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View Full Version : My Call to the Humane Society...I Feel So Much Better


23 Cats' Dad
02-08-2008, 03:35 AM
Please let me know if I did the right thing. I would like to know what some of your opinions are.

I have some neighbors that are very nice to us and they let their little 6 year old boy come over sometimes and play with my wife outside or she has babysat him a couple of times. They are suppose to be very religous and go to church every Sunday morning/night and Wednesday nights. They are both in their late 30's & neither uses profanity.
Up unitl this week, they had a full blooded male Boxer (Odie) that is about 6-8 months old and a little 2 year old male Beagle/Daschund mix (Red) that has just been making me sick at the treatment these poor dogs have been getting. These poor dogs have been put into a dogpin that measures about 5'x8' chain link that is ankle deep in black mud and feces. The pin stays muddy all the time accept for when there's a drought in the summertime where the poor dogs never got any drinking water unless my wife or I walked over and gave it to them.

To start this off...My neighbors live approx. 60' from us. We look out our front door and we're looking at the side of their house with their driveway running between us to their backyard & garage. Everything is just very close to us, so we can see everything that goes on + I'm disabled & can't physically do much of anything, so we're at home most all of the time.
Their little dogpin is approx. 100' so we can see the dogs also.

A Daschund & a Jack Russel they use to have had both ran off in 2 seperate incidents within 4 months apart & neither one returned. We live in a quite little neighborhood with the only traffic being other neighbors coming and going & all 3 streets around here all dead-in, so there no speeders or anything like that so around the early spring of 2007, they got this little dog(Red) and put him in this small pin and then around July or August of 2007, they got this Boxer (Odie). He was 8 weeks old, very healthy & cute as a button. They kept him inside their house for about 1 month & out he went into the small pin. The guy said that Odie was too hyper & they couldn't control him, but he was going to put Odie thru Obediance Training & then he could come back in. Well after this Boxer pup had been kept in a 2'x3' little bitty itsy bitsy cage all day for 12-15 hours everyday, well he was hyper. We knew that the poor dog would be stuck outside forever, because I had figured my neighbors out not too long after we moved in our house in December 2006 & I knew they were both full of B.S.

This past summer of 2007, they went on vacation for a week, 2 seperate times to Gulf Shores, Alabama and ask us to feed & water their dogs. We happily accepted the responsibility and after they left, we walked over and the poor dogs didn't have a drop of water or food. They had a salad bowl for water with a 10 inch crack across the bottom. It was completely drained out within 1 minute of filling it up. Well Alabama was under an EXTREME DROUGHT all summer and the temp. was between 96*-105*. The Water Works Board had very strict policies against using water for lawns & washing cars, but I know they didn't mean to not give your dogs any drinking water. I got a large bucket that cat litter comes in and tied it to the fence so the dogs couldn't turn it over & they both drank until they were sick.
For shelter, they had a medium-sized 2'x4' pet carrier that kept coming apart because the top piece wasn't screwed to the bottom, they didn't have a dog house, just this pet carrier without a top.

A couple of weeks ago, both dogs were running loose and I watched them and the poor Boxer has a serious problem with it's hind-in. I don't know if it's his hips or spine, but he couldn't hardly walk and his rearend was all hunkered down. He looks like he has bee starved. His ribs, spine, and hip bones look as if they are going to pierce thru his skin. He can't weigh no more than 35-40 LBS & he doesn't have the heighth like a 6-8 month old male Boxer should have.

The little dog had long worms crawling out of his butt. I told them and they were like, "yeah, we need to take him to the vet sometime if we can ever think of it". I thought to myself, you F*$#!*(^$)$!~whitetrash$@!(~~&). It made me sick to think that both of these poor dogs had to go back in that filthy pin.

Well lately, we've had a few very cold nights around 12*-40* with rain, sleet/snow one day, more rain, sunshine, and now it's about 55* in the daytime and these dogs don't have anywhere to get in out of the cold rain. The pet carrier they have is in 2 pieces with the top piece upside down & holding water and the bottom part holding about 4 inches of water.The only drinking water they had was from the rain & it was like green syrap mixed with mud & feces & no food. My wife called them Saturday night 2-2-08 & informed them that the dogs had nowhere to get out of the rain. They should know, being they have to come out their back door every day and get in their vehicles right there 30 feet next to the dogpin and it shouldn't be up to us to have to tell these people what their pets need. I mean, they never even looked at the dogs, much less pet them or give them any attention. They had NEVER been to a vetenarian.

