Dog issue with neighbors. How to approach?

sallyomally

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We have an adorable couple in their eighties who have the cutest little dachshund who has been their spoiled baby for some years now. The elderly man took him for walks three times daily like clockwork- Buddy was his constant companion and an indoor doggie . It seems the gentleman suffered a heart attack,but is home and according to his wife,doing well.
Last night, I heard voices and the gate shutting,followed by, "We'll see what happens." ALL NIGHT LONG( and even now), I heard a panicked, crying, dog, begging to be let in! It's no Minnesota here by any means, but the temps are in the high 30's to mid 40's and Buddy is a tiny dog. I was awake all night, just feeling sick inside. My question is, how do I approach the situation? The man is recovering from a heart attack, so I don't want to cause any stress, but I'm so worried about the poor thing. They're country folk,and have that old fashioned mind set when it comes to animals, so they'll likely think I'm nuts anyway, and just laugh it off. Poor Buddy sounds so frightened and I know Ben was his whole world -one can only imagine how confused he must be. What should I do?
 
Poor Buddy. :( I guess I would absolutely talk to them and be nice/diplomatic...can't imagine you being anything else. :) Maybe start the conversation by simply mentioning that you heard the dog crying and ask them what the problem is. Do you have any idea why they kept him outside? Maybe he's having bathroom accidents inside and they are now unable to keep up with taking him out regularly? It's awful for the poor dog. If you can get them to tell you what the problem is, maybe you will be able to offer some advice on how they can resolve the issue in a way that won't mean poor Buddy has to be locked out of the house. :(
 
:( Poor thing. Why can't they section him off in a room in the house rather than shoving him outside.
 
In this case, I think it is as the poor mite has always slept inside.:(
Well I would never leave my sweet Dachshund outside, but it isn't considered abusive to the powers that be, I wouldn't think. :(

Maybe a noise complaint about the night howling and barking?

I'm sure the heart attack guy is too weak still to walk the dog, and the wife is too worried about caretaking her husband to leave him. Walking is the best cardiac rehab, so hopefully Heart Attack Man will be able to walk the doxie soon.
 
I would offer to take the dog in til the couple are able to care for him properly. Sort of offer it as a favor, rather than to seem to criticize. If I couldn't take the dog in myself, I would look for someone who could. Some dog walking services will do this free of charge for elderly or disabled people.
 
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Yes, I would absolutely offer to take him in, or at the very least, offer to take him on his walks until the man can do it himself again. (Actually, the kinds of leisurely walks that a dachshund takes would be precisely what a doctor would order post heart attack, I would think.)

And ledboots is right - here in the U.S., the authorities have no authority to step in if the dog has access to water and isn't being starved, even if he were chained outside 24/7.

I would never, ever, call the authorities complaining about an animal itself (such as noise, roaming, etc.) That almost always rebounds to the detriment of the animal.
 
Yeah, talk to them and see if they can let you take the dog.

I would directly express concern about the dog. You can put it in terms of you know how hard things are for them, but I would say that you're concerned for the dog being out, that you heard the dog cry all night, etc. Maybe it can spur some little remnant of a conscience.

So typical that as soon as average human has some problem, the animals they have brought into their lives suffer.
 
If they are 'just seeing what happens' because of the stress of other things in their lives, maybe they'll realize leaving him outside isn't working. Especially if you tell them you could hear his distress (if they didn't hear it, which seems common for some people, not hearing their own dogs barking or whining...) and offer nicely to do something to help.
 
Thanks for the advice. I've been thinking about this all day and came up with a plan that may work- since our little Sophie will be joining the family tomorrow, I considered asking them if they would like for me to take Buddy along on our walks. At the very least, it would start a conversation and hopefully shed some light on what's happening. I would take him in, but he's very cat aggressive not to mention that it would probably be confusing for him since they live so close. He would most likely be constantly trying to get back home. So- the plan would be to take a get well card and maybe some soup over tomorrow, introduce Sophie, and take it from there. Wish me luck!
 
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Do you have owls and eagles there? They can pick up a small Dachshund, maybe you could scare the couple with that. Or find a doghouse and warm blanket on freecycle. :(

We have had hawks in the past, who did a number on the squirrel population, but I haven't seen them for about a year.
 
Is it the elderly couple who put him outside or did some "well meaning" family member decide "dad's sick, fido needs the boot"?
 
Wow- Holy miscommunication, Batman! Turns out the crying dog wasn't Buddy after all, but rather a stray my neighbor had seen wandering around all day. He was finally able to lure him into his back yard and kept him there until he could locate the owner. The dog was a little rough with Buddy-hence the need for him to stay outside. He had a nice warm place on a covered patio with a heat light and plenty of food and water. I haven't heard crying since we've returned home so it looks as though all is well!