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g asked in PetsDogs · 7 years ago

is my roommate neglecting his dog?

I believe my roommate is neglecting his dog. He completely disagrees with me, and gets angry and ends the conversation whenever I bring it up to him.

Does this sound like neglect?:

A normal day for my roommate is to go to school until the late afternoon, come home and watch TV for a few hours or do homework, and then he spends his whole night out at bars until 3-4 am. The bar action goes on I would say about 5-6 nights out of the week.

This dog is a pitbull mix, and about a year and a half old. I have watched this dog grow up ever since he was a puppy, and I am pretty sure my roommate has been feeding his dog the same gross dry food his whole life. That seems cruel enough to me...

On top of it, he walks him about once every 2 weeks, and only lets him go in our small back yard to go potty a few times a day. The dog usually goes around 9-10 pm and then my roommate makes him wait until 11 am to go again. Again, this seems pretty cruel.

I walk the dog more than he does, and I actually have a job, and am trying to finish my physics degree. Yet he claims he is too busy to walk him...

I constantly find the dogs water bowl empty. I think I fill it once every day or two.

The dog has had an ear infection for the better part of the last 6 months. My roommate sparingly puts ointment in it.

If you think this is abuse, let me know, and if you have any advice on how to approach the situation let me know too please. I feel guilty about this dog, and he's not even mine.

Update:

Also: the dog's nails never get clipped, and they look like they are 3 times as long as they should ever get. My roommate has bathed him I think twice in the last year. I guess that might not be that bad, since the dog never has the chance to get dirty (OUTSIDE...)

2 Answers

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  • 7 years ago

    The dog should be taken out as often as possible. They need exercise. Sounds like some neglect is in there. I am a true animal lover and that makes me extremely mad. Personally, whether it was a friend or not, j would call police. That's animal abuse for not treating his infection. That infection could possibly move to other areas and cause major health problems or death. I would do something for the dogs sake. Maybe find it a better home since your roommate obviously sucks as a pet owner. If he isn't listening to you, then authorities should be involved. That's my opinion.

  • 7 years ago

    Your roommate is definitely guilty of neglect. Why does he even have a dog? He seems to spend no time with him. Thank goodness you're there. But you won't be there forever. Maybe your roommate will give the dog to you. Offer to buy him when you guys part ways.

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