Mistreated dog, who can help/?

Question

Some neighbours of ours bought a Collie puppy for their 11 year old son and the pup is now 9 months old. Right from the start we could hear the boy taunting it until it barked then reprimanding it when it did. They haven't got their garden fenced properly and he keeps escaping. The whole family shout and scream at it and I hear the boy threatening to whip it and I can see he has a very long whip. The dog never goes to them when they call it but is totally cowed. When it misbehaves they chain it at the bottom of the garden and leave it to whine pitifully. I have tried contacting the RSPCA but they only said that from what I had told them the cruelty was not 'sufficient' for them to intervene. Has anyone got any ideas what I can do, I can't bear to see and hear what is happening to a lovely puppy.

I hope all of you who replied to my question will check and get this addition. Everyone was of the same opinion, RSPCA is crap so it's up to me. I'm going to try other agencies first as many suggested but if in the meantime little pup 'escapes' to our garden he is definitely going to disappear. We have several friends willing to take him so even if he is microchipped (which is a worry) hopefully he will still have a safe home. Thanks so much for everyone's support it is so nice to know that there are people who care.

Sorry, also meant to say it was just too hard to pick a best answer so I've left it up to everyone else to pick one.

Answer 1

ring the police for advice,i rung the RSPCA when my old neighbour kicked her dog they told me the same thing,what are they there for if they don't intervene

Answer 2

Hi Meggan's Mum,

This is very distressing. Thanks so much for caring about that puppy!

Having read the answers so far, it seems that the general consensus is for the puppy to be taken and rehomed.

That is a desperate step and it could get you into trouble with the law. I would not do this unless you're certain that you can provide him with a better home and unless you have tried everything else first, and had no success.

First of all, are you able to talk to your neighbours? Perhaps you can influence them to treat the dog better. Not everyone that mistreats an animal is evil. Some people are just ignorant but willing to learn. Perhaps no-one ever taught that boy how to treat an animal.

Perhaps you can offer your help. For instance, offer to look after their dog when they are away. Do you have a dog? Offer to take their dog for a walk with yours or invite the boy and his dog to come for a walk with you and your children. Talk to the boy and the family and show them how you treat the dog to give them an example.

Call the RSPCA again. I have called the RSPCA twice for two different cases and they went out to pay a visit each time. The first case was similar to yours, I heard a dog yelping and I reported it. It told them that I feared the people might be hitting the dog and that I'd seen them hit it once before. This seemed to be sufficient to get them to come out. If you are concerned that the owners might be hitting the dog then that is abuse and that should be enough reason for the RSPCA to come out.

The new animal welfare act came into power in the UK in April 2007. This act gives the RSPCA more powers.

When the RSPCA come out to visit someone they check over the animal and they instruct the owners. This helps the animal and it passes on the message to the owners that they are being watched.

As mentioned by Lorraine M and Anne B, contact the local council; complain that the dog is whining and that you think it is being mistreated and that it is distressing to you. The councils nowadays have more powers as well with the new laws about antisocial behaviour, so they should respond swiftly.

Call other animal welfare organisations for advice and help.

All these I would try first before taking a desperate step.

Taking the dog will be a quick fix but it doesn't address the root cause of the problem. You don't know if the people will not go out to get another dog to treat it much the same as the first. It would be much better if the people themselves could somehow be brought to treat their dog better. Of course some people refuse to change but at least give it a try.

Best wishes and thanks again for caring
chirpy

Answer 3

Collie's are truly beautiful animals, and the sad fact is the best dogs are the ones that end up on the receiving end of abuse.

As you said, the garden isn't secure, either wait until it escapes again, assuming into your garden or wait until they are all out of the house, take the poor thing, put it in the back of your car, drive off to the 'second nearest' RSPCA shelter and say you've found a dog roaming about on the street just down the road.

Yes it is wrong, yes it is essentially you who is stealing a dog, but I believe you're giving it a far better life and the 'greater good'. It doesn't sound like the family is one to have it micro-chipped, hopefully it will be re-homed well.

I don't think anyone has had any better alternatives. Fact is, unless your local RSPCA unit is being followed by a camera for documentary purporses (BBC/CH5) they couldn't care less.

