Advice needed about RSPCA

lovelyday

Bit of a dilemma.

I feel I should be reporting a situation to the RSPCA but have been put off doing so by many people who claim that their policies are to put any animal over 7 years old to sleep, even if they have no health issues.

Here are the facts:

Dog is 9 years old yorkie terrier. Tiny little thing, with loving temperament, especially given the solitary existence she lives in.

Kept in a back yard, lives in a plastic kennel, size of kennel seems adequate.

They won't have her in the house as she is not house trained.

No bed or bedding in kennel (owners have been asked why and apparently the dog trashes any bedding it's given). I think any bed trashing would be the result of boredom. There is a piece of plywood which is raised off the kennel floor a couple of inches which she sleeps on. She has callouses on her legs.

Dog is not walked and has no access to grass, just concrete slabs
which are hosed down daily with disinfectant.

Dog seems to look underweight.

I read that this breed has no undercoat and I think she must be a tough little cookie to have survived this long, but I cry thinking of her existing like she does.

I have been told that she will be pts if the RSPCA get involved.

If the RSPCA go there and make them put a bed in there, I have the feeling once things have settled again they will just remove the bed and it will be back to square one and I won't be able to contact RSPCA to find out the outcome because I don't think they will tell you?

She is microchipped to them. They are the type of people who you can't reason with, they think she gets plenty of exercise running round in circles in the yard all day.

Almost crying typing this. The nights are getting colder and it breaks my heart. If anyone could advise I would be grateful.

And yes, before it's suggested, I did step in a few months ago to walk this dog free of charge so at least she had something to look forward to in life, hence I know the above facts are correct.

I could turn up morning, noon, night and the dog was always there. Never would turn up and she would be on a walk because as I said, they told me they don't need to walk her as she is running round in the yard all day.

I put blankets in her kennel. The next time I went there, they told me she had dragged them out onto the yard and they were in the way of them hosing it down, so they had thrown them away.

After three months, I was told they didn't want me going there anymore because they didn't like me being "back and to" there all the time. I said I'd go twice a week instead of four times but they said they don't want anyone going there.

She loved her walks and cuddles and treats. People used to think she was a puppy. She loved meeting other dogs and showed not an ounce of aggression towards other animals or humans.

I asked if they would let me have her but it was a flat no. Even offered to buy her but no luck. They said they really like her and wouldn't give or sell her to anyone else.

Missy_Spud

It sounds like you have tried your best do a lot for this dog, she obv needs a bed and a yorkie will easily catch cold if it freezes, im not sure if you contacted the rspca whether they would put her down, ive never heard of them doing that before, but could you say if the dog is taken away rather than you (rspca) putting her down im happy to give her a home? though you may then get a very big backlash from the people who have her now. The first port of call with rspca i think is they will come out have a look at the dog and say she needs regular feeding if underweight, needs a bed and somewhere warm to sleep, and give them a chance to sort it out, but like you say they could do it for a few weeks then take her bed from her again.

Im really not sure, its such a hard situation, hopefully someone who knows the rspca procedures will post soon xx

picklepick

Please call the RSPCA. They will make sure that she is given the correct care and bedding. They will do follow up checks to make sure that she is. If they cannot look after her she will be removed and rehomed. They dont put dogs over 7 down thats rubbish!
You can also call back and ask the outcome of their visit and im sure they will tell you.

Even if this poor little mite is unable to be rehomed and spends time in a kennel, thats gotta be better than spending her days out in the freezing cold alone.

Tulip

I have just read this and tears came into my eyes.Please get the help this dog so needs.

EmptyPockets

I've been in your situation recently, with a woman who lives close by. She has dogs who live outside in kennels, but they don't even get the luxury of being able to run around in the garden. They are in the kennels practically 24/7, they never get walked, but they are well-fed and friendly little dogs. The RSPCA have not been very helpful to be honest.

I would still recommend reporting the situation though - this little dog may not be being abused, but she is definitely being neglected, and she deserves better.

Please let us know what happens with her, poor little thing...

925dancer

I would report them but don't expect a great deal of help or progress with the RSPCA, they are essentially a very good propaganda machine but when it comes to the crunch they deal with very little.

It is also true they put a lot of older animals to sleep and they have recently changed their policy on taking strays. I could tell you a lot of very sad stories about just how unhelpful they can be and I would like to see a full review of their duties and responsibilities as they effectively police themselves. I know a lot of people who think they are currently not fit for purpose.

The angle I would possibly take is that the little dog is not receiving needed veterinary care (you said it has callouses?), they might respond to that more than a busy body moaning about a dog who is clean and sheltered. (I don't think you're a busy body in the slightest by the way!).

hethmar

I dont think a little yorkie would be pts by RSPCA, despite her age. Yorkies, small cute dogs in general are quickly found homes.

However, how much good they will be .................If the dog has shelter, food and water they are going to be hard pressed to move it away from the owners. As above, may be best to go from the lack of veterinary care (if that is so)

lovelyday

925dancer wrote: »

Ithey might respond to that more than a busy body moaning about a dog who is clean and sheltered. (I don't think you're a busy body in the slightest by the way!).

I know you don't think that at all, no worries. Just wanted to say that she wasn't very clean either, she has matted bits which I had to cut out when I last took her, like food has dried round her whiskers and she also really smells, a bit like a urine smell - I thought that might just be because she's an outdoor dog?

Anyway, phoned RSPCA not to report, just for some info.
Told her that she has NO bedding and apparently thats an offence. Told them that she trashed her bedding but they said she'd still have to have some form of bedding to rest on - a piece of plywood is not acceptable.

I forgot to ask if they will give you any kind of feedback from the visit? Does anyone know. ie would they tell me they went there and told them she has to be kept indoors?

My friend said someone she knows was told that she couldn't keep her small breed dog outside in a kennel when temperatures were sub zero. I don't know how this little one survived the past winter.

picklepick

I checked the website earlier and it says they will tell you the outcome of a case you report but in some cases not until its been fully resolved. Perhaps in cases of extreme cruelty where they need to prosecute etc they wouldnt say until it was over.

lovelyday

picklepick wrote: »

I checked the website earlier and it says they will tell you the outcome of a case you report but in some cases not until its been fully resolved. Perhaps in cases of extreme cruelty where they need to prosecute etc they wouldnt say until it was over.

thanks picklepick, have you got a link to that part of the website to save me trawling through? thank you

picklepick

here you go
http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/helpandadvice/reportinganimalsindistress/crueltychecklist