Monday 2-4-08 after they left for work, we went over and there everything was just like I explained to the "t". I called the Greater Birmingham Humane Society & got the phone # to The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. I called them and reported it. Before the police could do anything, they would have to have a complaint, so they sent out a Deputy & I signed a complaint and showed the officer the dogs. I wasn't sure what steps would be taken, but 2 hours later, the officer returned with a guy from The Greater Birmingham Humane Society. I had to write out a brief report in my own words telling everything that I knew. They took a few Digital Photos & then an Animal Control Officer showed up with a truck with cages built on the back. They took both dogs & took some close up pictures of the dogs conditions & the dogpin. The Animal Control Officer said that the Boxer was emaciated and his feet were in awful condition because of having to stand in the mud and feces 24/7 for at atleast the past 3+ months. He looked as if he hadn't been fed right since a puppy & his growth was stunted. They said that both dogs would be taken to a vet & cared for & given a warm dry place to sleep. She said that it would be up to a judge to decide whether or not the neighbors got their dogs back.
They are also being charged with 2 Class C Felonies for the 2 dogs. Even though the dogs looked so scared being taken away in that truck, I felt very good and at ease knowing that these 2 dogs depressing, cold, hungry, wet, smelling days were now behind them.

I knew that when the neighbors came in from work that night and saw the 2 Class C Felony papers on the door, that they would probly be knockin on our door and I was right. I hated to do this to our neighbors that we have to live by, but I felt that there wasn't any other options. I really didn't like them too much because of how they treat pets + they have taken advantage of my wife keeping their little boy. A friend of mine gave them $100 worth of stuff to get their AC working this past summer & the guy didn't even tell my friend thank you or offer him any money or nothing. They're always preaching and talking about church & this & that, but they treat their pets this way.

He told me that he was going to call Animal Control on our 6 Feral Cats getting on their property and an old junkyard car he has & if animal control didn't do anything, then he was going to catch the cats and take them to the Humane Society. I just promised him that I would kill him if he no more than touched a hair on my cats. I've had all 8 feral cats spayed/neutered. Everything is cooled down now because his wife came over and apoligized & admitted that they didn't care for the dogs the right way.
I just explained that they wouldn't let their son live in that condition, so the dogs shouldn't either. I think that all animals should have the exact same rights as a child & I honestly mean that.

That_girl
02-08-2008, 06:32 AM
I DEFINATELY think that you did the right thing. It's always hard to call the authorities on your neighbors because of what they could do to you in return. You still did the right thing.

If this guy is religious as you say, why would he even try and retaliate against you and go after your cats? SOunds like they've been hiding behind their religion on a lot of things.

As long as your animals are taken care of, healthy, and not causing problems, I would say you've got nothing to worry about.

Sounds like those dogs were living a life of hell, and you saved them from it. Those people deserve everything that is coming to them.

I would be careful for a while about your relationship with them. My dad is now pretty much going to have to move because he and his neighbor have gotten basically into a war. My dad has called the humane society, health & humane services, and the county on this guy, and not much has been done. In turn, if my dad's dogs are ever loose, he calls the cops. He also stands on the street and takes pictures of my dad and his property. A couple of weeks ago, my dad was shooting pigeons (completely legal) and the guy called the cops and said my dad was shooting AT HIM! SO, just be aware that the relationship probably won't be like it used to be. If stuff happens, make sure law enforcement is involved.

That_girl
02-08-2008, 07:07 AM
See, I didn't say a word.


Is that supposed to be funny? Cause I'm not laughing. I don't appreciate being attacked when I post.

Didn't we just have a whole thread on respect a while back?

dlaura
02-08-2008, 08:19 AM
A couple of weeks ago, my dad was shooting pigeons (completely legal) and the guy called the cops and said my dad was shooting AT HIM! SO, just be aware that the relationship probably won't be like it used to be. If stuff happens, make sure law enforcement is


See, I didn't say a word.

