Boxer driving neighbours nuts

XanderX

I don't really know much about Boxer dogs but this just does not seem right. There is a family at the back of us who own a boxer dog. They have had him/her for a few years but this dog lives in a very small space at the back of their garden. It has no space to run, just enough to walk really in circles. It lives there on its own whatever the weather and rarely gets taken into the house and even more rarely gets taken for walks. If it gets taken out once a week it is lucky. It spends all day and most of the night barking, feel really sorry for the poor thing it must be terribly bored. It has a kennel but this is just a thin wooden box with a hole could out, at least is has shelter.

I cannot understand how the owners can leave this dog out in all weathers just barking even when they are in the house. The area where it lives is also it toilet and the smell that comes from it particularly in summer is dreadful. I understand that a couple of neighbours have spoken to them about the dog and other dropped notes into the house but nothing changes. Some neighbours have contacted the dog warden but all they say is that they have to take a court case which they are not prepared to do.

Is there anything that can be done apart from going to court?

charlemont

<snip>

Maybe some shelter or decent person you know would then take and care for the Dog.

Its appalling to keep an animal in those conditions.

XanderX

charlemont wrote: »

<snip>

Maybe some shelter or decent person you know would then take and care for the Dog.

Its appalling to keep an animal in those conditions.

I know, while half the time I am annoyed with the barking, the other half I feel so sorry for the poor thing. Really sad. I always thought boxers were mainly indoor dogs as any i have met have been really friendly. He has been barking so far this morning for about three hours and the owners are in, I can see them through their patio window.

Silverfish

I'm probably stating the obvious but has anyone contacted the DSPCA rather than the dog wardens?

XanderX

Silverfish wrote: »

I'm probably stating the obvious but has anyone contacted the DSPCA rather than the dog wardens?

Don't live in Dublin, live in Meath. Do the DSPCA do border counties? I know someone contacted Dogs Trust but they said they could do nothing as it was private land.

Silverfish

XanderX wrote: »

Don't live in Dublin, live in Meath. Do the DSPCA do border counties?

Oh, probably not

The ISPCA then perhaps. The dog warden really only deal with strays, so I'd give the ISPCA a call, and see can they inspect and perhaps convince the owners to improve the conditions or surrender the dog.

candy69

that is awful:( we have four pugs and a white boxer all of which live in doors. boxer's need lots of walks as they are full of energy. it also needs to be with people they are a peoples dog and love company as most animals do. it drives me insane that people get animals and lock them out side and forget about them.as i understand some dogs need to be outside but not forgotten about it's so cruel. surely somebody can help. i know all animal shelters are over run with unwanted animals but maybe they could help. we fostered our last pug last christmas and fell in love with her and kept her she was found wondering a road she is half blind so can only imagine how frightened she must of been people like this or people who own that boxer should not have the privilege of having an animal. :mad:

XanderX

candy69, thanks for your reply. Love to hear stories of rescued animals particularly to nice people who care. I did think that they were really house dogs, which makes me even sadder that this poor animal is left outside all the time with basically no human contact. The owners go away July/August for a few weeks and the dog is looked after by a friend who does come in every day to feed the dog and also takes him/her out for a walk regardless of weather. During that time the dog does not bark as much, shame that this is the only time that the poor animal gets walked.

Anyway, he stopped barking around 1.30pm and started back up again around 3pm, been none stop since. I am going to have to talk to someone about this dog as it is really upsetting.

candy69

breaks my heart probably brain dead. my boxer barks like mad if i'm not quick enough to let her back in from going to the toilet. it really is cruel

XanderX

candy69 wrote: »

breaks my heart probably brain dead. my boxer barks like mad if i'm not quick enough to let her back in from going to the toilet. it really is cruel

This type of cruelty to this animal surly must be sending the dog mad. Just looked over the fence and the dog does not even have a toy to play with. It has a concrete flat space about five foot by four which his kennel is on (if you could call it a kennel), there is another space which is on a sharp hill of about two foot by twelve.

candy69

XanderX wrote: »

This type of cruelty to this animal surly must be sending the dog mad. Just looked over the fence and the dog does not even have a toy to play with. It has a concrete flat space about five foot by four which his kennel is on (if you could call it a kennel), there is another space which is on a sharp hill of about two foot by twelve.

my god thank god i can't see this. i don't even own an outside kennel. you don't mind a dog outside if it gets it's walk's and is brought in with the owners at night for cuddles and playtime. i just can't understand people makes me ashamed to be human sometimes

Goose81

candy69 wrote: »

my god thank god i can't see this. i don't even own an outside kennel. you don't mind a dog outside if it gets it's walk's and is brought in with the owners at night for cuddles and playtime. i just can't understand people makes me ashamed to be human sometimes

Are you serious?

