What should I do? - Off topic

I was not sure where to post this and I know it will get moved to the right thread. There is a dog at the end of my alley I am worried about. It is always barking when you go by (day and night) so you notice if he isn't outside. There are soooooo few times where he is actually inside. Last winter it was -30 F outside (with windchill) and he was sitting out there. He is chained up to a big tree. His shelter is their garage but they have to leave the big garage door up for him to get in so it is pointless, his leash isn't long enough for him to really get into it and out of the wind. The first time I actually went up to this dog his stomach growled and I have never heard that before. I called the cops and nothing happened. So I have been wondering what I can do to help him. I bought him dog treats (I know it isn't the best but I am afraid to get caught feeding him bc I do not truly know what goes on with this dog), and I stop and pet him and give him attention at least every other day (I got caught two days ago but they didn't say anything). So tonight it feels like 2F and I want to go scoop him up and bring him home with me. He is sitting by the tree all curled up, it is so pitiful. What should I do? I planned on making him a dog house tomorrow but tomorrow isn't right now (it is going to be the best dog house ever plan on dropping it off one night so no one knows where it came from)... Any advice on tonight? I am really worried he was shaking like crazy earlier and it felt like 15 F....

This makes me feel so sad. I'm not sure where you live but are there animal cops in your city? I guess it's the SPCA - you know those shows on Animal Planet where they have these animal police officers that can ticket owners for neglect, abuse, etc. Call your local SPCA to see what can be done.

We don't have that and the closest is prolly either 30 min away or 45 min away but in the next state. The local cops are the ones that handle that sorta thing. I live in a town of 6,000 and we have a college of 3,000ish.

Wow...I can't tell where you are from, but there has to be some sort of animal control, either with the City or County. I think with the temps the way they are going to be tonight I would:

1) Call the animal control about the dog being outside. Right now even our news stations are talking about how animals can't be out when it's this cold.

2) Tell animal control that you will make sure the animal has shelter tonight no matter what they do. Tell them you will be waiting for them to let you know what happens.

3) If that doesn't seem to get anyone into action, go to that house, ring the doorbell, and tell them that if they don't take their dog inside you will do it for them.

4) Unchain that dog and take it inside. I swear if you get in trouble, people here on TCS will help pay for your legal fees. If no one else does, I will do it personally.

We had an over-population of cats in town so the cops (who you get the cages from when there is a stray you want to catch) left out cages and killed as many strays as they could. This whole town is money hungry. The vet will take in cats 1 day and dogs 3 days if it is found on the street.... the whole idea of the police really doesn't work like it should. I have dealt with them before with a few different animals and a squirrel....

Your city, county and state should have animal laws. It will include cruelty to animals. If there is no help from the local law enforcement, call the nearest SPCA and ask what your next resource would be, explaining the situation to them.

Then call the mayors office and ask for their suggestions as to what can be done to protect the dog.

Keep calling up the ladder of officials until someone has a solution.

Last resort would be to unchain the dog and bring it inside. When it is safe I would drive to the nearest (out away from your city) no kill shelter and leave the dog there where he will at least be fed and warm.

People like that should have to trade places with the dog for a change !

Don't give up. You will find help.

I say unchain the dog and take it inside... Make sure to go there with someone else though, so you are safe... I don't trust people who does that to animals, so be careful. I doubt you would get in trouble for saving a dog... If something needs to be done tonight, I suppose that is the best thing to do? Have you called 911?

The good news is the night is over and he is ok. A friend of mine is coming over to help me set up plans to make the doghouse and then I will be making it today. He is so cold he didn't come out to bark at me when I drove by not too long ago. I want to steal him SOOOOOOOO bad but that is illegal and I can't do illegal stuff. His shelter is their garage with the door open and he cant go in it far enough to get out of the wind..... I want throw up. Anyways, he is pretty skinny but I haven't been able to get into the garage to see his food/water situation. Should I just take him to the aspca and hope he doesnt have a chip or should I just wait til I move and ask to take him with me??? The law here is S***, seriously S*** with all caps...........

Where is "here"? That might help for suggestions on who to contact regarding animal cruelty. There should be city/county/state levels of contact. The weatherman on our local station (NBC5) has been saying every single day about how important it is to bring pets inside, or at least have a good warm shelter, plus a heated water bowl outside. Who's animal control in your county? Or local SPCA? Or, heck, who's your local vet? What advice has he/she given you regarding reporting channels.

Be sure you put a thick blanket in the bottom of the doghouse to insulate him from the cold ground.

Do you know the owners? Can you talk to them about taking care of the dog without creating too much hostility?

I didn't think about calling the vet. I do not take my animals to the vet here in town unless it is a last resort. They are crap too, will charge you 65$ to TALK to you on the phone after business hours. I called my vet though and I am waiting to hear back. I am going to make a few phone calls to the animal shelters around the area and see what they say. I am just really afraid to do something when there is a better way to go about things. I want to do this as correctly as possible because I do NOT want to ruin my chances of helping this dog. I haven't called the shelters because I really wasn't sure what to say or what they would do about it.... I will reply back when I get some answers!