Buiza, come on now - the last sentence was unneccessary. Please remember to respect other posters.

Ltlpistol
02-08-2008, 08:32 AM
23 Cats Dad - you definitely did the right thing. Hopefully the judge will specify that your neighbors can never own another animal!

Tweakers
02-08-2008, 01:56 PM
i think you did the right thing, hopefully they will see what they did wrong even tho they are of the faith. i don't care who you are, no one NO ONE deserves how those dogs were living. i admit to leaving my dog outside ALL year around, BUT even i tried to get him inside but he would not come. i felt bad everyday i left him out in the snow and sat outside with him. i don't think those two charges are even enough for what they did to that poor pup. if you get updates on how those dogs are doing let us know please.

katiem
02-08-2008, 07:14 PM
Yes, you did the right thing, and unfortunately they might try to retaliate, so just be ready and aware. Aslong as you take care of your pets then you should be okay, but hopefully your cats are indoor only, so your neighbours can't get to them.
I know it sucks that you had to call on your neighbours, but the dogs were suffering and probably would have died if you hadn't stepped in. Do they know it was you who complained, or was it annonymous?

23 Cats' Dad
02-09-2008, 12:55 PM
katiem,
Yes, they know it was me and I really don't care that they do know. I had just got fed up with how they have let their pets health and conditions go in the past & I just had to don something. I will takes the animal's side everytime no matter who it is. That's the problem with so many animals getting abused and killed today, nobody wants to be the one to sign their name on the complaint.

Tweakers,
I think it's OK to leave some dogs outside all year, just as long as they have a warm doghouse to get in when they want. These dogs didn't have anything. I will for sure keep everyone updated on this situation.

Ltlpistol,
I hope that the judge specifies that they can't own anymore animals. They also have a poor rooster that is kept in a small cage in their garage. The poor bird don't even know when it's daytime because the only light that it gets is thru the small windows in the garage door. They got it because a friend had some chicks & their 6 year old son wanted one so they just had to get it. They've had it since it was just a little chick & also kept it in the house for a couple of weeks and then out in the garage it went. I know they can't let it go free outside because the cats would probally kill it, but they chould put it in the dogpin outside.
Everytime the little boy wants something, they have to get it, but never think about the care the animal will need down the road.

That_girl,
First, your dad should not be shooting poor helpless pigeons just becaus3e it's not illegal.
I won't let this inncident come to being an all out war that will last from now on. I know that the lady has accepted what they have done and she don't want us to be mad at each other & I really don't think that she would condone of her husband doing anything to retalliate on us.

The cats that he was referring to about catching them or having them caught is some feral cats that we brought with us when we moved here 14 months ago. They are extremely wild and there is no way that I could bring them inside. I have trapped each of them and had them all spayed/neutered & HIV/Leuk test done on all of them and they are very healthy and fed daily. He just thinks that they shouldn't come on his property, but I think it's some sort of law about cats are legal to run loose because you can't fence them in.

Thank all of you for your replies & I will keep everyone updated.

That_girl
02-09-2008, 02:50 PM
That_girl,
First, your dad should not be shooting poor helpless pigeons just becaus3e it's not illegal.



Not to get this thread off-topic again, but my dad lives on a farm where pigeons eat the grain for the cows. They are nuisance. People kill mice in their houses, yet other people keep mice as pets. Same thing.

special
02-10-2008, 08:54 AM
23 cats' dad

hurray for you!! YOu are my HERO!

I, too, have intervened with neighbors over dog mistreatment. I am the reason no dogs within my hearing in this neighborhood are left out unprotected day and night. I have called the police and/or the dog warden on four different families in the ten years I have lived in this rural neighborhood. The one family, that I was acutally friends with, I simply rescued their little beagle and adopted her myself, for the last year of her life. I had to bring her across the street to her garage or dark windowless basement every night, because inspite of the neglect and abuse she got over there, she always wanted to go "home" at night. I fed her watered her medicated her and took her to the vet. They paid the bills. But except for night time, she lived with me. When she became so ill quality of life was an issue, they suddenly loved her again and brought her in their house for her last night crying over her like you wouldn't beleive. Crying with guilt no doubt.

