Moral/Animal Cruelty Question - What would you do?

Call the SPCA. If you're suspicious, it's better to do it now, then regret not calling after something else happens.

No, you aren't wrong for slipping them food. If they seem starving every time you bring them food, then they probably are. If an owner finally comes to you and tells you to stop giving treats, then tell the owner to step up or you'll call the SPCA.

 

You should call the Houston SPCA, 713-869-7722.

 

rim have you tried talking to someone at the compound?

 

Definitely call the SPCA. Something funky is going on.

 

Damn you Atkins.

 

They will do both. One thing you might consider doing is letting them know IF you are willing to foster care the animals. This doesn't mean you have to keep them, but there is a good chance they will be euthanized by the SPCA if they find them sick unless they have someone willing to foster care them back to health. You can then take them in for adoption or go through an adoption program like what CAPS has.

You should definitely call and report it.

 

Yeah, I can understand that. Just be aware that if you do report them and the SPCA does pick up the animals, they will likely be put to sleep unless someone agrees to foster care them.

 

I have similar problems on my street. There's a half-dozen dogs that roam around freely. Some are better fed than others. They're all nice dogs and even in a pack I don't worry about them much. But, they're basically half-strays and it seems like all the dog-owners in my vacinity all suck.

My neighbor across the way has a dog named Trouble that they inherited from a previous tenant/owner. One day I went to check on Trouble because he was making some piteous whine. I discovered that he was half-hanging himself because he got his lead wrapped around some brambles. He was in the sun and panting like crazy. I knocked on the door and asked the woman about it. She said she knew but couldn't lift the dog because she was pregnant. Why she didn't solicit help from someone I don't know. I went and freed the dog (without having to lift him). He was in such a state that he would not move for a couple of minutes. I carried him to his water (a bucket fed by the dripping AC window unit). Eventually, he started drinking. I think I saved his life that day. But, I haven't seen him since and I assume he's gone or dead.

I haven't called the SPCA on anyone yet though I've been tempted. I haven't because I'm a white guy in the Third Ward. If the SPCA shows up, I know who they'll think called them. So, for the sake of good relations, I've looked the other way on dogs.

 

I'd call the SPCA for sure. I realize it's not ideal, but I'd rather them be put to sleep than suffer.

 

I would say not to call SPCA unless you are seeing them harmed. Keep feeding them.

Hell buy some crappy dog food, and once a week pour it into a corner of their davidian branch. If they get mad, tell them "I'm just trying to help. Why would y'all have a problem with that?

Chances are, you'll stay in good shape with your neighbors, and you'll have the satisfaction of doing a good deed.

Definitely worth the $5-7 dollars it will cost a week, IMO.

 

Feeding them will help, but if they have worms then you are not really doing as much good as one would think. I would call the SPCA and ask them questions to see if what you have observed can be considered negligent. The SPCA could have some techniques in approaching the neighbors, and if all else fails, it might be best for the SPCA to come out and investigate.

 

If the dogs are taken away by the SPCA, they will assuredly put them to sleep unless there is someone immediately available to adopt them. Unfortunately, there are so many cases like this out there that it's their only option; there's just no space to house them.

I find it likely that the dogs who disappeared ran away to, y'know, find food and not starve. What I would do is talk to the neighbors next time you see them and tell them you like their dogs and remark how friendly they are. Feed them a line about wanting to get some of the same breed (even if they're mutts, so what) and ask where they got them. Then just segue into, "I usually give my dog treats when I walk him, mind if I give treats to your dogs when I pass by?" I doubt they'll care, and this gives you chance to slip them a couple bowls of food now and then. Like Fatty said, just give 'em some cheap food a couple times a week to supplement their apparently meager diet. Your neighbor will just think you're nuts about dogs.

 

I think this is tough .. I agree with the person who said you should try and talk to the owners in a roundabout way as well.

The problem with the dog being a puppy is that sometimes puppies can be real picky eaters at first and they will be skinny because of it. Feeding them treats during the day will actually hurt them in the long run. My puppy that I just got 2-3 months ago barely ate anything everytime we tried to feed him and he was getting pretty skinny. After talking to the vet, he suggested that we dont really give him treats throughout the day (or at least minimize them) to make sure the dog would know that he needs to eat his food or he'd be hungry later in the day and couldn't rely on getting treats. That has worked for us and the dog has definitely been eating better.

You should look at his gums ... If he is really malnutritioned then the gums will not be pink and will turn grey and black (at least that is what the Vet told us).

Is that what is happening with that dog? Who knows ... Like someone else said, you may want to get more information. If the dog is malnutritioned and the owner is failing to take them to the vet if it isnt eating then that should definitely be called in to the SPCA.

 

Animal Cops: Houston is on Animal Planet right now

 

I was just there last Saturday and adopted a dog. He was a stray that had been there for 3 weeks. On Saturday, at near the end of the day he was the 45th adoption (all animals adopted, not just dogs). My wife and I were asking them about the length of his stay because he is really thin. They told us that the rule is as long as there are open cages they can stay. There were several open cages when we were there so hopefully there are enough people out there to adopt.