Dog Without Water Or Shelter

[Jed]

Good on you for caring.

Report to the RSPCA. Continue to contact them until they inspect and talk to the owners. The owners may have no idea, and the RSPCA may be able to tell him how to correctly care for him.

Just an opinion, and impossible to know for sure without seeing him .... I think he may be young or middle aged, and the grey around his muzzle is in fact some roaning, which often happens with some breedings. Not sure

Edited May 9, 2014 by Jed

[dididog]

Just an opinion, and impossible to know for sure without seeing him .... I think he may be young or middle aged, and the grey around his muzzle is in fact some roaning, which often happens with some breedings. Not sure

That's true, in the photo the lighter bits on his face look a little less grey but now that you've mentioned it that could just be his colouring. I assumed he was older though by his demeanor very mellow and no barking (which I find unusual for dogs that see people walk past), slow on his feet and when he got up from lying down it was a bit of a process. He also seemed a bit deaf one day when I walked past, didn't notice me standing there even though I called to him until he turned around and saw me.

To be honest I don't even know if he's a boy since he has long hair I can't really see anything, it'd be a bit weird if I just let myself into his front yard to check his bits!

So should I report to Rspca now or wait till it happens again and I have photographic proof?

[Rosetta]

I would wait a few days and see if you can get photos. I think someone mentioned that you could send these to the RSPCA with your complaint. I would do something soon though before the weather gets much colder - poor fella

[ash1]

We had a similar situation some years ago down our old street. I was out walking early one morning and saw two dogs curled up in leaf litter under a tree in 4 degree weather. Made sure I went out the next morning at the same time, and they will still curled up under the tree in the freezing cold.

So hubby and I bought a couple of second hand kennels and got some old rugs together, went and knocked on the owner's door and said that we wondered if his dogs would like "our old kennels", as we were "a bit worried about them" sleeping under the tree in such cold weather. He was very grateful for them, and I felt much better walking past each morning and seeing the dogs curled up in their kennels instead of under the tree. Would have preferred seeing them inside the house, but it was better than nothing, at least they were off the ground (raised kennels) and had a few blankets to snuggle into.

If you don't want to approach the owners, perhaps you could get an old kennel (usually dirt cheap on ebay/gumtree) and just jump over the fence and put it in the Cocker's yard for him (and fill the water bowl) - owners should pretty quickly get the message.

[Rebanne]

how do you know dog wasn't only just put outside for a toilet run or similar?

[kelpiecuddles]

It's one thing to offer a kennel if you want to but I wouldn't be going in to peoples yards to put one in! That could end very badly...

I also wondered whether there might have been a side gate or similiar that is not easily visible. My kelpie is a dumb arse, perfectly good kennel and places to get out of the weather but if I was out and it rained and you looked over my fence there's a good chance she'd be choosing to girl up in a ball against the wall on the concrete.

[Steph M]

how do you know dog wasn't only just put outside for a toilet run or similar?

This. My dog would rather sit in the rain sometimes than in front of the heater, if someone looked over the fence he probably would look like I'd chucked him out. Reality is, he would rather be there than under the carport or inside.

I don't feel like walking by once, even twice and seeing him out the front is cause for alarm. He looks pretty well groomed and cared for going by that photo. Seems happy and social enough, I must be missing something.

[dididog]

how do you know dog wasn't only just put outside for a toilet run or similar?

This. My dog would rather sit in the rain sometimes than in front of the heater, if someone looked over the fence he probably would look like I'd chucked him out. Reality is, he would rather be there than under the carport or inside.

I don't feel like walking by once, even twice and seeing him out the front is cause for alarm. He looks pretty well groomed and cared for going by that photo. Seems happy and social enough, I must be missing something.

It's not once or twice... it's most times I go past his house and I go past often and infrequently enough that it'd be a pretty big coincidence that he's just been put outside for a toilet run every time I've gone past and seen him but I've never said I know definitely what's going on and I can only speculate... hence why I haven't done anything formal about it.

I know some dogs prefer the rain or don't like kennels but I'm sure if you left most dogs outside all day in the rain there would come a point where they would want to dry off or warm up and this dog hasn't got that option. Just as easily as this dog could enjoy sitting in the rain (which I doubt since when I went past during the rain he was curled up in the only dry looking bit of cement) he could also not and if he is outside all day with no way to stay dry if he so decides to then I don't think that's very fair.

There could be absolutely nothing wrong and he doesn't seem badly neglected and is always happy to see me but I do find it troubling that there is a possibility there might be something wrong and I'm not doing anything about it.

