Distressed dog on Oakhurst Grove

[tercio]

There is a distressed dog in a back garden accessible via side return on the upper end of Oakhurst Grove. 

He barks for most of the day. First noticed several months ago and then stopped. Has started again over the last couple of weeks.

 

Last time, myself and several neighbours and passers-by went back to him and gave him water and food. He was on his own in the back garden. House was empty. 
 

Does anyone know what’s going on?  
 

Any advice?

[tedfudge]

Call the rspca straight away 

[PeckhamRyeGuy]

Hey, know exactly the doggo you are talking about. We live v close. I work remotely and have been noticing this for months - as have my neighbours - it happens a couple times a day and I feel so sorry for it.  I looked at the RSPCA website and the first route is to speak to the council, noting it as a "noise complaint", so we did this today. The council won't escalate as the barrier for dog's barking being a "problem" is very high, thus we're a bit stuck.  The only way it can be escalated (I would think) is lots of people repeatedly noting with the council and/or video evidence, and then if they don't act we try the RSPCA again (perhaps).

[Angelina]

Call the rspca and say there’s history and he doesn’t have food or water and there is no people there

[beansprout]

Must be someone  who can help - never heard that RSPCA would not come out for a dog in distress and even worse that from what I have read or gathered this has been going one for abit… guess it is a question  of passing the buck and I thought ED were a dog friendly community. Surely one of you who have commented could have asked for advice from vet in Lordship Lane or even picked up the phone and called them…

[tercio]

OK. I will try RSPCA again. And write to the Council. It’s difficult to intervene with a dog on private property. 

@beansprout - Rolling your eyes at people who are aware of a problem and trying to figure out what to do about it is not very helpful. You can of course phone the vet, council, rspca yourself if you think you can sort it. 

[beansprout]

I no longer live in East Dulwich - would have thought that as so many of you use dog walkers, they might be able to offer advice or local vet

[Ohhey]

If it is the dog I am thinking of… I live very close by and have spoken to the owners of the dog before. She has separation anxiety so she acts like this when the family are away for the day. It pains me to hear her go on all day and I’ve not been sure what to do as she sounds like she is in distress the whole time. Also, the dog doesn’t technically belong to them (she belongs to a relative of theirs) and they only have the dog some of the time which is why you don’t hear her for weeks at a time. They leave her outside all day when the weather is nice and inside when it isn’t. 

[Angelina]

Wonder if the actual owners know what’s going on. That’s sad. 

[Penguin68]

20 hours ago, Ohhey said:

She has separation anxiety so she acts like this when the family are away for the day. It pains me to hear her go on all day and I’ve not been sure what to do as she sounds like she is in distress the whole time. Also, the dog doesn’t technically belong to them (she belongs to a relative of theirs) and they only have the dog some of the time which is why you don’t hear her for weeks at a time. They leave her outside all day when the weather is nice and inside when it isn’t. 

If this is the dog in question then it seems that the dog isn't being mistreated as such, but that it suffers from a separation anxiety - this isn't uncommon. Being left outside in good weather isn't cruel, and maybe is more interesting for the dog than being incarcerated. So long as those caring for it know that, and are doing what they can to mitigate it, I don't think it's something that 'the authorities' need be disturbed about.

The noise is clearly annoying, of course, but additional worries about mistreatment (cruelty) can be set aside.

[Angelina]

That's purely speculation Penguin. You don't get to judge that "worries about mistreatment can be set aside" because you don't know the facts. 

The poster said they've spoken to the owners, who are not technically the owners but only part time owners, and that they leave the dog alone all day, knowing he has separation issues.

If the dog is shut outside all day - it can be fine if they are given shelter and water. Is that the case? It doesn't appear to be.

If the dog is shut in all day - can the neighbours hear it? is it only stressed when outside? It needs looking into.

