Need advice - what would you do?

I live in an apartment complex. There is a puppy that is always left on the patio at neighbors apt nearby. He never seems to have food/water and very dirty area covered in feces.

I have approached the owners and they assured me that he comes in once an hour and the do occasioanlly clean up. They are now making sure he has water. So great I thought.

This weekend they were gone all weekend and the dog was left in the patio all weekend - Fri evening until now Sunday evening. The dog ran out of food on Sat AM. I fed him and gave him fresh water.

The point is he is there all day over 48 hours no company on a dirty patio.

I never see them walk him.

Should I approach them again. The people are a young couple, military family with 2 kids. I do not want to offend the man he may just give up the dog competely.

What would you do, please help. Maybe I am just being nosey. The dog is not abused but certainly not up to my standard of care.

Thank you.

Leaving a dog with no food or water for over 24 hours IS abuse.

It's bad enough that they are not giving the puppy the mental stimulation he NEEDS at this point in his life. It's bad enough they're not giving him the food and water he needs. It's bad enough they're not cleaning up after him, thus not giving him an acceptable place to live.

But they're doing all this in front of their CHILDREN. Who are going to grow up thinking this is the acceptable way to treat a dog.

This problem not only affects this puppy, if left alone it will affect every puppy (and other pets) the children have in their care for the rest of their lives, unless they are taught otherwise.

Please call animal control. You've approached the family already, they've clearly not done enough to fix the situation, now leave it up to the authorities.

And keep us posted on what happens!

Lizzybeth's right . . . that is abuse, and they are teaching their children some terrible things.

I can't think of anything to say except "^^ditto"

Call Animal Control. They can deal with it...the may not take the dog away but will inform the people that what they are doing IS abuse and it must change, and will check up on the family to make sure they're caring for it.

Call Animal control and then if they don't do anything, steal it. Well, ok, that's what I would do... Good luck!

I would talk to the people about that conditions and what they should do.
If they dont you should call the animal precinct of your area.
Hope the doggie is ok.
Goodluck,
Anna

Honestly, I don't think that dog getting rehomed or cinfiscated would be a BAD thing, it would probably be better off.

Thank you all for your replies! I thought I was just being nosey. I do not have dogs, but I have cats. I do not know how to raise a dog.

The dog is not as bad as maybe I indicated. He is being fed and watered but I just don't like they he is not being walked or I never see the dog outside.

I will approach the man again and ask him why the dog is never walked. He may be walked and I don't see him.

They are cleaning up after him. The man (owner) told me him comes inside the apt every hour. (I seriously doubt that.) The dog is not being abused but you are right he is not getting the mental stimulation he deserves.

After talking to the man, if no decent reply, I will talk to the apartment manager. There is a rule that no animal is to be left out on the the patios or balconies. The problem with me is that I have too many cats and those people with the dog can report me if they want to take revenge.

I will keep you posted and I will keep a close watch out for him.

Thank you so much.

(I have fanatasized about stealing that dog if I was moving out.)

Unfortunately, if all of their physical needs are being taken care of (food, water, clean place to live), there's not a lot you can do as far as getting animal control or anyone else involved. No, these are not good owners, but they're apparently not "abusing" their dog.

Of course if they're breaking the complex's rules, you could get them on that. But you're right, they'll probably get you back. Might want to temporarily rehome some of the cats before you report them, then get your cats back a few weeks later.

You need to call your apt complex or the local humane society. This is the exact situation that my dog came from and she now has a plethora of issues. That dog needs a new home ASAP.