There are two english bull terriers that are in the garden backing onto mine and they are being kept in crates in a shed for practically 24 hours a day. They have very short toilet breaks a couple of times a day but thats it. There is a dog and bitch so obviously going to be used as breeding machines,but what a dreadful life for them. The crates are even covered with a large towel so cant see out properly and it must be so hot in the shed in the sun. Poor,poor dogs. Have reported to the RSPCA but not holding out much hope that they will do anything. Has anyone any other ideas?

Try to get a photo and send it to the local paper.

tooolz is right.

but be careful. if they can do that to a dog, think what they might do to you. some people are horrible.

no they are not very nice people. What would a photo to the paper acheive though?

that is awful. :( telephone your local dog warden, they wont tell the owners who has reported them, the dog warden should do something about it.

> What would a photo to the paper acheive though

Shame, public disaproval, forcing the RSPCA to get off it's butt....or just informing the public not to buy one of their pups.

Bad publicity means less sales and they will realise that.

will try the dog warden next. Taking photos will be tricky because it will be obvious who has taken them and would be awkward as at the moment can only see close up through small hole in the fence. Would have to lean over fence to get a good picture.

am waiting for the dog warden to ring me back,have left a message on their answerphone but I dont see what they can do,what powers have they got that the RSPCA havent?

> what powers have they got that the RSPCA havent?

maybe no more power but usually far more willing to get off their butts and DO something

Do they own their house or is it council?

It is a private house but a lot of them on that road are rented but dont know what they are doing.

Forget the rspca they're a load of money grabbing old hypocrits!

I had this a couple of years ago, 2 dogs kept in a shed barking all night. The owner was oblivious to it. Turns out he worked nights and had no idea they were barking!

I know it's a different story but in the end he got rid!  Some kind neighbour shoved a note through his door telling him to feed his dogs a bit more often.

I just hope they went to a better home.

love
welshdoglover x

No sign of the RSPCA and dog warden never rang back. I feel like moving as really upsetting seeing as the shed is facing my fence so can see the cages and know the dogs are in them suffering. The law is crap how can people get away with this,those poor dogs must be so mentally damaged.

I found the rspca to be really helpful when I reported someone to them.  Phone them again and if they don't do something about it, then you need to complain to them, also phone the dog warden again and just keep pestering, they will probably do something in the end to stop you from pestering them, if that is the only way they will act then so be it, these dogs need saving, also contact the breed rescue in your area.

Good luck, do not give up until the dogs are ok.

I can't believe the RSPCA haven't been over to investigate yet-surely thats exactly what they're there for- these dogs obviously are suffering(mentally at least).I would suggest to keep trying.

I rang the RSPCA again and she didnt have a record of my other call so took the details again and said it can be up to 10 weeks before they can give me an update. She doesnt know how long it will be before they visit as the local officer has to prioritise his own calls. I asked what the law was regarding keeping dogs in cages for 23 hours a day and she said as long as having food and water and can stretch theres nothing they can do. I am not sure if they can stretch right out but surely this sort of confinment will send them mental,its not a life just an existence. Just been down there now and looked through the fence. The dog was asleep and opened his eyes but just staring into space and looks so miserable, I feel so helpless. I told RSPCA that if they want to come and see from my house they can because the people can tell them any old thing and I suppose they would have to take their word for it.

i agree, keep phoning both the dog warden and the rspca, something needs to be done, and fast, if you can talk to your neighbours and ask if they have noticed the dogs, if they have, then get them also to phone the dog warden etc, also put it in a letter, and send it to the dog warden and rspca.

a mercy mission while they are out perhaps??

> a mercy mission while they are out perhaps

I'm afraid this is what I would be doing

she said as long as having food and water and can stretch theres nothing they can do. I am not sure if they can stretch right out but surely this sort of confinment will send them mental,its not a life just an existence. Just been down there now and looked through the fence. The dog was asleep and opened his eyes but just staring into space and looks so miserable, I feel so helpless.

See I don't get this, because surely the whole point of the recent animal welfare act was to stop this sort of thing and acknowledge animals do need exercise and must be able to do natural things .... I just don't get it. Is it me???

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/

What does the Animal Welfare Act do?
It makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met.

These include the need:

For a suitable environment (place to live)
For a suitable diet
To exhibit normal behaviour patterns
To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease

Definitely number 3 and probably the first one too are not happening for these poor dogs? Also if they're not socialised etc that is not good for them and for society in general.
Makes me mad :( I'd feel horrible and frustated too if I had to see it as you do, you have my sympathies.

Lindsay
x

> I asked what the law was regarding keeping dogs in cages for 23 hours a day and she said as long as having food and water and can stretch theres nothing they can do

The Animal welfare Act that came in a few years ago requires rather more than that, sounds like the lady on the phone is behind the times with the law.

