Should I call the humane society on my best friend?

Question

My best friend has 2 dogs. They're constantly tied up or in small cages in the basement (for hours on end, sometimes for the whole day), and when theyre upstairs running around, they get hit and kicked, HARD by her boyfriend, and even her if they dont obey (even though they were never taught properly). If you raise your hand to them, they flatten down like theyre gonna get beaten(because usually they do). The thing is, they dont 'look' abused so I dont know if the humane society would do anything, and she is my best friend, so I dont know if this would be betraying her or not. Should I bother calling or will they just look at 2 apparently healthy dogs and think it was a prank call? What would you do?

Answer 1

and thats the Best Friend you have ! ?

Answer 2

A - provide evidence, they must do more than a warning, like a video or something because this they have hard evidence they MUST do something

B - the animals would have a much higher chance of a better life of their remaining years somewhere else, who would want to pay the animal shelter fee then abuse the dog and risk having to pay the fine and the people should/will be assessed.

they deserve the fine or whatever, maybe theyll actually learn. the dogs arent even welcome in the house, they wont care if they are gone.

the world like that, people have to think differently, maybe if it wasnt a dog but a child, you use that comparison then people start to understand, animals have shorter lives, why do they have to have miserable ones too? *sigh*..reality...

Answer 3

wow toughie-

You deffinatley need to call. but there's a few things you need to say in the call-

1. while the officials are asking you questions like where your friend lives ect, don't skimp any details.

2. If they ask why your calling or reason ( if they don't, state it afterwards), tell them everything you know too and add in, "It's surprising because they look perfectly healthy on the outside- they weight enough and their fur is in good shape but you can tell the are a wreck phsychologically".

3. Also mention something like "Look sir, this isn't a prank call or anything- i am busting my friend here. It's a really tough thing for me to get my friend in trouble like this but these dogs need help! can you please at least check in on them?"

4. Although most tips that come in remain annonymous, you may want to ask the officials if they can keep this annponymous for the sake of your friendship.

hope that helps!

Answer 4

Have you tried talkin to her? tell her dogs are pack animals they need to be around their family!! You may need to call the humane society explain whats goin on just as you did here. Theres more to takin care of our pets then feedin him. If the boyfriend is mean to animals he may be mean to kids and your friend too

Answer 5

yes you should call the humane society. i know it is your best friend but these poor dogs are being abused and they don't deserved to be treated like that by anyone. not even your best friend.

people that work with abused animals will be able to tell just by looking at the dogs and watching them for a few seconds.

you may feel bad about getting your best friends dogs taken from her but think of it from the dogs point of view they will get a new home that will care and love them and they will not be beaten everyday

the humane society does not let animals out to people that will abuse the animals. not only that you can do the phone call annonymous so no one knows it was you. and you can also get the humane society to give you updates on the dogs.

Answer 6

I have done something like this before.  

A few years ago a friend I visited a male friend of mine house and his house mate was abusing their dog and was finding it hilarious that he could hit and kick the dog and the dog run away crying.

The next day I called the RSPCA on them and the dog was taken away immediately.

You can remain anomonous during your call so that your friend will never know that it is you.  I would assume that she has had other friends round her house for them to witness the cruelty?

Just explain to them exactly what is happening and they shouldnt take it as a joke.

You may feel out of order on your friend but it is the poor dogs health that you need to think about in these circumstances

Answer 7

Best friend or not honey those dogs are being abused and if you can help by calling then you should call.

Im sure you could report in anonomously (sorry cant spell!) but even if your friend finds out it was you then its still teh right thing to do and if she is that good a freind then she will understand.

Plus you should question whether you would want to be freinds with somebody that has an obvious streak of cruelty in them like that.

If the humane society take them then they wont end up somewhere worrse where they'll beatena nd starved adn hello! whats happening to them now,,, oh yeah they getting beaten!

If the humane society doesnt do anything then you can keep pestering and you conscience will be clear...

Answer 8

Report them for sure. People who have worked with abused animals can tell when there is a problem. They don't have to show physical signs of abuse. The cowering etc is more than enough to tell the tail.  

Answer 9

if it were me i would call but she is your best friend and those dogs are supposed to be her best friends how she could allow that to happen is beyond me. hope this helps

Answer 10

Sounds like she might be getting kicked around herself. Go over there and if you have a camera phone that shoots video, make it look like you are texting and actually film what they are doing to the dogs. Then send the video to your email. After you leave, make a date to hangout with her by herself. Tell her you are concerned about her, and you know that something really bad is going on and she needs to leave him. She will of course, deny it, call you crazy, this that the other thing, but tell her that abusing the dogs is unacceptable and usually the first step before he will turn on her. DO NOT ALLOW HER TO KNOW YOU HAVE VIDEO!!!!!!

Then after she calls you a few names, and no longer wants to speak to you, because that will happen when women get abused, go to the ASPCA directly and show them the videos. Most states have big penalties for animal abuse. This is a criminal case. This will tell you if your state has animal cruelty laws or not. http://www.avianrescue.org/abuse_laws.ht...

If they get prosecuted, it will also put a bullseye on him. Cops know that animal abusers sooner or later turn on people, even killing someone. So when your friend eventually ends up in the hospital, which will more then likely happen, or even dead, they know who to go for.

Answer 11

There is an easy way to answer your question - just imagine yourself as one of those dogs, and think about what you would want the human to do.

As MR P has said - the animal control officer or cruelty investigator will recognize the signs right away - dogs will tell them with their reactions the whole tale...they will know instantly what is going on, and most likely, who did it.

