----- Original Message -----
From:
To: office@animaladvocates.com
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 2:59 PM
Subject: - dog neglect

What is the address of the dog you are reporting?

(removed) East Vancouver

What is the breed(s), age, sex, size, colouring of the dog(s)?
I believe it is a German Shepherd about 10 months old.

How long has the dog (or dogs) been there?
Late spring of2002.

Is it tethered, loose, in a pen, in a garage, in a shed, in a basement, on a porch or balcony, etc?
It is in a backyard. It's hard to see exactly, but i believe it is tethered. Sometimes it is brought under the porch - a small space. It spends all day outside, no matter how cold.

If in a pen or enclosure, how big is it?
Sometimes they keep it under the
back porch, which is a small space, cold and dark.

Can the dog(s) see out of its place of keeping or is its vision blocked?
She can see when she's in the backyard, not sure about under the porch.

If tethered, how long is the tether and what is it made of?
We can't see far enough into the yard.

Is the dog in danger of choking on its tether (i.e. can the dog get up high and possibly fall or jump and strangle itself?)
Not sure.

Is the shelter dry inside?
It's probably very damp under the porch, but not dry at all when the dog is in the backyard.

Is it positioned to provide protection from wind and heat?
Not in the backyard.

Is the dog fed regularly? If not, is the dog thin?
I think so.

Is there clean water at all times?
We don't know.

Is there excrement that the dog must live near or in?
We don't know.

Is there a smell of urine?
We don't know.

Is the dog ever walked? How frequently?
This is really a big part of the issue. It's a big energetic dog that is walked maybe once a day. In fact, I myself have only ever seen it walked three times in 5 months. It has a lot of pent-up energy and neighbours around the street have commented that it is being neglected - and not walked enough or long enough.

Have you witnessed it being beaten or yelled at?
They just tell the dog to shut up, but are not giving it any training or guidance. There are 5 people in the house (at least) all giving her
different directions, and the poor animal is becoming very confused and increasingly unsocialized.

Is the dog ever muzzled?
No, because it barks all the time.

Describe its personality
She started off crying a lot when they first got her. Now that she is about 10 months, she is very jumpy because there is no leader in the house to act as the alpha-dog. She's extremely unsocialized. Last month, she got out of the yard and came to visit us. I was scared to go close to her as she seems to have become very jumpy and unpredictable. I think she would be a nice
animal with training - she looks healthy, but just is very bored. Nobody talks to her during the day, or takes her out for walks. I believe she has to wait until evening before anyone comes home to walk her. During the day she is very volatile, and barks continually.

Do you visit it? Talk to it? Feed it treats? (we are not asking you to do this at this time)
No, now I am scared of her. She bit someone who came to the house yesterday, and we heard the woman screaming. We're a little worried what will happen as she gets bigger and older with no training.

Have you asked the owner if you can walk the dog? (we are not asking you to do this at this time)
No. I wouldn't be the right person for this as I'm scared of the dog. My neighbour across the street went over to their house on Friday, November 29 to offer to help them train their dog. I think they weren't interested.

Are there other people in the neighbourhood who are also upset?
There are 15 people we have talked to who are upset by the neglect. It is a real issue as we all hear her during the day and night, barking and frustrated, left alone for hours. We have all talked about it a lot over the past two months
specifically.

Have you reported this dog to the SPCA?
Yes

Which branch?
I believe Clark Dr.

How many times?
I have called twice and I believe another neigbhour may have as well.

When approximately?
August and September

When was the most recent time you contacted the SPCA?
September.

What did the SPCA do or say to you?
They were not very helpful. They told me they couldn't do anything and to call the pound. I called the pound and they said that at 8 months, Lily was too young to be trained and was fine to be left in the yard alone all day and night. I didn't agree, but that was that unfortunately.

Have any of the neighbours reported this dog to the SPCA?
One other might have.

What is your name and address?
(Removed)

Write any details that are important to you here:

Our concern over the dog has been escalating since mid-summer. The family originally had another dog first, a cocker spaniel, in about February, but they couldn't meet the dog's need for walks. A few weeks later, they got the shepherd, and have completely mistreated her ever since. They want a dog to act as an alarm for them. I think that is the root of the problem, that they treat it like a mechanical object rather than an animal that needs love, care, affection, and daily attention.

The family has been broken into twice, so they thought a dog would be a good idea. Sadly, we just don't think they are able to look upon Lily as a animal with feelings. Unfortunately, she is left outside all day. She barks from 7:30 am to 11 at night out of sheer boredom. It is becoming a real issue for all of us in this neighborhood. We all agree that she is being neglected. We're also concerned that she will never be trained, she will be left outside all winter (as seems to be the case now), and that she is not walked enough for a fast growing puppy. We have gone to talk to them a couple of times, with no luck. They just tell us they are not going to train her and to like it or lump it. Another neighbhour went over on Sunday December 8th to see if he could help them.
Everyone is concerned.

Just to recap, here are our concerns (and these represent the views of about
14 people):

- The space she is kept is a small garden and a small damp porch for
sleeping. She is there rain or shine, winter or summer, day and night.
- The whole neighbourhiood is concerned and also disturbed by her barking
and cries for attention.
- She is not walked enough at all. I myself have only seen them walk it
twice in 8 months, although they say they walk her once a day at night.
- Isolation and severe lack of attention
- she got loose twice and is very scattery and not well habituated to other
people
- She bit one of their visitors on sunday, December 8.
- They treat her like a guard dog and she is now a dangerous animal.
- She has never been trained and they refuse to get her trained.
- She is barking constantly for attention

Thank you for your help with this. We look forward to hearing from you.