Sorry - long post here I think.

Our next door neighbour is a man who lives alone in a nice sized house. About 2.5years ago his daughter came back to live (she is about 20yrs old). She wanted a puppy from a breeder down the road, so the man next door said he would get one too so they could keep one another company. Great. She would walk them daily, and they looked very happy.

But then the daughter got a job in London and moved out. She left both dogs with her dad (this is where is gets complicated).

Her Mum (who lives elsewhere) had a dog who died. She was soooo upset, so her daughter said to take her dog. Which left the man next door with one dog.

I thought this was terrible at the time as the dogs were sisters, and had been together all their lives. Then suddenly they were separated.

But my issue is the length of time this dog is left alone. Now, i have no doubt this dog is loved and well fed (although it only gets walked about twice a year now as the man himself wont walk her, only family when they are visiting !!!). But its on its own from 8am to 5pm when he gets home from work. He then goes out again at 7pm until 11pm as he works behind the bar in the local officers club.

All i can hear through my wall is whimpering and howling. The dog desperately misses her 'dad'. My heart goes out to her, and i said to my husband that, if i lived in a larger house i would offer to have her .... as he only got her as company for his daughters pet. He wouldnt of bothered normally.

But i dont think there is anything i can do. If I mention to him about the whimpering, there is nothing he can do. He has to work. I cant report him to someone, as i have seen the dog and she looks well fed and watered. She lives in a nice home.

Its just so darned sad.

Could you offer to walk the dog for him?

I have thought about doing this yes, but i tend to go at weird times. I normally go at 5am so i have the rest of the day to myself, and he isnt up and about then.

I cant understand why he cant walk her during the weekend, but he never does.

That's irrelevant. He only actually spends two hours a day with the dog and even during that time he can't be giving her his sole attention.

I'd still report him. There's more to looking after a dog than giving it a bowl of food and water every day.

I think you should tell him I had no idea my dogs howled (like banshees lol) whenever I left them and at least it would give him the opportunity to do something like organising a dogwalker or getting the dog company or even rehoming it. No dog should be left alone that length of time and if its not even being walked at the weekends then its bordering on cruelty imo

Awww what a sad story

I know it's technically not your problem, you have your own life and your own work etc, but could you not offer to 'dogsit' him from time to time? I don't know if that's a bad idea though, because you or the dog, might get too attached, and the dog might also get confused.

I don't know what to say. But I'd despise to hear a lil' doggie all alone whimpering and howling. It's the saddest noise :sleep:

The owner might get offended if you suggest he should give the dog away..but it seems like the right thing. I'LL TAKE HIM!!

This is the new Dogs Act:

*
Animal Welfare Act

This Act came into force on the 27th March 2007 in Wales and the 6th April 2007 in England.

This Act introduces the new legal concept of a ‘duty of care’, which means that people are now legally obliged to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care. A person who owns a dog, or is looking after a dog (or other animals covered by the Act) must make sure the dog has a suitable environment; has a suitable diet; is able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns; is protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease. The carer must also address the dog’s need to be housed with, or apart from, other animals.

The Act also covers the sale of animals to people under 16 years, dog fighting, tail docking and more.

..........................................

When you read it does it appear that there is anything in it that he could be reported for not doing?

I suppose the dog whimpering all the time is not exhibiting normal behavioral patterns.

Are you sure he isnt taking the dog out? I thought the guy 2 doors away wasnt taking his out but recently I have seen him walking the dog after his 2pm shift in the afternoon, and once I saw him go out quite late only because I was in the kitchen to catch him doing this.

I woulld talk to the neighbour just explain did he realise that since the other dog has left the remaining one is whimpering all the time?

If he doesnt know he wont be able to address the problem.

Poor dog, it makes me soooooooooo mad that people have dogs with little care for their welfare.

I don't agree with many charities and shelters' policies of not rehoming dogs to people who work full-time as this only leads to dogs that could have good homes being left in shelters and many being put to sleep unnecessarily. This however is excessive. How much time is anyone spending with this dog? He comes in at 5.00 and leaves again at 7.00. I daresay he goes to bed when he gets in from his shift at the pub to be up early the next morning. That is 2 hours a day that that dog is getting any company and even then he is probably cooking, eating and getting ready for his evening work during that time.

I would have no hesitation in suggesting to him that he gets the dog rehomed. Suggest it to him rather than report him.

I wouldn't advocate this if he had a normal working day and was spending the entire evening and some of the early morning with the dog but he clearly isn't.

It's wonderful you care OP but are you sure he isn't walking the dog ? We had a complaint once but the neighbour just hadn't seen me walking them 4am and 1pm - it's easy to miss unless you are watching front and back 24/7.

Yeah, im sure he isnt walking the dog. When he got the dog with his daughter he told us (as we got a puppy from the same breeder so we would chat) he would never walk them .... which is why the daughter did it herself.

My husband only works one day a week, and he is up at 5am with me. He isnt up then as i hear his alarm going off in the mornings around 7am. He then leaves at 8am.

He comes home sometimes for his lunch around 12pm and stays for 1/2hr or so .... but the dog isnt taken out then. We then see him return home from work and leave for the club. You cant miss this man when he walks past the house (which he would have to do to go anywhere) as he is MASSIVE. He also waves at us through the front window when he walks past. We then hear him return home after his pub shift as his front door is dodgy and he has to slam it about 3 times to get the thing to shut !!! We would hear him leave again if he took the dog out.

We see the dog go out when his daughter visits or when his X-wife pops over (which she does occasionally as they are friends). Then the dog has a lovely long romp out. But its soooo infrequent.

