is this abuse?

[geonni banner]

One more time...

 

I wasn't sure if this was something I needed to try to do something about or not. So I brought it to the Boards for an opinion.

 

I posted the pictures so people could see what the situation was. I didn't want to misrepresent verbally how the dogs were being handled. I said more than once that the van was moved periodically to keep it in the shade, that the dogs had water and seemed clean and in good health.

 

The general consensus was that while the situation is not optimal, it is not something that requires intervention.

 

I did not approach the owner for two reasons.

 

1 - My own observation over time and the consensus here on the Boards suggested that any action on my part was unnecessary.

 

2 - I have a serious anxiety disorder, and I don't tend to question strangers about what they are doing because it freaks me out. Plus there are people out there who respond to a simple, polite inquiry about something they are doing with their dogs by going off the air and getting hostile. I don't ask people on the street questions like that anymore because it's often all I can do to maintain out in the world when people are being nice.

 

I am not in a position to give her help with a place for her dogs, or with walking her dogs. I pay considerable sums to have someone give my dog the exercise she needs because I am never sure from one day to the next if I'll be able to leave the apartment without suffering from a panic attack.

 

As for the "Big Brother" aspect of the pictures. It's not illegal to take pictures of things, animals, vehicles or people when they are on a public street. I don't think it's rude, either. If people don't want me to take their picture I don't. If they object after I've taken the picture I delete it from my camera while they watch.

 

If a person leaves a wide open vehicle on a public street with dogs in it which can be plainly heard barking two blocks away, then that person can expect to draw some attention. Some of the attention may involve cameras.

If the inhabitant of the "small dog world" saw the pictures here and objected to them, I would happily remove them or get Eileen to.

 

This is still going on. I have been told that the woman does not work at the bar. I am still not entirely happy with the situation, but I don't feel that it warrants intervention. Though the dogs don't seem delighted with their lot, they don't seem to be suffering.

 

Someone pointed out that dogs are found similarly disposed at herding trials. I don't doubt it, and would not give it a second thought in that setting. But this setting is quite different. It is an urban street only a few blocks from a very bad neighborhood. Things, including dogs, have a way of disappearing if they aren't nailed down. There are lots of ill-mannered children passing this location after school. And most importantly, the dogs bark in an aggressive manner if anyone passing them makes eye-contact with them. This suggests to me that they are uncomfortable with the situation. Kids can easily be inappropriate with dogs confined in wire crates in an open vehicle.

 

So far nothing bad has happened. I hope it doesn't

[samirish]

Instead of worrying about it, I would just call animal control and have them come check out the situation. They will be able to determine if things are "alright" or not.

[juliepoudrier]

This is a thread from two years ago. I would assume that the situation has either resolved by now or Geonni has done whatever she's going to do about it....

 

J.

[terrecar]

Actually, I'm glad it was revived. It has given me some incentive to clean out my car.

[bcnewe2]

I hate it when you respond to old posts before you realize they're old!

 

Cleaning out the car would not help, I need to clean out everything!