they went. HELLO...if the collars are not on and the yard, nor the garage where they sleep is being treated how do they think they have no fleas, especially when they sit and dig and scratch all day! So all summer I had to treat our yard, put Frontline on Kody and my inside cats as well as take Kody to the vet for shots and give him Benadryl due to his allergies of flea bites...and every time he went out back he would get more jumping on him from their side of the fence or the dogs themselves. I called our local SPCA and they told me that if they were keeping the dogs in the garage at night (shelter) and there was a tree to get in the shade, and they had at least water during the day and did not look under nourished they wouldn't do anything. WTH?? The poor dogs are deprived of human companionship, are being eaten alive by fleas and god only knows they probably have worms from them, and they forget to bring them in from the bitter cold. When I talked to the husband in the summer I asked him about the dogs, he said they were brother and sister, about 7 years old, used to be house dogs until they had their oldest boy...at which time they were banished from the house to the garage and basically out of their lives! So what do you do?? Steal them and find them new homes? Both dogs are really sweet and friendly... I jumped the fence a couple times this spring and summer to brush them because they were shedding in clumps and getting mats. I give them dog biscuits every day, they have a spot worn on the fence line where they sit and wait for me to come out to pet, and talk to them. The male (Bear) looks so sad all the time. I even called my vet about what I could do for them and the fleas...she said there was a pill that I could get that would kill anything that was on them for 18 hours, but that won't do any good if their bedding inside the garage isn't treated. (And with my luck the dogs would have probably had a reaction to the meds and gotten sick)! I offered to have their yard treated, they said no because of the kids. Ok, that's understandable, but the kids never go out back and they never replaced the missing flea collars! Sorry this went on so long, I'm just very upset and frustrated, I don't understand why people get pets and then don't take care of them. Any ideas or suggestions would be great! |
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| That would frustrate me no end, and I can see it is doing the same to you.
I'm sorry, I have no suggestions for you. |
Can a rescue step in? The ASPCA thinks its okay to keep the dogs in the garage? Call them when they ar out in the rain and when they are so matted...Boy, that pisses me off  |
| Do they have tags on their collars to indicate they are up to date on rabies vaccine? Also in our area we have to have our dogs licensed. You could check with the local health department to see if they are up to date on rabies. I'm not sure who you would contact in your area as far as dog licenses. Our's comes from the county treasurer.
That may give your humane society an additional clue that these dogs are neglected. |
| You know the dogs are legally being cared for. Instead of pulling in the authorities and further pi$$ing off the owners, any possibility the communication channels are open enough to try to educate?
As for those proposing calling the rescue (who has no legal standing anywhere) or the authorities - who overstep their legal authority ALL the time, I hope none of your neighbor's ever take offense at something you do and think they know better. This is a very slippery slope. |
| And to add to what Kerry said, stealing them is not a good option. No matter what your intentions it's still theft and you can (and rightly so) be held criminally liable. Hopping over the fence to groom them is trespassing. You don't need that kind of trouble and think about how you'd feel if somebody didn't like the way you kept your dog, hopped into your yard periodically, finally decided you're beyond redemption and so stole him?
I know, I know, you're not the one leaving your dog out in all kinds of weather at all hours or who booted him to the garage once you had kids. Makes my blood boil too. But there's got to be a way of dealing with this that won't expose you to criminal liability. How about having some nice calm chats with them, not even directly about their dogs, just being friendly, talking about your dog maybe and if they give you an opening (can't really care for their dogs the way they used to) can you casually plant the idea of them rehoming them or considering surrendering them to a rescue? It doesn't sound like there's any great attachment so maybe they'd be relieved to know they may have options? Just a thought. Kristine |
| oh man that would frustrate the hec out of me! poor guys. Just don't understand how people can do that to dogs. It makes me crazy to think about it. There are stories like that everywhere. What is wrong with people! |
| Our neighbors are probably related! We have a neighbor who behaves similarly. They leave their dogs out ALL THE TIME. Snow, rain, wind, heat, anything. Their fence is not that secure. The latches don't lock properly and one side of the fence was hit by an SUV. It's bent and one of the dogs has hopped the fence on more than one occasion. Their solution? Put a bar through the corner and chain one of the dogs to a tree.
I wish there was more than we could do. They never play with the dogs or give them any attention. They do have two large trees for shade and a bucket for water, beyond that, nothing. |
| Thanks for the responses and suggestions...
I have spoken with the neighbors on several occasions and not just over the dogs. The husband is very friendly and I believe he is the one who wants to keep the dogs, he acts like it makes him sad that they don't get enough attention...but he said his wife has her hands full with the kids (a son in kindergarten and a 14 month old son) and he works a lot in the summer because he works construction/roofing. I did tell him that I have jumped the fence to brush them out, he said that was fine with him...he sheepishly said that I could do it any time I wanted to because they like the attention! I asked him if there was anything I could do to help and even suggested walking them...he said he would prefer not, explaining that they did not do well walking on a leash because they did not get them used to it when they were little. I did not push the subject because I don't want to alienate them to where they wouldn't let me do anything at all with them. I even asked if it was ok for the biscuits before I started giving them to them. I also asked if they had thought about rehoming them...I was told that things would get better when the kids were old enough to play with them. I don't see this happening in their lifetime since I have had to talk to them about the older son smacking / chasing them with a stick right after they first moved in. The dogs would growl at him after that so instead of addressing the situation they now keep the dogs in the garage if he's out back playing. We do have to have dog license here as well...there isn't anything on Bear's collar and Baby has somehow lost her collar...so I don't know if they are licensed. Yes, I did say something about stealing them...but I was just venting and did not seriously have any plans to do so. I would continue to contact the authorities/Humane society or try other avenues over stealing them. I am going to go over again today when they get home and ask them if they had noticed anything different or out of the ordinary with Bear lately...when I was out today they came over to the fence, Bear jumped up on the fence where I could actually reach more than just his head and while I was petting him I noticed that you can feel every single vertebrae in his spine as well as his ribs, his mid section is extremely sunken in. He sits and shakes and I'm not sure if it is from the cold and lack of meat on his bones or something else. I'm absolutely sure he had more weight on him a month ago on my last venture across the fence. Don't worry...I'm not going to accuse them of neglect or anything. I do know they feed them, I just think that since they don't spend any time with them they may not have noticed a problem. He may be sick or since the change in environment for the winter and being fed in the garage Baby may be the one getting all the food...she is the aggressive one and I've watched her run Bear away from his food dish when she was done with hers. Anyway I'm going to play nice and offer to help if they need it. "Thanks to all for the advice or suggestions and I'm sorry that I got a few of you riled up...I really was not judging them, just frustrated on what I've witnessed over the last year after all my offering to help! |
| How terribly sad. Are the dogs any identifiable breed? If so, could you suggest a breed rescue to the guy so that they would have a chance of a better life. |
| They are mixed...but the female looks like she has possibly Australian Cattle dog in her, the only reason I say this is because she has some of the speckle coloring and body structure...but they are mostly a brownish red with black markings she has white as well. Bear has no speckle at all (they are brother and sister in case I didn't mention that before) and is only brownish red/ black. |
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