It's a shame that more ASPCAs and local law enformencement agencies don't take these complaints more seriously. I follow up, too, as I have warned these heartless ignorant people. The most recent was some new people and they had a puppy out in a 6x6 pen all day with no shelter or water. No shade. We had a very hot summer with thunderstorms every afternoon. The dog warden came and talked to them after I called him, but a week later the puppy was out there again. I went over and told them that I was the one who called the dog warden and I would not tolerate dog abuse in this neigbor hood. She was quite upset that I called her dog abused. I did not back down. (I am kind of timid about speaking up for myself, but never when it comes to animals.) I assured her I would follow through, even if it meant they got a citation for animal cruelty. since then there hasn't been a problem.

GAWD, I HATE people sometimes.

nanamouse
02-10-2008, 10:15 AM
I bet those poor dogs feel better too! I don't understand why so many "Christians" can quote the Bible verse that gives man dominion over the animals, but missed the passages (there are several) relating to humane and responsible treatment of the same animals and the earth itself. If you believe that God created the animals, then how can you justify abusing one of his creations?
I don't really understand how anyone, of any faith can fail to see that animals experience pain, fear and unhappiness just like we do, I can only assume that some people are too selfish to care.
I'm pretty sure that everyone here will agree that you did the right thing, it's just sad that it was neccisary. I hope your ferals don't pay for it, maybe it will just blow over.

Ltlpistol
02-10-2008, 11:07 AM
Nana, I wholeheartedly agree with you, we are charged with their care, how can we call ourselves Christian if we treat them with such disregard for their wellbeing?

The preacher at our church, an extremely learned theologian, was extremely black and white in his views. Definitely a true Southern Baptist. I found him to be the best teacher of the Bible I've ever met. He not only would tell you the scripture, he'd explain the history leading up to that scripture and how it pertained to us. However, in his beliefs was the assurety that animals do not have a soul. Which, I agree with, but because of his assurety of this he made a point of one Sunday morning preaching on that issue. And he closed his sermon with the stated belief that because of no soul, then dogs and cats would not enter Heaven. That, we as the only beings with a soul, would not have their company in the afterlife.

That is one of the few times I have had to disagree with him. While they may not have a soul, how can it be Heaven for us, if all the ones we love are not there with us? And if children are automatically granted entrance to Heaven due to being innocent, then aren't dogs and cats and our other assorted non-human 'friends' also innocent?

I may be proved wrong when I get there, but I truly believe that as I have heard over the years, Heaven is what you imagine it will be. And I can only imagine the joy of finding not only my human family, but also my furry and feathered family waiting for me.

Sorry, don't want to start a religious discussion here, just wanted to state my opinion.

nanamouse
02-10-2008, 12:25 PM
I have to wonder if not having a soul (if that is the case?) simply means that an animal cannot destroy it's chance of going to Heaven as we do? There's a lot I don't understand, and I don't think we're meant to understand some things, but like you, I can't imagine being content in Heaven without all the animals who have passed through my life. Then again, there are people who can't imagine how an outspoken old buzzard like me would actually GET into Heaven so the whole question may be irrelevant for me!;)

katiem
02-10-2008, 12:30 PM
katiem,
Yes, they know it was me and I really don't care that they do know. I had just got fed up with how they have let their pets health and conditions go in the past & I just had to don something. I will takes the animal's side everytime no matter who it is. That's the problem with so many animals getting abused and killed today, nobody wants to be the one to sign their name on the complaint.

.

I was only wondering because I see that you have outdoor cats, and if they didn't know it was you then maybe they wouldn't retaliate against you by doing something to your cats. I think it's great that you signed and stood up for the dogs. I edited the previous post, but it didn't show up, saying that I had reread your post and had somehow missed them coming to your door, and you having outdoor cats.
Wanna hear something terrible, that I've never admitted to anyone before? I stole a dog out of a yard once, took it to work with me and said I'd found it running loose on the way to work. Poor thing was almost dead, and I'd called animal control and nothing could be done was all I was told, and my work was in the wrong area to deal with the complaint! We had him for 2 weeks before the owner noticed he was missing and came and got him. That winter I found him lying dead on the end of his chain. The owner left the body out there for days, saying the ground was too hard to bury the dog. Finally animal control got in on it, and the man was charged. A few days later, new dog on the end of the chain.

nanamouse
02-10-2008, 12:36 PM
Aw Katie, how awful to have to see it and know what's going to happen and nobody seems to care. People are just not right sometimes.:mad:

FurryCrew
02-10-2008, 02:24 PM
Definitely back you on this one.

