Rise in the neglect of animals?

Well2

It seems to me there’s been an increase in animal welfare and neglect cases in the city recently, a lot of dogs and horses just abandoned on their own. Is this situation getting better or worse, and is there being anything done to sort this problem out?

letsbet

Maybe the cases that you are talking about are more serious cases of neglect but I was annoyed by what two families did in our estate in the last week. They both went off for a week's holidays and just let the dog in the back garden. It seems that a friend or parent visits the dog once a day to give it food and water but that's it - no exercise as far as we can see. One of the dogs barks his head off for hours after the visitor leaves. Dogs are social animals and leaving them like this is kind of crap in my opinion. If you can afford to go off on holidays for a week then you can afford to put your dog in kennels surely. Maybe I'm a bit soft as my two dogs spend a lot of the time with us rather than being locked out the back in a small run.

Brianne

Talking to people in rescues this problem is everywhere. Its sickening to see the way animals are neglected. I cant understand the mentality of people that would harm a poor defenceless creature. Rescues are doing absolutely fantastic work taking in and trying to rehome animals and are struggling to make ends meet but I suppose many more rescues and volunteers are needed. If everybody got their pets spayed and neutered it would be a big help. Animals are so wonderful and loyal and have such love to give.

ROCKMAN

letsbet wrote: »

Maybe the cases that you are talking about are more serious cases of neglect but I was annoyed by what two families did in our estate in the last week. They both went off for a week's holidays and just let the dog in the back garden. It seems that a friend or parent visits the dog once a day to give it food and water but that's it - no exercise as far as we can see. One of the dogs barks his head off for hours after the visitor leaves. Dogs are social animals and leaving them like this is kind of crap in my opinion. If you can afford to go off on holidays for a week then you can afford to put your dog in kennels surely. Maybe I'm a bit soft as my two dogs spend a lot of the time with us rather than being locked out the back in a small run.

OK i'll be slammed for this opinion but here goes ... WHEN DID DOGS BECOME INDOOR ANIMALS ,some people nowadays would give out to you for having a dog out the back some people think they should be inside with all the creature comforts 24/7.

Yes neglect is wrong and anyone caught causing neglect should be punished ,but lets not go overboard.

letsbet

I never said that they should be indoors 24/7. I said that they shouldn't be on their own pretty much 24/7 with no physical or mental stimulation.

Brianne

Its great if there are 2 dogs together, real company for each other when people are out working all day. I know thats not ideal for everybody.

marlin vs

letsbet wrote: »

Maybe the cases that you are talking about are more serious cases of neglect but I was annoyed by what two families did in our estate in the last week. They both went off for a week's holidays and just let the dog in the back garden. It seems that a friend or parent visits the dog once a day to give it food and water but that's it - no exercise as far as we can see. One of the dogs barks his head off for hours after the visitor leaves. Dogs are social animals and leaving them like this is kind of crap in my opinion. If you can afford to go off on holidays for a week then you can afford to put your dog in kennels surely. Maybe I'm a bit soft as my two dogs spend a lot of the time with us rather than being locked out the back in a small run.

Did you report it, if not why not, instead of putting it on boards especially when you knew it was happening?

letsbet

marlin vs wrote: »

Did you report it, if not why not, instead of putting it on boards especially when you knew it was happening?

Unfotunately if a dog has water and food and shelter, then animal welfare can do nothing about it (which these dogs had - I checked). If its being denied veterinary care, is physically suffering, or being denied their basic needs, then the authorities can intervene, but unfortunately in Ireland an animal's mental suffering is not deemed a problem and reporting it to the authorities would be futile.

Potential-Monke

ROCKMAN wrote: »

some people nowadays would give out to you for having a dog out the back...

I'll complaing about having a dog out the back when the back yard is about the size of the average sitting room in a semi-detached 3 bed house. It's crazy that large dogs (like my neighbours Alsation) is left in a tiny back yard 23 out of 24 hours. I think that should be grounds enough for the dog been taken off them (plus the fact that once it starts barking at the smallest noise it doesn't shut up for about 2 hours)...

Well2

Does anyone think the new welfare bill going through the Dail can improve the situation of neglect? A new hotline being set up to report cases and giving more powers to welfare officers could resolve cases of neglect sooner?

hardybuck

Well2 wrote: »

Does anyone think the new welfare bill going through the Dail can improve the situation of neglect? A new hotline being set up to report cases and giving more powers to welfare officers could resolve cases of neglect sooner?

I don't think we need a new piece of legislation to create a new hotline. What new powers will officers get?

The hotline will offer opportunities and threats. I had a warden come up to visit me a few years back due to a nuisance call by an eejit of a neighbour. When the warden arrived he fairly quickly copped this and apologisied for wasting my time, but it was really his own time he was wasting. He said he got a fair amount of nuisance calls like this, when answering these he could have been tackling genuine cases.

