Ok, a question to everyone....all answers will be seriously considered. About 2 months ago, a rundown mobile home on an acre of land nearby was sold (£15,000, if its relevant) and a couple moved in, cw array of awful tatty sheds and old vehicles piled up outside.Not meaning to sound snobby or anything, but they look a right scruffy lot! Anyway, as I ride by each day I see dogs appearing. 1st a GSD....sounds very fierce but gives up barking after a while of talking over the gate to it. Then a sammy, then a litter of 5 sammy pups! Next a BMD, but oh so thin & scruffy....covered in huge matts, as are sammy's, which are brown rather than white & very unkempt. Lots of "keep out" signs appeared & you never see anybody around, just this load of dogs either loose in the paddock or the BMD tied up, GSD loose & sammy's in kennel run. Now should I poke my nose in & mention this to anyone? Bit worried they could be stolen dogs. They seem to have water down, & although they are thin, you couldn't describe them as starving...just badly neglected coats. Suggestions?

id ask the local rspca to check it out, use a phone box if you dont want them to know it was their nieghbour, :D cant blame you though, it sounds very strange

SAM for someone so out spoken normally:p
I think you should report this to the local authorities at least to see thier reaction to the situation.
It won't do the dogs any harm if you did & it might get the problem solved without confrontation,
esspecialialy as they are neighbours & you have to live near them
if you get my drift
if this does not get the right results who knows what is best to do next

karl

Sam,
Didn't know that "redneck trailer trash" also existed in UK. Learn something new every day. :D Interesting vision to go along with the Anne Hathaway cottage ideal :P

Wow what a vision that makes. I had no idea that trailers were even manufactured there. Trailer parks? Really ruins my fond image of UK.

There's not much you can do. The fact that they have signs up everywhere keeping people out is apparent that they want their own privacy and wouldn't welcome a visit, especially from someone concerned about the way they live their life and keep their dogs.
Believing dogs are stolen will be impossible to prove unless the dog is chipped or tattooed. You could seek advice from the local police or RSPCA but they would probably want more grounds than - they are pedigrees or - they're thin and scruffy! They obviously have some money or they wouldn't have come up with the £15,000 purchase price of the land - if they were squatters then suspicions MAY be raised - but even pedigree dogs are offered free of charge in newspapers etc..and are available from rescues for a nominal donation.
Sorry to be negative about something you are obviously seriously concerned about - but I'm just trying to be realistic.

Of course they won't want a visit if that's the state their dogs are in! I would contact the RSPCA to get their advice on the situation rather than ringing saying you want them to make a visit. It may be the RSPCA are already aware of them and are possibly waiting to see how many people raise their concerns ?? Tricky situation when little is known and all you can go on is what you see (although IMO that should be enough to warrant a visit at least). I personally would at least speak to the RSPCA to find out their way of thinking on this matter. At least then you know you did what you could.

I'm a firm believer of go with your instincts, I don't always go with mine and in the end usually wish I had :rolleyes:

Or have a chat with the local dog warden about your concerns - some of them are very helpful

Christine

Definately an RSPCA job this one. they do have some uses and this is ideal. they could check out the condition of the dogs and also check whether the dogs actually belonged to them. Make that call and you won't have to confront them yourself.

I'd make that call to the RSCPA without a doubt, if the dogs are actually being cared for then you won't have really done any harm, if they are being neglected then you may save a dogs life which to me is more important than worrying about upsetting the neighbours!:)
The poor Sammys must be really uncomfortable if they're all matted and who knows what condition they're really in underneath, all sorts of horrers could be hidden under all that fur.

A call to the local dog warden/rspca can't do any harm -any reasonable dog owner won't object, if there is a genuine reason for the dogs being in that condition, then they can let them(dog warden/rspca) know what it is and in the long run will save lots more calls like yours. You are worried and that is good enough for me and good enough for the rspca ( i hope). I would do it anonymously though as you do have to live there and if they don't like it or it does turn out they're up to something sinister then they won't thank you for reporting them.

KirstyS :)

I would report them to whomever you can. At least that way you cant say you havent tried to get them a better deal.

Definatly report it, they may be waiting for more calls and more information before acting. Let us know if anything happens.