dog left on it's own for days - what would you do?

alyth

I've swithered about posting this, but I'm going to do it and garner the thoughts of others. bear with me!

I live on a farm track 2 miles long - 6 houses. About 3 weeks ago a woman from two houses down comes to my house and asks me if I would mind looking after her dog when she was away. Stupidly I say yes.

Through a horrible lack of communication between her, me and her cleaner the dog was left on it's own for three days two weeks ago. I spent a lot of time with the dog, but I'm a mature student, I work part time and i have my own dog so I don't have a lot of spare time.

Cue to Monday night, she calls, asking whether I can look after the dog again - Wed to Fri. I went to her house at about 11.45 today, the dog is locked in what's obstensively her conservatory, so I let the dog out and go into the kitchen. The food for the dog is on the kitchen worktop - her email had said that she was leaving Wed am, I would have expected her to feed the dog before she left.

The dog is 14, deaf (which she didn't tell me, I thought it was dead the first time I went to the house) and she tells everyone that she wishes it was dead. it's a fantastic old dog, still got spirit about him, loves going for walks, gets on okay with my dog. However tonight I noticed that his claws are so long, they must be hurting him when he is walking.

from speaking to others in the village, it appears that she's been away since at least Friday, but didn't call me until Monday asking me to look after the dog on Wed. I don't even want to think about the fact that the dog has been on it's own for almost five days.

This is really stressing me out. When I go and see the dog, and I spend hours with him, all he does is sit and snuggle into me, it's absolutely heartbreaking. She's told everyone in the village that she just either wants him put down or to die. He's adorable, a black lab that deserves some compassion in the last few months of his life.

What do I do - do I report her? She's extremely forceful, you can't argue with the owner, but she doesn't care for the dog. I can't take him, despite having spent many hours wondering whether I could juggle having him. It breaks my heart, when I walked into her house today and saw him locked up and his food in sight but on a worktop I just burst into tears. God only knows how long he has been in that house.

Apologies for the long post and probably the ramblings, I'm really really upset by this.

Morganarla

Oh gosh that's made me well up as well.

This is a case of neglect. Please contact the RPSCA.

chris_n_tj

I really feel for you, I have a lump in my throat just reading this so how the hell you are coping with it is beyond me. What to do, now that is a tricky one. The RSPCA are less than usless, has this person any family nearby? Is ther eno one in the village that could take the poor dog?

One thing for sure when she does come back you need to give it to her both barrels blazing, try and shame her into doing something.

Sorry I cant be of more help to you.
Hugs Chris n TJ x

Tell her to ring the oldies club here`s the number 0844 586 8656. Or maybe you could give them a ring and ask their advice.

McKneff

I'm not a particular animal lover but you must report this neglect, i had a lump in my throat just reading it.

Please, please, think of ths animal, he's old, he derserves to live the rest of his life with a little dignity.

Ring the RSPCA, you dont have to have anythign more to do with this selfish wicked woman.

I despair, I really despair of some of the human race.

hethmar

The poor dog - Im surprised she bothers to ask you to help at all if she wishes him dead. Yes, I guess you should talk to the RSPCA but at his age, Im doubtful they will want to take him on. Its a terrible dilemma, I suppose you couldnt have him live with you?

alyth

but is it neglect - that's why I am getting so upset. She doesn't "mistreat" the dog, she just doesn't walk or nor care for it. All she wants is for it to die. I will gladly report her, I don't care whether she knows it is me who did it, but I'm just really pondering as to what do to.

Imagine leaving a food bowl on a work surface where the dog could see it - for god knows how many days. I know that is cruelty, but she is at home with the dog for long periods of time.

alyth

hethmar wrote: »

The poor dog - Im surprised she bothers to ask you to help at all if she wishes him dead. Yes, I guess you should talk to the RSPCA but at his age, Im doubtful they will want to take him on. Its a terrible dilemma, I suppose you couldnt have him live with you?

I've spent hours wondering whether I could take him on, he gets on okay with my dog (rottie) and we can go out walking together, but I'm loathe to take him away from his little cupboard and his beanbags and his comforting smells, if that makes sense. I brought him up to my house the last time I was looking after him and he wouldn't come into my house at all, he was happy just sniffing around the garden.

The owner is horrible, I dread to think what she does to him when it's just the two of them, by the fact that I can feel him relaxing against me when I sit and cuddle and stroke him, indicates that she's not exactly kind to him.

Morganarla

alyth wrote: »

but is it neglect - that's why I am getting so upset. She doesn't "mistreat" the dog, she just doesn't walk or nor care for it. All she wants is for it to die. I will gladly report her, I don't care whether she knows it is me who did it, but I'm just really pondering as to what do to.

Imagine leaving a food bowl on a work surface where the dog could see it - for god knows how many days. I know that is cruelty, but she is at home with the dog for long periods of time.

Of COURSE it's neglect! Leaving a dog alone for more than a few hours is neglecting its basic needs for starters.

Leaving the food out on the surface so it can be seen but not obtained for days on end - this is neglect.

I don't give a sh*t whether she just wants the dog to die - if that's the case she should find a vet willing to euthanize him painlessly in his old age, or surrender him to a rescue centre, instead of doing as little as possible for him so he dies without care!

This has truly broken my heart. I just want to go to wherever he is and bring him home with me.

alyth

chris_n_tj wrote: »

I really feel for you, I have a lump in my throat just reading this so how the hell you are coping with it is beyond me. What to do, now that is a tricky one. The RSPCA are less than usless, has this person any family nearby? Is ther eno one in the village that could take the poor dog?

One thing for sure when she does come back you need to give it to her both barrels blazing, try and shame her into doing something.

Sorry I cant be of more help to you.
Hugs Chris n TJ x

Tell her to ring the oldies club here`s the number 0844 586 8656. Or maybe you could give them a ring and ask their advice.

sorry Chris, just saw your post about the oldies club - a friend on facebook sent me their link a couple of hours ago so I'll contact them in the morning and see if they can help me.

alyth

Morganarla wrote: »

Of COURSE it's neglect! Leaving a dog alone for more than a few hours is neglecting its basic needs for starters.

Leaving the food out on the surface so it can be seen but not obtained for days on end - this is neglect.

I don't give a sh*t whether she just wants the dog to die - if that's the case she should find a vet willing to euthanize him painlessly in his old age, or surrender him to a rescue centre, instead of doing as little as possible for him so he dies without care!

This has truly broken my heart. I just want to go to wherever he is and bring him home with me.

you and me both - I have a uni class in the morning and have already gone down the road to make sure he was okay, albeit in jammies and walking boots! that's why I was hesitatant in posting this, I care, so much about that poor old boy who deserves some dignity in his last phase of life. it's awful, the last time I had to look after him I had literally no sleep for two days, I was up and down the road to check he was okay. I'm not complaining, far from it - I used to get up at at 4am to make sure he was still alive. my gripe is what do I do - do I report her???? I' not 100%R convinced that if I do report her she will be on a one track road to getting him put down, and he's not infirm, just deaf and old and desperate for some love and affection.

chris_n_tj

Get onto the oldies in the morning alyth and they will help i promise. They have a no PTS policy and I know first hand that they do stick to that rule.

Try and get a bit of sleep, and remember that wee soul knows you love it, it can tell. Thats why he relaxes with you.

God bless xxxxxx