With regard to stimulation etc., depends on the dog. Although mine come from a hunting background, they're in the house and spoiled rotten. The odd time they'd be left alone for the full day, but as they've each other's company and the freedom of the property they're ok with that scenario.

However, many of my dog's siblings would have become gun dogs. They are locked up together in a run for most of the week, and get out for a specific time in the morning and evening for a walk and then a feed, with an outing to a hunt at the weekend. These dogs are totally professional in a sense, and only want to work, so have little interest in interaction outside of that. Depends on what they're used to.

Brianne

Anything that will improve the welfare of animals is badly needed, hopefully this law will be a good help. I have'nt got to reading it properly. Welfare officers definitely need more powers and as you say a hotline should work well, at least we animal lovers hope it will. Personally I think if dog licences were hiked up big time and the law enforced properly you would then have genuine dog lovers who would be responsible owners. Easier said then done though.

Well2

According to Simon Coveney the hotmail allows people who suspect neglect of animals to ring the hotline and report the case. Instead of welfare officers only arriving on the scene once the case of neglect has been highlighted, they can now issue an early warning to the owner and then step in and take appropriate action

hardybuck

Those would seem like decent improvements so. Don't agree with a hike in dog license fees. What are they spent on anyway? I presume they go towards welfare officers, but I presume they are also looking at horses, cattle and any type of animal basically - what fees do these people pay?

I don't think it's fair to charge dog owners a fee, but not if you own a cat, a ferret or a snake.

Brianne

Yes Hardybuck every animal is as important as the other and all deserve to be well treated. The number of animal welfare officers certainly should be increased. Does anybody know how many are in this county? I'm only aware of 1 covering the whole county.

ROCKMAN

hardybuck wrote: »

Those would seem like decent improvements so. Don't agree with a hike in dog license fees. What are they spent on anyway? I presume they go towards welfare officers, but I presume they are also looking at horses, cattle and any type of animal basically - what fees do these people pay?

I don't think it's fair to charge dog owners a fee, but not if you own a cat, a ferret or a snake.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree , why should one lot of owners pay alone ,

A price rise in the dog license in the current financial times could/would lead to a rise in unwanted and abandoned Dogs imo.

Brianne

I don't know the exact answer as to why we pay dog licences and not for cats etc ( not too many houses own ferrets as pets!) but this has always been the case maybe somebody out there has the answer. Dogs not properly looked after can do damage, eg sheep worrying etc as well as certain breeds can be quite vicious and presumably by licencing your dog its meant to make owners responsible for the care and control of their dog.

hardybuck

Brianne wrote: »

I don't know the exact answer as to why we pay dog licences and not for cats etc ( not too many houses own ferrets as pets!) but this has always been the case maybe somebody out there has the answer. Dogs not properly looked after can do damage, eg sheep worrying etc as well as certain breeds can be quite vicious and presumably by licencing your dog its meant to make owners responsible for the care and control of their dog.

If I decide to buy a bull tomorrow, what sort of license if any will I be required to get? If a bull gets out he'll potentially kill other animals, go after humans or damage property.

Well2

Its 'officially' against the law to keep a dog without a licence, also to keep a dog without a collar bearing the name of the owner and their adress. An on the spot fine is the procedure if this is not adherred to, and further prosecution if their is failure to pay.

Is your dog licenced? Do they have a collar with correct info, and have you ever seen a warden impose a fine??

Brianne

hardybuck wrote: »

If I decide to buy a bull tomorrow, what sort of license if any will I be required to get? If a bull gets out he'll potentially kill other animals, go after humans or damage property.

I don't know if bulls have to be licenced and I agree what you say is true. I have my dogs licenced but no collars on them. I'm in the country and not beside other houses so they have plenty freedom without making nuisances of themselves to neighbours. The Co. Council send reminders when licences are due. I personally dont know of anybody getting fined by the warden. I'm sure oodles of people have no licences out there.

ROCKMAN

Well2 wrote: »

Its 'officially' against the law to keep a dog without a licence, also to keep a dog without a collar bearing the name of the owner and their adress. An on the spot fine is the procedure if this is not adherred to, and further prosecution if their is failure to pay.

Is your dog licenced? Do they have a collar with correct info, and have you ever seen a warden impose a fine??

Really didn't know this , My Dog is licenced and have had warden call to door looking for/to see licence (wasn't just my house did the whole estate ) but info on collar wasn't mention.

Well2

ROCKMAN wrote: »

My Dog is licenced and have had warden call to door looking for/to see licence (wasn't just my house did the whole estate ) but info on collar wasn't mention.

Was it Ollie Walsh who called? Have you a number for the warden?

ROCKMAN

Well2 wrote: »

Was it Ollie Walsh who called? Have you a number for the warden?

Not sure of name and only number I have is office number 051-872247 if thats any good for you.