Anyway I'm not going to do anything until I know more or have concrete proof, I bumped into the neighbour once, maybe I'll try asking him if I ever see him again what he knows about the dog.

At the end of the day if the owners get checked out and there is nothing wrong then no harm done... if the owner's never get checked out and there is actually something wrong this dog has nobody to help him.

[dididog]

It's one thing to offer a kennel if you want to but I wouldn't be going in to peoples yards to put one in! That could end very badly...

I also wondered whether there might have been a side gate or similiar that is not easily visible. My kelpie is a dumb arse, perfectly good kennel and places to get out of the weather but if I was out and it rained and you looked over my fence there's a good chance she'd be choosing to girl up in a ball against the wall on the concrete.

Nope no side gate, in fact I think it's only semi-detached and a fence right up against the other side. I can take a picture tomorrow so you can see what the yard looks like, it's very bare with a shrub, some dirt and cement.

I don't feel comfortable entering their yard, I know how pissed off I would be if somebody came into my yard to do something to do my dog without me knowing (not that I leave my dog in the front where you could do that). If I ever go past and there is no water I will come back and give him some but anything else would be over stepping the bounds for me.

[Rosetta]

how do you know dog wasn't only just put outside for a toilet run or similar?

This. My dog would rather sit in the rain sometimes than in front of the heater, if someone looked over the fence he probably would look like I'd chucked him out. Reality is, he would rather be there than under the carport or inside.

I don't feel like walking by once, even twice and seeing him out the front is cause for alarm. He looks pretty well groomed and cared for going by that photo. Seems happy and social enough, I must be missing something.

It's not once or twice... it's most times I go past his house and I go past often and infrequently enough that it'd be a pretty big coincidence that he's just been put outside for a toilet run every time I've gone past and seen him but I've never said I know definitely what's going on and I can only speculate... hence why I haven't done anything formal about it.

I know some dogs prefer the rain or don't like kennels but I'm sure if you left most dogs outside all day in the rain there would come a point where they would want to dry off or warm up and this dog hasn't got that option. Just as easily as this dog could enjoy sitting in the rain (which I doubt since when I went past during the rain he was curled up in the only dry looking bit of cement) he could also not and if he is outside all day with no way to stay dry if he so decides to then I don't think that's very fair.

There could be absolutely nothing wrong and he doesn't seem badly neglected and is always happy to see me but I do find it troubling that there is a possibility there might be something wrong and I'm not doing anything about it.

Anyway I'm not going to do anything until I know more or have concrete proof, I bumped into the neighbour once, maybe I'll try asking him if I ever see him again what he knows about the dog.

At the end of the day if the owners get checked out and there is nothing wrong then no harm done... if the owner's never get checked out and there is actually something wrong this dog has nobody to help him.

You are the one who is in the position to ascertain what the real situation with the dog is. The dog is exposed to the weather and doesn't appear to have water. Trust your instincts if you think something is not right - the dog might look OK but you did mention that he was slow getting up etc so he may be feeling the effects of being exposed to the weather in some way. Good for you for caring.

[Airedaler]

Why don't you knock on the door and talk to the owners if this is concerning you so much. There seems to be a lot of assumptions being made.

[Rebanne]

Anyway I'm not going to do anything until I know more or have concrete proof, I bumped into the neighbour once, maybe I'll try asking him if I ever see him again what he knows about the dog.

At the end of the day if the owners get checked out and there is nothing wrong then no harm done... if the owner's never get checked out and there is actually something wrong this dog has nobody to help him.

so now you are going to ask the neighbours?? Really, just report the dog to the RSPCA and move on. If you are not prepared to report then drop it.

[WreckitWhippet]

If you are concerned enough to post about it here then call the RSPCA and report it.

[dididog]

As a 17 year old girl I don't really feel comfortable knocking on a stranger's door and possibly getting into a confrontational situation... it's not like the owner's will tell me if they are doing anything wrong.

I posted on here as I have never been in this position before and was unsure what was the best thing to do or what I could do about the situation and now I know.

I'm quite happy to drop the topic and plan to report the no water incident so at least there's record of it somewhere and hope for the dog's sake I am completely misinterpreting the situation.

[persephone]

As a 17 year old girl I don't really feel comfortable knocking on a stranger's door and possibly getting into a confrontational situation... it's not like the owner's will tell me if they are doing anything wrong.

I can understand that!! Wise decision :)

[BC Crazy]

Same here :) I wouldn't of felt comfortable doing that either at 17.

[Purdie]

If you are concerned about the dog put in a report to the RSPCA they will knock on the door and check it out ;that is what they do.. it takes about 2 minutes to do an online report..