 

 

 

[tercio]

On 30/03/2025 at 15:32, Ohhey said:

If it is the dog I am thinking of… I live very close by and have spoken to the owners of the dog before. She has separation anxiety so she acts like this when the family are away for the day. It pains me to hear her go on all day and I’ve not been sure what to do as she sounds like she is in distress the whole time. Also, the dog doesn’t technically belong to them (she belongs to a relative of theirs) and they only have the dog some of the time which is why you don’t hear her for weeks at a time. They leave her outside all day when the weather is nice and inside when it isn’t. 

Thanks. This is helpful background. Honestly, I think the dog is being mistreated. He needs company to be calm and he’s not getting it. Not easy situation for them but the owners need a better solution. 
 

but, not sure this is enough for NSPCA

[PeckhamRyeGuy]

I am not sure if anyone follows this thread, but if you do, you'll know this is still happening, almost daily for at least an hour a day Sometimes in the rain, sometimes in the boiling heat.   We're on about 2 hours today 😞 

It appears to be the same(ish) time each day, mid-afternoon. The only way to get help is to consistently call the Council when it is happening.  It does not meet the threshold for RSPCA intervention (even though the noise suggests the dog's needs are clearly not being met if it is barking in distress for an hour) according to the RSPCA's website. So, if you want to help the dog, in short, you have to go down the Council route (and it needs more than one person raising the alarm).  Even if it is filed under a noice complaint, you're (hopefully) helping the dog because the Council will investigate. If you find it distressing, here is the Council's number/email: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/public-health-and-safety/community-safety/noise-and-nuisance/contact-us-about-noise-or-nuisances

[Angelina]

we need an address to report it to the council

 

can't you find out where it is and go and speak to the people?

Owners, neighbours....

[Sue]

5 hours ago, Angelina said:

we need an address to report it to the council

 

can't you find out where it is and go and speak to the people?

Owners, neighbours....

Somebody posted above that they have spoken to the people concerned, who are looking after the dog for a relative, but not all the time.

[Angelina]

Sue, and?

that was months ago, the situation has not improved and people are concerned about the dogs welfare.

[Sue]

9 hours ago, Angelina said:

Sue, and?

that was months ago, the situation has not improved and people are concerned about the dogs welfare.

You asked if someone could find out where the dog was.

Someone did.

So presumably the address is known. That was the reason for my post.

The rest of my post was to identify the post concerned. I can see that wasn't clear. Sorry.

There's no point my editing it, as then your post won't make sense.

[beansprout]

Has this been sorted now ? Think it must be ongoing concern - hate to think that a dog is in distress - no excuse. 

[Angelina]

55 minutes ago, beansprout said:

Has this been sorted now ? Think it must be ongoing concern - hate to think that a dog is in distress - no excuse. 

No - the post yesterday requesting help was three months after the last chat about it - so it's not resolved and the dog is still distress barking every day

[TreacleRabbit]

Southwark website says they can investigate barking dogs.  If the noise is happening ‘now’ they say to call them on 020 7525 5777. I suggest you share the address with those locally affected, and then all call the number when you hear the dog barking. If there are enough complaints, the rapid noise team will attend (they can only really properly assess if the threshold is met if: they attend, hear recordings of the sound, or receive a high number of complaints). 
 

you can also report online each time. 
 

the rapid noise team can attend, and also warn the occupant as it is a ‘nuisance ‘ (barking for an hour each time on repeated occasions).

you can also record the sound and send the links to the noise team, and also the neighbour (if you have their contact details).
 

Allowing prolonged barking is a nuisance, and saying that it is ‘caused by anxiety’, doesn’t mean that it is not also causing a noise nuisance. Hopefully this will stop the dog being left on its own for so long.

 

 

[heartblock]

Noise team are excellent, they encouraged my neighbours to not have dogs (basically left in the small garden for days in the Winter). I think that RSPCA requests the council first and then they call the RSPCA if they think it’s an issue for them. Neighbours were not cruel, just not capable and too busy with 4 children and sick relatives to give appropriate care.