PLEASE HELP, im at my wits end!!!!!!!

[doglover4ever]

Hello

I would really be greatful for any advice as I don't know what to do.

my Neighbours dog is the one I am concerned about, Jessie (the dog) is a black patterdale terrier cross type dog with white patches on her paws I don't know her age or if she has been spayed, the problem is that her owner my next door is an irresponsible owner and I don't know how to help Jessie they NEVER walk her, me and my husband moved here in March this year and within the first week we saw her roaming the area/ the street we live on, on her own with no collar at first I thought she must have escaped until I saw next door come out and shout at her and after 20mins of trying to catch her, when she did she dragged her by the fur on her neck and it was clear the dog was in pain when she was being dragged. the next day I saw her out again for 2hrs on her own with no collar again and this time I went out and the front door was open so I know that they let her go out on her own and I know they know she is out there but this time she did not bother with her just let her come in, in her own time. in April after a month of seeing her on her own everyday I contacted the council as I know they live in a council house and they told me they cant be fussed with dealing with that . so I decided to email the RSPCA as I had been watching her and saw that there was a lot more that I did not know one day when I was in I heard her barking and went to look outside my window and she was chasing a cyclist and he nearly fell of his bike as she was going after his bike wheels and then 5mins later a elderly fellow on a motor scooter was going past and she ran up to him like the cyclist and started barking and trying to get his wheels as well. she was also barking at every dog and owner who went past and none of the people who walk past are happy she gets hit a lot by people walking past who she barks at. she even barks at me when I go out of my front door. but that day with the cyclist next door was in and once he had gone, next door went out into her car and was laughing and left Jessie outside and next-door just drove off leaving the dog out on her own . after seeing that I decided to email the RSPCA

3 weeks later she was still roaming so I phoned them instead and they said they would deal with it, then in June I phoned again as she was still barking at people and other dogs and has got nearly run over so many times that I had enough and phoned again and they said that there was no evidence of neglect . granted she is in good body condition but for goodness sake she is a danger to herself and others she could get hit by a car or attack a child and its not nice her running up to you and barking. the council wont help and either will the RSPCA , I have also phoned the dog warden but as since as I know who's dog it is they wont help. yesterday she ran up to a pram with a baby in it and there was also a young girl walking besides the pram with her mother and the dog ran over to them and started barking following them, the baby was crying and the girl started screaming the mother hit Jessie with her handbag and Jessie ran away and next door was out laughing and that was it I had got so fed up of this so went out there and gave her a piece of my mind I wont repeat what I said as it was not very nice but I just did not care she clearly dose not care what happens to this dog and she thinks its funny when people get chased or barked at. well I don't and I don't know what to do. next door has 3 kids and I have gathered she got the dog for them but they don't even care.

I live in the UK, please can someone help me , I really want to help this poor dog she would be a lovely dog in the right hands.

[JudyN]

How sad it's an offence for a dog to be off lead on a designated road, and also for the dog not to have an id tag. Here we clearly have an accident waiting to happen. Do you have any reason to think the dog is likely to bite someone? e.g. has she ever growled at anyone (just barking doesn't count). You'd think the authorities would get involved if the law is being broken, which it clearly is.

The sad thing is that if the authorities did act, the dog may be no better off. If she was taken from the owners she would be very lucky to find a new home, and she might even be euthanased. Although she is living far from an ideal life, she might actually be relatively content with her lot compared to if she ended up in kennels. It's not right at all, but sometimes we just can't make things better.

If it came to it, would you be willing/able to adopt the dog? it might be an option, but it would have to be absolutely right for you. And of course the current owners would have to agree to it.

Others with more knowledge/experience might have some better suggestions.

[delladooo]

UK laws aren't very robust in helping animals so the RSPCA can't do much if the dog is fed and housed etc. but I'm surprised the dog warden didn't do anything as they have many more powers than people think (ie they don't just pick up strays but are meant to help educate too). Possibly try ringing them again and stressing the issues, although there's no guarantee they'll be able to do anything and as Judy says, the dog could end up in a situation no better than the one she leaves

[Erica]

There was a dog in our neighborhood who would get loose and harass everyone. Eventually he would go home, but goodness it was annoying. We started picking him up when he was loose and taking him to the shelter every time we found him. Apparently driving out there, filling out paperwork, and bringing him home was enough of a hassle for his owners that they soon contained him properly.

[doglover4ever]

Hello to you all

thank you so much for your replies, I have tried the RSPCA 4times in total and understand its because she is not underweight or is not sheltered, I did not know that dog wardens can do more so shall contacted them again and stress what is happening.

JudyN - I would absolutely love to adopt her she is a wonderful dog and if she did go into kennels at rescue centre we would put interest in her.

well I have still seen her out and since my last post on this I heard a lot of screaming and barking and ran to my window and she was in a dog fight with this tiny Yorkie I looked to see if next door was in and she was not and had left her out again on her own so I ran outside and I rember watching an its me or the dog episode were there was a dog fight and Victoria made a VERY high pitch noise so when I got over there I made the same noise and it did stop the fight and she seemed quit spooked, I apologised to the lady with the yorkie and explained it was my neighbours dog and offered to drive her to the vets as her dog was not in a good way but she did not want any help. I took Jessie in to my house and thank goodness my husband was in he checked her over as he knows how to check her properly and she was not fazed with being handled and luckily she was ok there was no marks on her and we kept her in and she was lovely she seemed to enjoy the affection and jumped up on the sofa and put her head on my lap and I decided to take her to the vets to be sure but my husband already went as he is the only one who drives so I thought maybe a walk would be good for her so I was walking her to the nearest vet which is about 20mins from were we live and she did not pull and seemed very happy good job my husband keeps dog leads in the house. she is the most sweetest dog I have ever known I would love to have her anyway I got to the vet and they said thank you for bringing her in and asked if I knew who she might belong to and I said yes as I cant lie its not in me and I gave the address she lived at but they had no rescored of her or that address and I left after that.

later in the day next door knocked on the door and wanted to know were she is and I told her what had happened and that she was at the vets and she went off in a huff then the next morning I had a vet bill through my front door

so I went round and said she is not my dog so shall not be paying this bill which was for a health check and there was nothing wrong with her thank goodness but the have charged her £40.00 for a health check and she wanted me to pay, no chance however I said if she wanted to rehome her to me then I would gladly pay but she did not agree and told me to rot in a hole and die so I walked way and left the bill with her. I have seen her again today so that did not stop her.

I contacted the police today this afternoon as she is still letting her out but they said they have better things to do and that's the RSPCA'S job not there's I even told them about yesterday were she had attacked a yorkie. I shall try the dog warden again but if that fails I don't think there is anything I can do. today she chased a car and it had to keep stopping so I know there will be an accident waiting to happen but it seems there is nothing I can do.

[JudyN]

The behaviour of some people beggars belief, doesn't it? I was really hoping the neighbours didn't want the dog and were willing to hand her over to you And it's so frustrating that the police don't want to know when the law is being broken (not that I necessarily blame them - they are probably overloaded themselves and have to prioritise).

I think the vet should have made it clear who would be liable for any bills at the outset. Of course, any reasonable and caring owner would have thanked you profusely and paid without question.

Several council websites have details of dog laws and how they intend to implement them - here's an example for Burnley: http://www.burnley.gov.uk/residents/str ... og-and-law If you can find similar details for your council then pointing out what they claim they are going to do may help. Alternatively, try quoting them parts of the Dog Control Orders for 2006 (which is the most recent I found): https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... orders.pdf

Good luck.