Animal cruelty? Yep! At first, when I read the headline I thought this had to be fake news. If a dog is left in a house then certainly animal control has the right to remove him. This has to be the case.
Nope. This is a story out of Springfield, Missouri near the Ozarks.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that a black lab has been in a house since APRIL. Neighbors, of course, are concerned and also complaining about the smell!
Let's unpack this with some of the facts we learned in the story as it was reported in the local newspaper.
We learn that neighbors see Lola the dog peeking through the window of the house on East Amidon Street where she has lived alone since April.
"They can smell the faint odor of feces and urine seeping out of the house when it rains, and when it gets hot, Lola has no air conditioning to keep her cool."
According to neighbors, they say that the owner MUST stop by to deliver food and water yet they never see him. The worst part of the story? Animal control frequently checks on the dog and have since mid-July. (What about the months leading up to July?).
"Under current city code, a dog is NOT technically neglected or abandoned if it has water, food, and shelter."
The home the dog lives in has been cited by the city as a nuisance property due to lawn overgrowth. Pests are taking over the lawn and neighbors want some help. If the house is a problem then what about the dog living inside the house? Animal control says they're on it.
"We are taking note of the dog's condition ... and we have found the dog to be happy and playful every time we've visited," she said. "If at any point we see it decline, that prompts something further that we can do."
The story talks about 'standards' when it comes to shelter and proper care for animals! Do you think? This poor animal has zero social interactions except for the owner that sometimes comes by and animal control that pays a visit.
I'm still not convinced this can actually be happening in a neighborhood that any of us could be living in.
This dog is literally home alone living out his life in the living room. Can you imagine treating your best friend like this? Your family member is not only left by himself but the city code says this is fine. This has gone on for five months! My chickens are living their best life and this dog is being treated like it's in jail.
Please make some noise about this story so we can create some dialogue around why this is crazy and why dog owners that cannot care for living animals shouldn't take on such a big responsibility. I don't blame animal control as I know they're just doing their job and bless them for at least checking on this dog daily but is there no accountability for the owner? What about a simple conversation? The local newspaper did some research and they couldn't get to the bottom of who actually lives in this house.
Officials need to get involved. Pet care is a 101 basic essential for pet owners. This dog needs more than a cuddle. This furry friend needs a human that can make some waves in the community so they get to the bottom of the situation.
Is this dog kenneled at all during the day or is he left free to roam and where does he potty? I have so many questions for the owner and officials. This is no way for a dog or any animal to live. The amount of time that has passed since this dog has been home alone is disturbing. Sorry for the rant! Dogs are so great at unconditional love for their owners but who is providing love for this dog?
This story is unreal, right? Please leave us a comment below.
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