Katie, that's just sad. I would have hid the dog in your position, or surrendered it to the Humane Society saying it was a stray. ^_^

Kudos to those of you who report this type of nonsense.

Katie, why wasn't this man forbidden to keep anymore animals?

special
02-10-2008, 03:45 PM
I have to wonder if not having a soul (if that is the case?) simply means that an animal cannot destroy it's chance of going to Heaven as we do? There's a lot I don't understand, and I don't think we're meant to understand some things, but like you, I can't imagine being content in Heaven without all the animals who have passed through my life. Then again, there are people who can't imagine how an outspoken old buzzard like me would actually GET into Heaven so the whole question may be irrelevant for me!;)

Jennifer, your animals will be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge, and will accompany you from there, wherever you go<s>

Does having a soul mean having a Higher Power? I am my cats' Higher Power. Did I create them? No. Did I save them? yes. Thus, in my heart and mind, they have souls. Perhaps an animal's soul is different from human souls, who knows? I do not wish to argue with people who find that blasphemous. It is my belief.

katiem
02-10-2008, 06:58 PM
Definitely back you on this one.

Katie, that's just sad. I would have hid the dog in your position, or surrendered it to the Humane Society saying it was a stray. ^_^

Kudos to those of you who report this type of nonsense.

Katie, why wasn't this man forbidden to keep anymore animals?

FurryCrew, I was working at the Humane Soceity. Yeah. Imagine having to swallow that from the place you work for, the place who is supposed to be helping with problems like this one. I was just lucky that my boss at the time never caught on that I'd turned in a neighbours dog, she hated me and probably would have told the owners to press charges.
He wasn't forbidden from keeping animals because there was no proof the dog didn't die from natural causes and he wasn't just waiting for a thaw to bury it. He did get charged, but only for not disposing of an animals corpse properly. It was a Samoyed.

FurryCrew
02-15-2008, 02:05 PM
FurryCrew, I was working at the Humane Soceity. Yeah. Imagine having to swallow that from the place you work for, the place who is supposed to be helping with problems like this one. I was just lucky that my boss at the time never caught on that I'd turned in a neighbours dog, she hated me and probably would have told the owners to press charges.
He wasn't forbidden from keeping animals because there was no proof the dog didn't die from natural causes and he wasn't just waiting for a thaw to bury it. He did get charged, but only for not disposing of an animals corpse properly. It was a Samoyed.

That's sick. I'm sorry you had to witness such a horrible outcome to such a horrible crime.

There is simply no excuse.

LadyLynn
02-15-2008, 09:31 PM
When it comes to religion and the relationship with your neighbor which yes you do care about and the proper treatment of animals, you simply must, and have to leave religion out of it, and you have to stop, and I know it's tough cuz I went through a similar situation when I lived in a smaller neighborhood in Oregon, about what your neighbor will think of you if you report them.

It's the dog that matters. What happened with me, and I won't go into details was a discussion with another friend, who was telling me, 1. go knock on the door and express concern. I felt extremely uncomfortable knowing they would be angry about my concern- perhaps tell me it was none of my business.

2. The same friend also suggested that reporting them might be smart because they really might be under stress and not want the dog.

When the little white poodle was left without water and food for 4 days straight, with me sneaking what I could to it at the end of the day. "I checked on the dog every few hours each day, I had quite enough.

of course my neighbors were angry with me. Even though Chriss, Our animal control agent didn't have to say who reported them it would have been hard for them not to know since they had a 6 foot wooden fence dividing our property. The dog dug a trench just to get into our yard, and it was an ld fence as it was.

Chriss said it does little good to talk to the neighbors and reassured me I did the right thing.

Ultimately Chriss ended up telling the family that they were being cruel and were mistreating the poodle and that unless changes were made they could be arrested for what they were doing to the pet.

