# Should I report it?



## Swiper (Jan 16, 2010)

I am not sure if I should report a neighbor down the street to the city animal control. Apparently they have six adult dogs of different large breeds, but I have never seen them walk them so they must be 'doing their business' in the back yard.

In any case, tonight I did observe the owner putting the dogs into their kennels located in the garage. All of the kennels looked too small for the dog housed inside of them, i.e. the German shepherd could barely stand up and probably cannot turn around without a struggle. Two of the dogs had to share one kennel. Even one of the dogs would have been too big to fit comfortably inside of it. I saw how they struggled and tripped over each other inside the kennel. It's doubtful that they would even be able to lay down reasonably comfortably.

Do you think this would be worthy of reporting to animal control or am I just overreacting?


----------



## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

My general rule of thumb is if they look miserable, report it.


----------



## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

Being as you really only got one look at this and have no further information (how often they are kept in the crates, for what length of time,etc.) I don't think you have enough to make any worthwhile report. You also aren't positive about what you saw (ex. the dog _probably_ couldn't turn around) and may have misjudge the situation. 

The bottom line though, is that AC gets a lot of calls. Many of them take awhile to get around too because of this and due to (sometimes) being understaffed. They likely aren't going to put much stock in a report of someone's neighbor possibly using smaller crates for their dogs on occasion. Particularly if in all other aspects the dogs are happy and healthy.


----------



## Robrowe (Jan 25, 2010)

While your concern is commendable I dont think you will get anywhere with this.
Nothing wrong with dogs doing their business in the backyard. Mine does and I clean up after him, he has a specific area of the yard in which he was trained to use and I cuss the neighbors I have who walk their dogs so they can do their business on my front lawn. I actually gathered their dogs poo over a week or so and filled a gallon ziploc with it and attached it with a note to theri front door that I did not pay over a half million on a home for their dog to have a place to defecate. Not to mention having to reseed my lawn from the dead spots caused by its urnine. This of course was after many times of asking politiely then catching them in the act and getting a dirty look as I stood at my front door while their dog was pinching a loaf 20 ft from me and I simply said "Do you Mind?" I stood there awestruck as they appeared to have a problem with me interupting their dogs god given right to defecate where it pleased. Sad to say they still didnt get it and I had to put out sonic devices with IR detection to annoy the dog to get away from my yard. I have since turned them off as the dog is now conditioned to cross the street when it gets near my house. But now the other neighbor is cleaning up poo and his lawn that he just had sodded is turning brown. I walk my dog regularly but elimination is not the purpose of the walk.

As for confinement You would have to gather more facts to determine if the animals are being mistreated and also keep in mind that animal controls function is not the same as the ASPCA. They are more likely to cite him for too many dogs or not having them licensed.


----------



## Maura (Mar 17, 2009)

Report it. You don't know what AC policies are, don't assume. Six dogs in confinement that is too small. If they can send an officer out, they will.


----------