Answer 4

Take the shotgun in their yard, take the dog away, and politely ask them if they have a problem with that!
Really, I would publicly shame them in the neighborhood. People like that have no business owning an animal of any kind. I would make sure all the rest of your neighbors know what is going on in that household. I would even go so far as to put up signs in my yard descibing the situation. You are entitled to your opinion in your own yard, after all.
You could also call and complain about the noise every time you hear the dog whining or barking until the authorities get so sick of you that they remove the dogs themselves. The squeaky wheel always gets the grease.
You could also mention to them that children who begin by abusing animals early in life, often grow up to become famous serial killers.
I once witnessed an incident of animal abuse in my neighbor's yard two doors down. A small dog was tied to a tree in the back yard, and a boy about 8 was pulling on the rope the dog was tied with while he was beating the dog with a stick in his other hand. A 2 year old girl was watching the entire thing. I marched over to the house, rang the doorbell, and told the homeowner that if I ever saw that kid do that again I would go over there and take the dog from them, whether they liked it or not, and if they wanted their dog back they would have to call the police and explain why I had taken the dog away from them. The boy turned out to be a visiting relative's child, and I never saw him again. The dog was put in the house. I guess I got my point across.

Answer 5

Next time you call the RSPCA on the dog, lie and add more details that would make them come out and check on the dog. Maybe this would get the owners attention and they will treat the dog better for the fear someone is watching and they might be back. Either that or steal the dog and take it to a no kill shelter and tell them it was a stray you found somewhere. Or see if you can find it a better home and steal it then.

Answer 6

Hello Meggan's Mum,

At last I can give a short simple answer to a question today.

The answer is contact the RSPCA or PDSA and if necessary the police.

People who mistreat an animal deserve all they get both in this world and the next.

If I saw someone taking a whip to an animal I would grab it and use it on them and ask them how they felt. To heck with the consequences.

The very best of luck to the little dog.

John
(Poseidon)

Answer 7

It sounds like YOU are the only HOPE this poor pup has!!! I am SURE the abuse will get worst than it already is!! There is probably a lot that the kid does to this animal that you nor the parents even know about!! (HOW VERY SAD)!! The animal can not protect himself and you are his only protector right now!!! Problem is, NOBODY Is going to help you that is supposed to help, you know the ones that are being paid a salary to help in situations like this!! So your only hope is to do what you have to do illigally!! Sorry but to me it's not illegal!! You have to get the dog yourself or have someone do it when they are not looking!! DO NOT take him to the shelter, pound, police, spca, etc.!! Find him a home that YOU KNOW will be kind to this animal, because he has been through ENOUGH ALREADY!!!! GOOD LUCK!!! AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!! YOU ARE A WONDERFUL PERSON!!! I AM PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!

Answer 8

It sounds horrible. I threaten to shove my foot up my dogs butt n tell them they'll be spittin toes for a week but I never mean it. It's more of a game of pretend to kick em and chase than anything. We had neighbors who used to keep their dog in a small confinement and the kids would hit it with a bat (he was a sweet dog too), there's no spca here so we couldn't do anything about it. It was horrifying to watch. We tried calling the cops but cruelty in ND is common. People try to hit animals (cats to birds to rabbits etc) that are in the road and go out of their way to do it. There was even a case of two boys tying cats up and ripping them apart on their 4wheelers. The best thing I can tell you is claim that the dog looks very mistreated and neglected. The more calls the better. Have your friends call too. If they get enough complaints they have to do something about it.

Answer 9

Seriously, I think you should dognap the dog and find it a better environment. I know that sounds extreme, but you know that dog is suffering and it is eating you alive. You have to save that pup! Animal Control really doesn't help in those kind of situations, they see such worse abuse but it sounds like that dog has no quality of life and lives with some sadistic brat with tuned out parents who are ignoring some deep issues in their son. Animal Control usually wants more than one witness--is there another neighbor willing to call about the dog, too? Otherwise, even if they send someone out they will probably just talk to the people and that might just send the abuse behind closed doors, not end it. Please save the dog and thank you for caring!

Answer 10

The RSPCA are talking out of their backsides. There's plenty going on to make their intervention necessary. I've dealt with them in the past and I'm often shocked by their lack of judgement and compassion. Keep calling them every day until they do something. You could also try contacting The Dogs Trust for advice, they might be able to persuade the RSPCA to get off their rear end's and do something before it's too late.

Answer 11

Your brother abandoned this canines an prolonged time in the past. stop thinking of it as his belongings, think of of it as a stray. What might you do if it confirmed up at your place as a stray at present? Neutering ought to shrink the urge to wander, and the urge to mark the corners interior the living house, you are able to't assume it reducing his power point or making him extra trainable. The canines can stay outdoors ok, yet not and not utilising a fence to incorporate it. Being chained each and every of the time is an exceedingly unnatural thank you to stay and the canines can not grow to be a typical canines living like that, and no canines could be an outdoors canines and not utilising a fence, a minimum of not in the city, it is too risky, too many techniques for a canines to get injury, or to get provoked into hurting a individual or yet another puppy. in case you are able to not incorporate the canines devoid of chaining it to a tree 24/7, it won't be living there. I have little doubt this may well be a great puppy for somebody, given basically in basic terms slightly of care, management and shape. in case you may have the money for a coach with the aid of all capacity choose for it, it's going to make him far extra adoptable.