"The officer reported that the dog was healthy, the garage is like a big doghouse"

The dog in that quote was reported to the SPCA by several neighbours. The SPCA was told that the dog is never allowed in the house; that it kept mostly in the garage, though at times it is tethered on a porch that has no shelter; that it is yelled at and witnesses have seen it being hit in anger and that the neighbours can hear it in the garage all night and most of the day; that the garage has no ventilation or light and all the garages get very hot in the summer.

Nevertheless, the SPCA chose to believe the owner when he said that the dog is not in the garage for long periods and chose to tell at least one complainant that the "garage is like a big doghouse". (Another question is why would an animal welfare organization praise dog houses, which are only for dogs that are being cruelly isolated; and in fact, is synonymous with punishment and solitary confinement. Yet the SPCA actually gives dog houses as raffle prizes.)

The SPCA can easily disprove the owner's statements by going at night to see if the dog is in the garage. But our experience is that SPCA cruelty inspectors truly believe that a garage is fine for a dog.