Might be worth googling up the Act and quoting the relevant sections.

dog warden rang this morning not in their remit has to be the RSPCA.
The mercy mission thing,have thought about that but will have to be from my garden as they have a big chain on their gate. Could slide up the fence panel at silly o clock in the morning and get them out as dont think there is a lock on the shed or cages. Only trouble there is they will know its come from my garden and cant afford to get caught with all that entails. Have a friend who may know some dodgy types that could maybe do it for us but what to do with the dogs when we have them.

I wouldnt be putting that on a public forum!!!!!!!!!
You dont know who is reading it, including your neighbour etc. As you are talking about doing something VERY ILLEGAL.
Lea :)

As much as i can see a mercy mission seems the only thing to do, i would think very carefully about it first. At the end of the day you could  get yourself and friends in a lot of trouble and the dogs would be taken back to the owner if you were found out, so little would be achieved.
Do you know the behaviour of these dogs, just worried if you go and try to get them they could be aggressive as they spend all their time in cages. they may of had no socialization and be very frightened leading to them making a lot of noise if you try and get them out and this could wake the owners up.
this is an awful problem but i can't see a safe way for you not to get either in a lot of trouble either is the owners catch you or the3 police find out and like you said what will you do with the dogs when you have them.
saying all that i do hope this is sorted out quickly by the RSPCA with your help.  

The better option is to get alot of your friends to complain to the RSPCA.
If they get a load of complaints then they will have to investigate properly. Especially if you can spout the animal welfare bill at them!!!
Lea :) :)

I would ring the RSPCA again  and inform them, this is the second time you have brought this to their notice, and as they are the ones with the sole power to intervene, and all the publicity they are so eager to give out, on how much they care about animals..

That from  the response you have got they dont seem to be upholding their end!!! so if you have to ring them a third time, you are going to  also inform the local paper and radio station... as to their caring manner.. or lack of it.

In other words..  threaten them with bad publicity!!!

update on this situation-after ringing RSPCA 3 times and getting various friends and neighbours to do so too nothing seems to have happened as in the dogs are still caged in the shed 23/7. The shed door was locked last night at 8 o clock and is still locked as I type this at 10.30 so dogs have been in their cages overnight for 14 hours so far without being let out for a wee.
Am at a loss as to what to do now. Printed and quoted the animal welfare act at the RSPCA to which was informed they are aware of the act. Have taken a picture of one of the cages but because they are always covered with towels cant really see the dog. Have written a letter to the paper but is long and rambling and dont know if they would print it. Would you write to the news desk or readers letters page, not sure which. Just wish something can be done but started to lose hope for these two dogs.

That is awful, what a bad situation.. I can quite see why mercy missions occur, because otherwise nothing is done and animals suffer.
Makes me mad!

If the RSPCA is aware of the Act, how do they justify not reacting to the various parts of it? ie dogs not able to show normal behaviours, lack of adequate exercise, etc.

Lindsay
x

What about trying the 2 Bull Terrier Rescues
bulliesinneed.org.uk
bulliesos.co.uk
They might be able to use a bit more clout?

I will e mail these but if the people wont give them up cant see what good it will do

Why not phone the news desk at the local paper? They might be prepared to do a story about it? Have you had any success with the dog warden?

the dog warden just says not in their remit and to ring the RSPCA. I will try and email the local paper and see if they will print it.

As the Animal Welfare act is being broken, you should phone the police and quote the relevant bits of the act to them. They are duty bound to investigate any action or lack of which puts an individual outside the law.

When I reported a puppy farmer (long story very cruel starving dogs etc), the RSPCA refused to get off their back sides even though I took one of the dogs which my daughter bought to show them. I drove home in a red mist.... phoned the Kennel Club who told me that if anybody who has animals contravenes any of the animal welfare laws the police have a duty to investigate. The KC was right I phoned the police told them about the place they came out saw my daughters dog and then went to the place to stop it.

Still very angry several years on that the RSPCA would not pull their collective finger out and do something especially as the following week they turned up with thankfully same policeman who came to see us, accusing my daughter of keeping and starving a spaniel! Had it been a different policeman I suspect my daughter would have been facing prosecution even though she was not responsible for the poor dogs condition.

It sounds as if they came back on your daughter almost as a sour grapes kind of thing?

The info you give about the police being able to act is worth knowing.

Lindsay
x

Just remembered that many years ago a friend of mine took on a rescue dog that had been kept in a shed  and it was the police that rescued him so yes I think telephoning the police may be of some help. Certainly hope that someone helps these poor dogs.

ok will try the police but will have to wait till later as am at work till 5 today. The two rescues were very helpfull and Bullies in need especially so. They are going to ring the RSPCA and are talking about sending someone round as well.
Also my son is doing work experience at the moment with the council and my daughters friend who works there as an EHO has a number for the local RSPCA inspector as she has had to call him out before in the course of her work. She is going to ring him to report the dogs as well.
The felt is coming off the shed so I would have thought the poor things would have got wet after all the rain and wind we had last night. The doors were still closed this morning when I left so wasnt able to note what time they were attended to.

I think you deserve some thanks for doing all this as you are not giving up, well done!
I suspect with all your hard work the dogs may be rescued or at least helped in some way.

Lindsay
x

any further news yet?