Another thought is, if there really is nothing that can be done within the legal system, start a media campaign. Take photos of the dogs and send them to your local papers to run a story on the scandal that is your animal welfare legislation if it can allow this to happen. Post them on local social media outlets. It might put enough pressure on the people involved in the case to go the extra mile to make a difference. It might shame the owner into relinquishing the animals. At the very, very least it will mean their suffering won’t be going unnoticed and might even go some way to raising awareness enough to start the ball rolling towards a change in policy.
Just a little vent if I may.. What an absolute rubbish couple of weeks I’ve had first Stanley got ill, I had to cancel my holiday, the insurance company were a big pile of poo and last night on my way home from work I hit a pothole and burst my tyre. That has got to be my lot now? I’m usually quite a positive person but I’m done. I’ve spent today in the house, in my dressing gown, stuffing my face with everything naughty and watching Netflix
@JenBainbridge what a rotten couple of weeks, hopefully that's it now ! The main thing is Stanley is better
I've been a fool I bought Rory a bed it was expensive. I thought my "little prince" might like it. I just know he's going to eat it, but I love him so.............
Ok, the "good" news is that I was misinformed - it's not embedded. Yes, there's something disgusting going on with the neck, but it's not that. I've spoken with the actual inspector involved in the case. The "owners" actually proactively took the dog to the vet and are getting it treatment for...whatever it is...which is currently the only thing keeping them (the dogs) in their possession. But, they're being served with an official notice forcing them to improve the dogs' living situation (they're on very short chains, living in filth) and if they don't improve it then they'll be seized, which the SPCA really wants to avoid if possible because unsurprisingly, the dogs are not candidates for re-homing...yes, that means what you think it means. It's a shit/diarrhea situation. The SPCA van pulled up today just as I was walking past, so we'll see what happens. I was feeling so utterly defeated yesterday. I'm one of many people who've been hounding Animal Control/SPCA about these dogs over the years, and to think that we're all out there trying to do the right thing and that the right thing was worth nothing was just too much. I had been thinking "well at least they've got basic shelter and food and they're not being beaten" and then I saw the neck and the red mist descended and I was like a woman possessed.
I know that it’s not necessarily a popular opinion, but I’m in the “better a dog is euthanised than live out its days in misery” camp. I can’t condone kill shelters that euthanise healthy, happy dogs after only a few days, but nor can I condone a policy of keeping abjectly miserable dogs alive just because “no kill is morally right”. If there are only two options for these dogs: live out their lives with no or little improvement in circumstances, or be euthanised, I think the latter is vastly preferable.
I just blew a raspberry on Stanleys head. So he batted me in the face with one of his massive paws and now I’m bleeding. Serves me right, I guess
The Pig spent a good portion of yesterday evening barking at the moon, which had apparently arisen from behind the trees in a most ominous manner and the Pig did not trust it from then on. Thank god I have a brave Pig to guard me from such things.
You know you're a crazy dog person when you spend your Monday evening doing squats, star jumps and the "YMCA" in front of your dog. Just so you can improve her "stand-stay"
A snapshot of our bank holiday Monday after a lovely sunny walk in Healey Dell nature reserve followed by a good splash in the river for the dogs. Coffee drunk but washing up and vacuuming still not done
Sometimes a dog has their ears right back when they're anxious. Other times it's because they're absolutely certain you're about to tell them it's dinner time
This afternoon the chained dogs on the corner were unchained and running loose all over the neighbourhood. Somebody (not me) called animal control. 5 mins after AC left I thought it was safe to take Xena out to meet the girl at school. I get to the bottom of the street and both dogs rush me. I wasn't expecting them and got a massive fright. I've been approached by one of them before, but never both together. One dog doesn't freak me out, but two? Pack mentality was at the front of my mind. I do the classic "policeman" - confident body, arm outstretched, "GO HOME" boomed in a deep voice - they didn't care, and then one of them gave a little growl and I had visions of "Porirua woman's face mauled off by roaming dogs" in the headlines. I just kept Xena behind me and advanced on them shouting "GO HOME", then turned around and legged it up the street. I called Animal Control and explained the situation. Of course they were still roaming when I came back down, but only one of them rushed me, and then AC turned up. AC phoned me a couple of hours later and told me that they'd impounded the dogs, and would I make a statement tomorrow because, get this, being rushed counts as an attack. If the owners turn up and pay the fine they'll have to release the dogs, but if I make a statement they'll be able to hold them for longer in order for the "owners" to fix up their living conditions. As the officer said to me "they're better off with us than they are there". So finally, some action is finally happening. I realise how badly this situation could have ended up if I wasn't confident, or if I was with a small dog/dominant dog/intact dog/it was rainy/sunny/windy. They're absolute beasts, Shar Pei crosses by the looks of them, and when I was facing them down I was honestly thinking that this could go either way oh shit what have I done. Maybe I should have legged it immediately when I saw that there were two? I don't know.