Lots of people like boundaries between their dog and them and leave the dog outside at night, nothing wrong as long as the dog has a decent kennel.

Its a dog not a child.

candy69

Goose81 wrote: »

Are you serious?

Lots of people like boundaries between their dog and them and leave the dog outside at night, nothing wrong as long as the dog has a decent kennel.

Its a dog not a child.

yes i know that, but it still needs looking after not locked up all day with no contact from owners or walks.

Hellrazer

charlemont wrote: »

Hop the fence some night and liberate the Dog.

This suggestion is against the rules of the forum.Stealing someones dog regardless of the circumstances is also illegal.
Consider this a warning.Any more suggestions like this in this thread will be dealt with by way of a small holiday from the forum.

DBB

Meath SPCA have a website you can look up.

The dog wardens have no powers to do anything about a dog in his situation, unfortunately. It is up to neighbours to make a civil complaint about the noise the dog is causing. This may be the only avenue for this dog, because initiating the process may prompt the owners that it's too much trouble to hold onto this dog, and if the process is completed, the judge will either direct that steps be taken to stop the dog from barking (in most cases, the owners have to seek professional behavioural advice: presumably the behaviourist would report/advise that the dog's living conditions are not conducive to the problem being resolved without changes being made to improve the dog's welfare), or the judge will order that the dog is removed/destroyed.
So, whilst a visit from the local SPCA may give the owners a slap on the wrist, if it doesn't work, the latter is probably the only hope for this dog.

XanderX

Thanks for that DBB, was not aware that Meath had a SPCA. Think I will have to give them a call after the weekend. Not sure if this time of year is the best as all dogs are barking because of fireworks/bangers etc. Might not be taken seriously. There are another couple of dogs near that are being driven mad with the bangers, presently they are going bonkers but we have had all sorts of bangs and wizzes all afternoon. Think I will monitor the situation for a couple of weeks more closely and give as much info to the SPCA as I can.

4.40pm and he is still barking away and the owners are in. He has been locked up all day, well at least from 9.30am.

DBB

Just to clarify, it is to the County Council, not the SPCA, that you make complaints about barking/noise pollution, and the complaint must be in writing.
The council will encourage the complainant to come to an agreement with the dog's owner, or at least to have tried to achieve a resolution at "local" level, before going official with the complaint.
The SPCA can only deal with matters relating to welfare, and even at that, they have no legal powers. If they were to decide that the dog must be removed from the owners for its own welfare, they have to get the Guards to carry this out if it has to be done by force. However, in most cases, the SPCA will try to educate the owner, or try to persuade the owner to voluntarily surrender the dog altogether.
So, in short, the SPCA are the first port of call, but be aware that thye are limited in what they can do. If the matter can't be resolved this way, then the official route via the County Council is the way to go.

STI V5

HI ! Having being the neighbour next to a dog that in my opinion is being mistreated for the last 2 years , unfortunately i think you's are fighting a losing battle as the story goes we have cruel horrible people next door who for over 2 years have just left there little dog spinning around in a tiny dog run in its own sh#t and has never been outside for a run ,as a result of this hes gone totally mad .. he barks all day at nothing and when hes not barking hes spinning around in circles trying to amuse himself !!:( . I firstly approached the owners who didnt care , so went to the dog warden his reply was unless its a stray on the road theres nothing i can do , next it was the dspca who came down to carry out an inspection and shockingly there answer was that as long as the dog is fed , watered and has sufficient shelter there was nothing they could do either !! Amazingly I was told that there's no guidelines for how big a dog run has to be , and by law a dog never has to be walked by its owner so basically it can be left at the mercy of its cruel owners .. providing its not being abused or starved !!!! What an absolute joke !! I was advised to go the civil summons route as a last resort ... but because i went it alone and hadn't brought more neighbours with me as proof that the dog is going nuts in the garden all day and night , there was very little the judge could do !!! Other than to tell them to walk the poor little mite which they haven't done once !! If your neighbours are anything like mine they wont give a crap about the dog warden or dspca ..My advice is get another one or two neighbours on board get the civil summons sent , go in to court and state your case .. probably get the ispca to do a report on the conditions hes been kept in , then at least you'll have a strong case and hopefully get him off the premises to a home he deserves !! Hope u have more luck than i did Goodluck