I’ve noticed that my neighbours’ dog (a Labrador type) is being left outside all day long. It’s starting to get really cold now and he only has the porch to try and find some shelter from the wind and rain.
The dog seems well-fed and looks like he's brought in at night (though it’s harder to see into their garden in the evenings...).
At what point does this officially become animal cruelty? In our eyes, it already is, but what is the legal position on this?
And what can be done if the situation doesn't change? Do the RSPCA step in for this kind of thing (what are their criteria for taking action), or are there other animal charities I should contact?
Thanks for any advice you can give.
Translated from French
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I’ve got nothing against dogs that live outdoors all year round, but if this dog is going in and out—inside at night and outside during the day—his coat probably isn't as well-equipped as a dog that lives outside permanently, and he might really feel the cold.
Either way, he definitely ought to have a kennel or some sort of shelter.
However, just because you always see him on the doorstep doesn’t necessarily mean he hasn’t got a kennel... unless you can see the entire garden.
When mine was younger, I used to leave him outside while I was out, with access to a garden shed where I’d put his crate with blankets, toys, water, etc.
But at the start, he preferred staying by the gate to keep a lookout, even when it was raining.
We got quite a few comments from the neighbour who was convinced we were leaving our dog without any shelter, water, or anything! It was a bit annoying.
After a while, he actually started to prefer spending his time sleeping quietly in the shed while we were away. We didn't hear another peep from the neighbour even though the dog's situation hadn't changed one bit; he'd just decided to make a different choice.
(Then one day I realised someone could easily steal my dog from the garden, so I started keeping him inside the house ^^)
I remember a trainer who reckoned that mistreatment was never letting your cat outside or letting your dog sleep on your bed. Well, I let my cats out, but I have to admit one of them has no qualms about snoring away under the duvet 😉
Yes and no, because some people might see a dog sleeping outside in the rain and feel sorry for it, when that isn’t necessarily the case.
In this instance, we don’t have any details about this dog to suggest he’s unhappy. He’s outside, fair enough. But is it all day? Does he go back inside from time to time without the neighbour seeing? Does he actually behave like an "unhappy" dog?
The poster says it’s starting to get cold; that might be true for a human, but not necessarily for a dog who might actually want to be outdoors.
It’s just a matter of observing things more closely and getting the full picture before jumping to conclusions.
Hi, I’d agree with Avatar.
You’d need to be certain the dog is actually outside all day long. It can certainly give that impression if you see him often, but I assume you don’t spend your whole day keeping an eye on your neighbour's garden?
I’m not saying don’t do anything; I’m just suggesting you get all the facts first before crying wolf and potentially causing trouble for someone for no reason.
You’re right, Avatar, those situations do happen, but even so, I think most people can intuitively tell the difference between a dog having a peaceful snooze outside and one that’s miserable, stressed, or in distress, buffeted by the wind and looking for shelter.
My dog also loves spending time outdoors in her ‘dens’ (holes she’s dug under a tree) or on her famous granite block where she stands guard.
But when it turns into a storm like today, she comes scuttling back to the door with her tail between her legs, and it’s blindingly obvious that she doesn’t feel safe outside anymore and needs to be let in.
Basically, you can usually tell from the dog’s body language! :-)
I’ll play devil’s advocate for a moment, but sometimes we can misinterpret things. Is he out there all day long, or do you just happen to see him outside quite often?
I’m asking because, for instance, my husky is constantly pestering to go out in the garden and often sleeps on the patio; even though it’s slightly sheltered, she’ll happily stay out in the rain. She simply refuses to come back inside until she’s decided she’s ready.
If someone saw her from the outside, they might think she’s a poor little thing being left out all day...
I heard on the radio the other day that dogs must have access to shelter; a lawyer was saying it’s a legal requirement. They were talking about a case where a dog was left on a balcony 24/7—it was being fed, but it was barking and messing all over the place. Apparently, the radio station had even contacted the RSPCA about it. I’d definitely try calling the RSPCA myself, especially with this freezing winter weather; no dog should have to live like that.
