For the record, when I posted on the very first page I was unaware that this could be someone that we "know." In my opinion, it makes NO difference to me, At All, and I stand by what I said.
I also don't think that it is 'babying' a dog to make sure they're checked on every once in a while. To me, it's common sense. Dogs can NOT turn the air up, call for help, get their own water, etc.... That's why
we are responsible for their care, legally and otherwise - not the other way around :rofl1:
When I lived at the trailer, the power went out on a hot summer day... had I said "screw it" and not went home after work, not been
responsible and went straight home and (I checked on them on lunch like I did everyday)... no doubt in my mind I would've later came home to dead ferrets and at the very least dogs experiencing heat stroke after 8+ hours. And believe me, with school and work and my friends, they used to ask me to go out and do things after work all the time... But when you have a pet(s) you have a responsibility. If you cannot afford to have someone to check in on them, or place them with someone who can - then maybe you have too many dogs or maybe you don't need to have any at all.
No, we don't have all the facts, that is so typical of media reporting
but I have a hard time believing that even if the dog was ill for unrelated reasons, if someone would've checked on him... that they wouldn't have noticed anything was "off"