Chriss would make a surprisevisit to see if things had changed any, or they could give up the dog.

Even though I have no idea if they really gave the dog up to a caring owner or threw it into the river I have no idea,

and as sad to say as it was being treated, being thrown into the river would have bbeen a better way for the poor dog to die than to be starved like it was.

Grrr! The parents, from what Chriss told me was holding their 9 year old responsible for its care.

Children need supervision, and to be reminded that they don't like to go hungry or be without attention either, and that the parents need to make absolutely certain that their pet is fed, watered, and played with!

and yes, we are religious people to, but sadly I have to admit people tend to rubberstamp that as a means to say, 'but we are good people to excuse bad behaviors sometimes, not all of the time but sometimes.

And it is tough to seperate religion from your own person because you live by whaat you believe.

So I hear you, but reporting them for the mistreatment of animals is an act of religion.

God does not want to see our animals mistreated either.

Good luck.

23 Cats' Dad
03-01-2008, 05:27 AM
Well it's been a few weeks since I last posted "due to my bad back" & I am glad to see that this thread has gotten some interest.

As promised, I would keep everyone updated on this situation. So far, the problem with my neighbors seems to have blown over. Nothing else has been said & all of our feral cats are still running around. Anyway, I'm at home 99.99% of the time because of being disabled and more than likely we would find out if they brought a cat trap home and sat it out + our ferals are probally too scary to go in a trap. I like to have never caught them to take and be spayed/neutered.

A couple of days ago, my wife was out on the front porch & noticed the neighbors have now gotten a little white Chiuaua puppy. When he saw my wife, he moved to the other side of their house as if he was trying to hide from us. They do keep the puppy in the house & they haven't brought it out in our view. I'm sure the poor puppy has to stay in thier little bitty 2'x3' cage 12-15 hours a day while they're not home.
If they do put it out, I may secretly take it and give it a good home with someone who cares. When it comes to someone mistreating an animal, the devil comes out in me. They never got their dogs back that was taken from them.

I don't care who the person is, a best friend, family member, cop, mayor, preacher, etc; if they are mistreating an animal, I WILL do something, whether it be report them, do something physically myself, or come back & secretly take the animal & find a good home for it. The animals ALWAYS come 1st.

I to think that Heaven will have all of my furry family members. I'm not a saint, but I Do Believe that Jesus gave his life for me and died on The Cross, but like children, I also believe that all animals are innocent & will go to Heaven also. I don't have any kids so I Love my pets just as someone would thier children & if it came down to it, I would give my life for them. I do expect to someday in Heaven, see all of my pets that have passed on.

That_girl
03-01-2008, 10:22 AM
A couple of days ago, my wife was out on the front porch & noticed the neighbors have now gotten a little white Chiuaua puppy. When he saw my wife, he moved to the other side of their house as if he was trying to hide from us.


GRRRR!!! Why can't people learn! Sounds like everytime they get an animal taken away, they're just going to get a new one.

I wonder what the status was of the 2 that were taken? Do you know how the ticket thing came out? I hope the court orders them to never have animals again.

23 Cats' Dad
03-03-2008, 07:05 AM
GRRRR!!! Why can't people learn! Sounds like everytime they get an animal taken away, they're just going to get a new one.

I wonder what the status was of the 2 that were taken? Do you know how the ticket thing came out? I hope the court orders them to never have animals again.


I don't know what the outcome was with the 2 dogs that were taken. I figured that they wouldn't go and get them, being they were going to have to have so much attention paid to them by a vet + they really knew that the adult Boxer was going to be too hard to take care of if they would have got him & they for sure wasn't going to spend the money or time having to put up a much bigger dogpin & have to buy a doghouse.
I'm sure that they really didn't want to show their faces to the ones getting the poor dogs back into shape either. They just figure... "Let the Humane Society have those 2 dogs & we'll just go get a new Chiuaua puppy and start over again".

They better take care of it, that's all I have to say.

katiem
03-03-2008, 03:07 PM
What a bunch of jerks! Unfortunately the cycle is just going to continue with them replacing every pet that gets taken away unless they can be forced to never own a pet again. I've never actually seen that happen, sometimes they slap on a "no pets for 5 years", but never a lifetime ban, which is really needed.