Dog locked outside in cage!

Unless the dog is visibly neglected then no.Many of us feel its wrong to leave a dog outside alone in a cage but it is in most places perfectly legal.Atleast he has food and water.The most you can do is keep an eye on him and make sure he is being fed and his basic needs are being met.If you just noticed it then maybe he is only out there for a few hours a day.

You can always call, that way if they've received reports before, they'll know that the situation still exists. Remember, this poster is in Canada, and I imagine it's pretty cold already up there now. 

What kind of dog? Is there a build up of feces and urine in the enclosure? How do you know he is being kept there 24/7?

I dont know how your animal control works,,,but with mine if the dog has shelter, food, and water there isn't anything they can/will do for it. Unfortunatly it's up to the owner to decide if their dog should be an inside or outside pet and if it's basic needs are being met then there really isn't anything anybody can do. I dont know if you know these neighbors or not but if the dog is well cared for but just isn't getting the attention it needs, you could always offer to walk it for them. I did this once with my neighbors and it worked out really well, I would just go over whenever I had some spare time during the day and take him to the park and let him run and love on him. 

Thank you for your replies.

Unfortunately, this is not a dog that I can regularly check up on. I was doing some work in this person's back yard, but it was a one time thing. I will try calling the humane society to see what they say, but I won't get my hopes up that they will do anything. It is getting cold up here though, so maybe that will make them think a little.

Thanks.
Amina

ORIGINAL: Amina

Hi,

Today I discovered that there is a dog down the road from me who is being kept in a cage in the back yard of his home. I only noticed this today so I don't know how long or how often he is out there.

The cage is made of chain link fencing. It's about 4 feet by 8 feet. The dog had food and fresh water. The cage is on concrete, not grass.

I consider this to be very cruel. Aside from the dog having food and water, I believe that it is cruel to leave a social animal all alone, in the cold, with little stimulation, little exercise, and even less space to deficate! He had gone to the bathroom and it wasn't cleaned up.

It reminded me of what I see at my local shelter (at least that's temporary). It looks like this situation is permanent for the dog. In fact, he's locked in with a padlock.

Should I be calling my humane society?

If the dog has water and shelter, no, you should not call the HS, because they won't do anything, nor should they.  While most of us here believe that it's wrong to isolate a dog outdoors alone, it isn't always cruel.  Case in point - my dogs have outdoor kennels, too.  But, I don't use the kennels to isolate them outdoors - I use them so that my dogs can each enjoy a marrow bone safely outdoors on a nice day.  Then, when they are done, they come in.  I would certainly not want someone to come along and call the HS on me for keeping my dogs safely separated while eating raw bones.  Of course, it's different if you notice that the dog is out there for hours on end with no water, or something like that.

It could also be that the owner simply wanted the dog out of the way while the work you were doing was going on.  I know that I don't let my dogs run loose in the yard with workers about, nor do I take the chance that someone will open a door accidentally, or to use the rest room, and let them all out. [sm=eek.gif]

If it isn't a dog you can't regularly check on, then how do you even know that he is out there all the time?  That is a very important thing to consider.  Like spiritdogs said, he may have been out there while you were doing work so that he wouldn't accidentally get let out.  Or, possibly, the owners put him there during the day while they are at work?  In that case, its the same as crate training.  And, I think the padlock isn't awful either.  They obviously don't want someone to accidentally let him out or steal him.  I have had two dogs stolen, so I know it happens.  I wouldn't call the humane society.  You don't have any evidence of neglect or abuse.  All you have is that the dog is cared for, but is being kept outside for part of the time(since you don't know hes there all of the time).

I dont think you should call the shelter. This dog is being cared for. He has food, water and shelter, and even though you may not agree with where he is being kept it isnt cruel. Even if the dog is out there all the time his basic needs are being met and the HA will not prosecute.

What breed of dog is it? If its something tiny like a chihuahua I can see why your worried but if not...its better to leave it alone

if the dog is well cared for but just isn't getting the attention it needs, you could always offer to walk it for them.

 
I agree with this.  Also, you could befriend the people and get into a conversation about things that they could be doing ...refer them to this site?  Anything that could be helpful, without ambushing them.
 
I doubt that this is illegal as the others here have stated, but it is ignorant and neglecting a pet as we know it!  Wish the law was more for helping the creatures like this, but look at the shelter problems. 
 
Try to work with the neighbor in a neighborly way...[8|]

My garden isnt secure at the moment so when kian goes outside, his water goes with him he has shelter & a long lead that he is on becoz he has ran away before, i think he likes being on his lead he can look out of the garden & be nosey without any harm being done, we now have a better routine for him & we are all finally settling down, did'nt think it would take as long as it has though, but he is here & is'nt going anywhere!!!

you do not have enough information on this situation to even begin to make a claim of anything.  Grats on being nosy and trying to possibly separate a dog from an owner that may be great to the dog