The worst time is in the summer, when we are sat outside with our dogs ... and you hear his on its own (although thankfully in the garden then). I have wondered if she would like to come to ours for a play with our dogs. Ours would love the company.

That's really sad

It makes me wonder why he even has a dog though, neither can be getting any enjoyment out of it, and presumably it costs him enough in food and vet (if he bothers to take it of course).
I would really try and broach the subject with him of maybe rehoming it. It doesn't sound like he would miss it much. Can't the daughter take both dogs? One is really not much more work than two after all.

I don't really know what else to say, I hope it works out.

Oh I just read it again, the Daughter has no dogs but the ex Wife has one?

Can't *she* have both, then?

It would make perfect sense for the X-wife to have both. The dog she has lives the life of riley. She works at a farm, and the dog goes with her to work and romps around the fields with her all day long.

Which is what makes it all the more sad for the one left behind.

I really dont think the man next door knows that what he is doing is cruel. On saturday he came home from work at 4pm ish (he does an occasional weekend) and instead of going into the house, he walked to the club to help them set up for a party.

He finally walked into the house at 6pm, and then left at 7pm to man the bar at the club. If he knew that his actions were cruel to the dog, surely he would of gone home first and given the dog some fuss at the very least ?

It really makes you wonder if some people dont know how to look after pets.

If you can hear it during the day can't you just offer to look after it until it until he gets home? Even just a couple of days a week to give the dog some play time.

If not then I would deffo report him... you shouldn't have a pet if you can't spend time with it.

Even our cats only have 2 hours alone each day which is when my man has gone to work (he works late shifts normally) and I'm on my way home.

I don't know why people think the OP should help in some practical way like walking his dog or looking after it in the daytime. I'm sure if she wanted to do this she'd have got another dog herself.

People have their own lives and their own agendas. If I heard my neighbours dog in distress during the day there would be nothing practical I could offer to alleviate its suffering no matter how bad I felt about it.

I know what you mean. I have to admit that i would offer if i could .... but with 3 cats, 2 dogs, lots of chickens, a full time job and a home to run ... i really havent got the time.

My husband is at home a lot at the moment, and he tells me about the whining, although i hear it myself before / after work and at the weekends.

I just wish he would realise thats its not fair on the poor little mite, and do something about it. The dog is only 3yrs old .... and he could easily rehome her im sure. She is a poppet. Like i say, if i had the space i would blummin take her.

Hmm this is a difficult situation I can understand that you maybe unwilling to do anything as you have to live next to this man whatever....But you have realised there is a problem here and maybe it is time to help this little dog

However nice he seems otherwise and a good, friendly neighbour under other circumstances what he is doing to that dog, knowing or not is cruel and sad Just reading about it makes me want to help but I can't....

As you say that little dog is only three and could face the rest of its lifetime with only that to look forward to... It's not pretty is it...?

Why people bother to keep animals just to do this is beyond my understanding. Just dropping them off at a dogs home is less hassle a bait not the ideal situation I know but a better one.

Anyway OP. Can you not talk to this man? Discuss with him the sounds you hear and discuss with him what might be best for the dog? I.e. another home as he obviously leads a busy lifestyle etc?

A dog doesn’t just whine/cry/bark for anything. It is obviously in distress however well fed/healthy it looks otherwise and something needs to change, fast.

If it carries on and he is unwilling to walk the dog, care for it in a better way, I'd consider reporting him. Whatever it takes to help the dog.

Can't you just explain the situation to your neighbour? Tell them that they should come around your house and listen one day, to how the dog is stressing.
If you want, offer to walk their dog with your dogs, BUT don't be soft, as you know the situation won't change by you helping out. The only thing that will happen is that you will be put on more.

Exactly. The dog is his responsibility, not the OP's (as caring as she is). Some of us are soft touches in situations like this, but it is only ever a temporary situation, when people will help out as and when they can, that does not mean being RELIED on.

After reading all your responses on here, i will talk to him. Like i say, he is a lovely man .... and often we see him and stand chatting in the front garden.

I might casually mention that his dog misses him when he is gone, hence the whining. Maybe suggest that, if he is working over the weekend (if nothing else) we could take the dog for the day and she can spend time with ours in the garden ? Even if it means a change of scenary for her a few days a week .... it would help.

I dont know how to broach the subject of perhaps giving her up. Its a tricky subject = but ill see how i get on.

Thanks peeps.

There's no easy way to broach it. Just ask him if rehoming his dog is something he'd consider as it's best for him (the dog) in the long run. Of course this is after you have talked about the dog you having him when he's not around.

Well, the dog in my opening post has died. I cried by heart out last night as she was my dogs sister.

The neighbour called me over when i got home last night. Apparently his daughters had come over for the weekend, and sunday afternoon they took the dog for a run.

They never really used leads on dogs, none of the family do. So - they didnt use a lead and the dog (not used to being walked) went loopy, and ran through a hedge and under a passing car

When my neighbour told me i went cold. I went indoors, saw my beautiful girl dog - and cried. That poor little mite. She was only about 3 years old and was a gorgeous girl.

Such a waste - and how i wish they had used leads.

Not being funny i'd seriously think of puttin your nextdoor neighbours windows through or if they drive pouring thick bleach over their car people like them deserve to be revenged upon as far as i'm concerned.

Awww OP, that's so sad to hear.

No animal deserves to be made to suffer or be put at unnecessary risk under any circumstances, and anyone who does, should be banned from keeping them and face a heavy fine (which could then be put to good use by a rescue centre or similar).

Hmm run over or maybe another 12 years or more locked in it's prison.........

Makes you question what is worse for the poor thing