My friend who is going to help is in construction (that is his job while he is attending college to be a industrial tech teacher) and we planned on putting a sheet of wood down then insulation *2 inches thick* then another sheet of wood for the bottom (with some sorta of soft/warm blanket) and the same thickness on all sides and the roof, thanks for the advice though i appreciate it!!!! i am going to make this doghouse AWESOME! my friend was also talking about putting a food and water dish in the doghouse (set areas) with the roof being hinged so the owners just have to lift the roof to get to the food dish.

That's great of you to build the doghouse but what if the owners object? It's possible they could really get their nose out of joint with someone building this and putting it onto their property?

Do they regularly feed and provide water to this poor dog?

Poor dog doesn't sound like he has much of a life, just being chained to a tree all the time.

I know the doghouse seems like a good solution but at the end of the day, this poor dog is outside all the time, chained up and doesn't seem to have very good owners. It's a sad day when a neighbor has to take it upon themself to build YOUR dog a doghouse (shelter from the elements).

I found out we do have a shelter for dogs here in town and I called them. She said all I can really do is keep calling the cops over and over again until they do something about this situation. The owners are a family and they keep their little dog inside but he gets to stay outside. The main thing about the family is the mom has cancer and is in chemo so I think there is a sympathy card being played there. I know the doghouse is a short term thing and I was going to put in out there tonight when I can't get caught doing it and putting "from Santa" on it. I plan on asking for the dog when I move but I CAN NOT have this dog now, I have 5 cats and the town limit is 4 and my landlord is a Godsend to let me have as many cats as I have, he just knows I keep up with them and my house isn't a giant litter box so he allows it.

Also, I do not know about food and water, I have not been able to see in their garage to see what sort of food they have out for him there. He is rather skinny so my guess is he doesn't get enough, but I do believe he does get fed at least semi-regularly. Should I just save him and take him to the aspca out of state and hope they do not have a chip in him? I do not want him to be put down and as far as I know there are NO non-kill shelters around here. I was really just hoping that this all would be ok until I move in May and I would take him with me then so at least then I know he isn't going to be put down.

So I called the animal shelter here in town (which can only take in dogs) well she said that the town wont allow her to take in animals so she only has 2 dogs that are waiting to be adopted out and that is it. She can't take any more in. She does not have a separate building to have the dogs in so until a building is built the dogs in town are out of luck. 3 days at the vet before they are put down. !!!! I HATE THIS TOWN!!!!!!!!! Waiting til 2 to call back the county attorney and to talk to him about the situation. Thankfully the county attorney is here in the town I am in so hopefully something can be done. I will be setting up some type of fundraiser or something now to raise money to build a building for the dogs and then she can take in cats too!!!! Let's hope that there can be enough money raised..... PRAY (if you believe in it) for this town and all the animals in this town. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

I live in farm country so animals are animals and nothing more to a lot of the people around here...........

You NEED to call the cops. They won't necessarily take the dog from the owner, but they will make sure that the dog has shelter, food and water. They usually give them a warning, and then come back to check on the situation 1-2 weeks later. Animal cruelty is a crime... They will take the dog in the last case scenario - when his life is in real danger, and the situation can not be corrected - or in case the owners sign the dog off to SPCA.
For what you are saying, this dog can die well before May. I do understand you want to take him, but he just may not live until then.
Please call the Cops...

I just got off the phone with the cops, I had planned on having the county attorney talk to the cops for me so something would get done. The lady I spoke with I said that I felt nothing happened last time and I wasn't sure if the cops even came and she said they do check out every case. This time they are going to call me with the outcome. I am going to start the fundraiser, if anyone on here is interested on helping please let me know. I will have details later today, I am going to go out and talk to the lady that tries to run the shelter to find out what can and cant be done. Thanks

Originally Posted by kittiekitten

I found out we do have a shelter for dogs here in town and I called them. She said all I can really do is keep calling the cops over and over again until they do something about this situation. The owners are a family and they keep their little dog inside but he gets to stay outside. The main thing about the family is the mom has cancer and is in chemo so I think there is a sympathy card being played there. I know the doghouse is a short term thing and I was going to put in out there tonight when I can't get caught doing it and putting "from Santa" on it. I plan on asking for the dog when I move but I CAN NOT have this dog now, I have 5 cats and the town limit is 4 and my landlord is a Godsend to let me have as many cats as I have, he just knows I keep up with them and my house isn't a giant litter box so he allows it.

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Is there any way that you could talk to the owners. Ask them if you can care for the dog. Let them know that you want to help and they seem to be stretched pretty thin with the mom's health issues. Offer to set up the dog house and care for the dog (on their property) until you can move and take him. If that doesn't work then hound (no pun in tended) your local police every day/night until they do something. If that dog stays out as cold as it's getting he won't survive! Btw, where are you? You still haven't said.