My neighbor has a big rottweiler that barks constantly, and now they have a new puppy. They leave them outside all day in two separate tiny cages(the big ones kennel is 3x3, and the puppy’s is 1.5x2). The puppy is already starting to bark and howl.
Is there anything I can do to stop this? I don’t think they’re being nice to the dogs, but I don’t think it can be called neglect either. I don’t understand people getting a new dog when they obviously don’t have enough time for their current dog.
Where I live it would only take a phone call to the police. They’d be out in about 5" and write a citation. A $500 fine would ensue. Consequently, this rarely happens.
Yeah, depending on where you live and the local ordinances, you could get them cited for cruelty to animals, noise, etc.
A dog’s crate only needs to be big enough for them to stand up and turn around. What’s the weather like where you are and what kind of shelter do they have? Are the crates covered or “open” on the top? How many hours is “all day?”
I don’t really see anything here that screams cruelty or neglect. Dogs dig crates… It’s their version of an ancestral den.
Maybe could get them on violating a noise ordinance of some sort due to the barking though. But that’s more about your comfort, not the dogs.
Yes, crates are not inherently cruel, and dogs usually like them (provided they aren’t in there 20 out of 24 hours). But what’s the point of keeping a dog outside in a crate - the crate is usually to confine them in the house, for everyone’s safety. If the dogs are going to stay out all day, give them a run or at least a pen w/ house or open crate.
I’d give Animal Control a call, personally.
Perhaps a dog that, while crated, barks up a storm, isn’t feeling ancestral den vibes.
Just a thought.
(In Illinois) Dogs kept outside must have the following available to them at all times:
Sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome food and water
Adequate shelter and protection from weather
A crate that is just large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around in is considered adequate for training and travel. It’s debatable whether that’s considered sufficient in an outdoor setting. And the term “crate” implies a structure that is not sufficient shelter and protection from weather, as all the crates I’ve ever seen are either wire all around (for training) or are plastic and have holes along the sides and a wire door (for travel).
At the very least, if you have a humane society with people who can come out and do an inspection, the neighbors need to rethink how they’re housing the dogs outside. Inspectors will want to see some sort of free roaming available, whether that’s with the dogs out on tie-downs, or in a run. Either way, they need a dog house of some sort as described above, and at least clean water bowls. Crating dogs outside is not considered acceptable because they’re, well, outside - where dogs should be able to eliminate away from their eating/sleeping area.
If the neighbors want to keep the dogs in crates during the day as a training method for teaching the dogs to eliminate only during walks, then the crates need to be indoors where the dogs will be sheltered sufficiently from weather. Crating them outside for daytime training purposes and to keep them from soiling the house doesn’t make any sense.
I have a hard time believing you would be required to keep “sufficient wholesome food” “available at all times”. I’ve never had an unlimited open supply of food available for any of my dogs. They eat a set amount at a set time. I would never allow them to just eat themselves sick, which is exactly what they’d do. Dogs aren’t cats. Water yes, but definitely not food. Who does that?
For the OP, you could call animal control just to have them check on the situation. Doesn’t sound right to me.
I thought the same thing, but then I decided that “sufficient” can be no food, if they’ve been fed that morning.
Yeah, the Humane Care for Animals Act is deliberately written a bit ambiguously in places. As an investigator, it’s usually fairly easy to determine if the dogs are underfed. Usually if clean, readily available water is apparent, the dogs are probably fed fine, too - especially if the dogs have a good body score. Sometimes there’s an obviously fed-from food bowl in the area that may be empty but apparent. It just gives inspectors wiggle room if they feel a cite is necessary. Most of the time, education is what’s really needed, and once the owners are alerted as to what they need to do to get the dog’s outdoor area into compliance, they do it no problem.
That wouldn’t help the barking, though.
In regards to noise complaints, I was told that my town has a noise ordinance, but it isn’t in effect until 11pm. This town must have an aversion to town ordinances, as public drinking isn’t outlawed and you aren’t required to clear your sidewalk.
My neighbor on the other side is a crazy cat guy™. Someone called the police about him last year. I saw a local police officer and someone I’m assuming was from the MSPCA talking to him. Nothing changed after the visit, except he keep the sickest ones inside now. Several of these cats were very sick, they all have fleas and ear mites. One had mites so bad that it walked in diagonals and fell over constantly. If they couldn’t do anything about that, I don’t have a lot of hope that they’ll do anything about a couple of healthy dogs.
I’ve never seen crate training work. Usually people who crate train a dog, are people who don’t have time to train a dog, so that might be why. Every crate trained dog I’ve met is rambunctious and won’t listen to commands. Anyway, I don’t think these people are crate training the dogs, they seem to be loose when they go inside. It just seems to be where they stick them when they don’t want to deal with them.
Thanks for all the responses, I’ll probably just continue to be a wimp and do nothing.
The problem with situations like this is, you’ll have to live with the results. More than likely the neighbor will figure out it was you and now you’ll have a war on your hand.
The dogs may not shut up and now you’re gonna find “dog deposits” all over your lawn, and other minor things this guy will do to get back at you for reporting him.
And this might be worth putting up with IF and it’s a big IF the dogs were going to be quiet. But if the dogs will still keep on making noise, then you’re just inviting trouble for yourself.
And if you and the neighbor own and not rent, you could find out how hard it is to live next to someone who hates you.
My family’s two dogs were crate trained and are extremely well-behaved and listen to many commands.
As are ours. We crate train all of our foster dogs as well. AND we run and train them daily. AND we don’t use the crate as punishment.
It’s a huge generalization to say crate training doesn’t work because of a few personal experiences.
That said, dogs shouldn’t be in crates for 16+ hours a day.
PetSafe Bark Deterrent. Mixed reviews, but it’s worked well for the people I know who have it. For $40 it’s worth a shot, much better than white trash neighbors not properly training their animals.
Sorry I didn’t mean to say crate training was bad. I’m sure it does works, when done properly. I think some owners just throw the dog in the crate when it doesn’t do what they want. It’s just what I’ve seen. Sorry.