And one more thing to think about - what kind of friend is this to you.  Not only are these dogs in danger, but she is too.  No doubt this man is abusing her, either emotionally or physically.  It's all abuse, and she is being forced to watch.  Get her out of there, as well.  It's all domestic violence, and should be reported to the police at the same time.  An experienced cruelty investigator will help you with that.

Answer 12

What would you do if they were children? There's your answer. If the adults think it is okay with an animal then that kind of attitude spills over to other areas of people or animals that can't say no.

Get some video of it. Hide a camera on your body while you're there. Documentation is everything.

OR address this with your friend. If they are a REAL friend they will listen. If not, turn them in anyways because that's what is right.

If the dogs get killed from this and you do nothing consider yourself with blood on your hands.

It's tough but our society needs people to stop turning their heads and start using their voices.

Answer 13

I'd tell someone about this. Maybe try to buy one of the dogs from her and give it a much better home. She must not care too much about keeping them if she just kicks them all the time. Dogs shouldn't live like that. If you need proof you could bring a video camera there and just act like your recording random stuff but really record them kicking the dogs if you're really concerned about nobody believing you.  

Answer 14

the humane society will most likely do nothing unfortunately...its too bad people treat animals like this. they have too many more serious problems to deal with though unfortunately

Answer 15

CALL RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 16

yeah you can report it to 'em. if you want evidence or something try to get a picture if you can. :D you can always tell your best friend that you were concerned about the dogs, and you would not want to see her mistreating other animals in the future..  :)

Answer 17

You could call them and say that you've witnessed these people beating the dog and see if they are willing to respond, however, friend or not, if I witnessed my friends beating their dog I'd freaking go off on them big time, I'd threaten them and say if I ever see you hit the dog again I will have no qualms about reporting you to the ASPCA for inhumane treatment of your animals.  Tell her if she trained them properly she wouldn't need to hit them all the time.  Since the dog haven't been trained, haven't been given rules and trained properly then what does she expect.

Can you work with her on training at all?  Can you read books and practice the basics or show her how it's done?

If the Humane Society took them they would be in a much better environment, they would be given to a good home where they wouldn't be beaten or starved.

I'd ask your friend if she thinks that keeping them locked in a cage all day is a life for a dog?  If she isn't exercising them and they are caged all day then of course they are going to be nutty once let out, the poor things are doing anything to burn off their frustration and energy.

Try taking them for a long walk and see how much more they calm down once in the house.  

Are the cages too small for them?  Are they sitting in f***s and urine?  Are the conditions downstairs poor?  This alone will get the ASPCA out they don't have to be emaciated or in poor condition they have to be living in poor conditions.  I would suggest to my friend since she doesn't know how to handle dogs that she should rehome them.

Good luck

Answer 18

Call them ASAP.

She should know better to not hit them. If she does (or lets anyone else) then she doesn't deserve to have them. They need to be loved, and are better off being taken away.

Answer 19

Call the humane society. I would not allow anyone to treat an animal this way, and I would call the humane society on my best friend. If they went there and took a look they wouldn't think it was a prank call.  

Answer 20

Definitely report her!!! If you know for a FACT the dogs are being mistreated, it is your duty to blow the whistle on your friends. As far as I am concerned, these jerks would be no freinds of mine. Just cause the dogs look o.k., that means nothing. If the dogs flatten down,They ARE being hit for sure, it shows they are afraid. Do something now or these poor animals are gonna be continuously abused. Do you want this on your consciounce?

Answer 21

dont let those babies suffer any longer... i definitly would report them and get those dogs out of that situation.... there is no reason someone should harm a helpless animal... dont feel guilty about calling and turning them in, you are doing the right thing... i promise... please call

Answer 22

Some people get animals for the wrong reasons.  My sister did.  She's never had a dog before and when she and her husband bought a rottweiler, I guess she thought it would act like a big dumb lazy dog all the time.  I think she wanted a dog that would sit on the couch with her and watch TV all day and play in the back yard alone when she didn't feel like being around him.  Of course, she was dead wrong.  The dog takes a lot of work, exercise and a lot of discipline, and instead of doing it, she'd just shove the poor thing in the cage all day because his lack of exercise made him rowdy and annoying.  I was thinking of asking her to give him up, but then I talked to her about it and she was really reasonable.  She agreed with me, actually, that her treatment of the dog was unfair because he needs proper training.  So now Zeus (the dog) sees a trainer regularly and he's SO much better and now everyone's happy.  Because he's better behaved, he's hardly ever in the cage.

Try talking to your friend first.  If she's your best friend, she'll probably listen.  Tell her that it's not fair to the dogs to treat them that way and that she could enjoy them more (and vise versa) if they just had a little training.

I suggest this first because the ASPCA probably won't do anything, but if she disagrees or if those dogs don't get any better treatment REPORT IT FAST.

Answer 23

You absolutely should call and help those poor animals. Its your duty. If more people would do this maybe alot of this could be prevented.

Many times people get animals not realizing that they really don't know what to do and they really do want help. You will be doing all them a favor. They obviously are stressed by the dogs behavior.

Best wishes

Answer 24

You need to call ASAP, Best friend or not those dogs need to be taken out of the home. You would call if that was happening to her children right? This is no different you need to call now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 25

Please report them asap! A lot of dogs don't look like abused animals, the same as we cannot always tell by looking at a person that he/she is being abused. A combination of physical and emotional cruelty is bad enough, let alone knowing that these poor creatures are being left for hours in unsuitable conditions. You can remain anonymous when you report such crimes, please do what your conscience tells you - best friend or not!

Answer 26

You should talk to her about how you feel when she brutally treats her dogs. talk to her about the penalty's that would apply if she got caught for mistreating her pets. maybe ask her why she treats her dogs poorly. if she is your best friend then she will listen to you.