Humane Police came to the house today...Anyone delt with them in the past??

[AFARR]

My Kids came home and found a notice (Pre-Printed except for the date/time and signature) on our front door:

You may be in Violation of the PA Humane Laws.
Call XXX-XXXX within 24 hours


Now, we have a dog (pound dog--21 lbs, real mix...Blk. Lab, Jack Russel?, Other terrier--Spayed and has a microchip).
Up to date on all shots (just to the vet over a month ago). I don't put the Rabies tag on, as she scratches at things around her neck if they dangle.

During the day, she is on a 12' chain with free roam of our small concrete patio and back yard. Fresh food and water every day (in the AM...she doesn't finish all her food).
Collar fits well (nylon collar, can put several fingers under it--any looser and she can pull it off). She has a house out back, but likes to crawl under the cover for my smoker instead.

She gets walked and played with daily. Comes in some evenings (sheds a lot even with the short black hair, so my wife frowns on her being inside too much). The kids have been a bit lax about picking up her poop (usually once a week, I have to yell at them to do it).

Goes into a crate in the garage at night. Noise ordinance says 9pm, but in looking on line, the dogs can be outdoors (chained) from 6am to 10pm. Usually she is in before 10pm.

I would love to have a large, fenced back yard for her to run, but we are renting (the townhouse complex won't allow full fenced yards..so there is only a partial fence on either side of the yard, and open at the back). There is a large (2 story) hill after 10' of grass (10' concrete patio, 10' of grass) is our back yard. The chain can't be too much longer or she can get into the yards on either side (around their fences).


Maybe I'm missing something....anyone here have any ideas?


The only thing I can think of is that my Wife has complained to the Neighborhood Manager about cars parked illegally on the street (and making it a little bit difficult to back out of our driveway...not bad, but a minor annoyance), and also about the neighbors next door (getting divorced, he's thrown drunken tantrums outside their townhouse...even thrown an empty glass out in the street), so someone called it in to be nasty.



I did call and leave a message (also called back 2 other times to see if he was in) when the kids called me at 3:30pm. I work out of town during the week, so will have to deal with it by phone. If someone here (or the Humane Society) can make a real case that I am being Cruel to the dog, I'd rather give her away then hurt her.

[shooter357]

I personally wouldn't worry about it. I have been a dog owner for 26 years and treat my dogs good. If there was a complaint I will let them come to me and make their case. Don't let them put you on the defensive. I have delt with these folks as far as they told me what the complaint was and then I showed them that wasn't the case.

**Keep in mind that I'm telling you what I would do and have done.**

[AFARR]

Shooter,

Thanks for the input. What was the complaint (if you prefer to IM, or tell me to mind my own business, please do so)?

Edit: Does it sound like I am not treating my dog well?


AFARR

[gf45acp]

I will take the role of chicken little in this one.
In NJ these guys are MAJOR asshats, even have SWAT teams to raid you at 3am.
I do not know how they are in your neck of the woods.
Use caution. Check 6.

[kalashnikovRPK]

in my area it is usually neighbor complaints, the ones that dont like you. are your humane police behaving like peta members? mine are and will unjustly charge you because they dont like something that is totally legal. my best advice is to call and convince them you are totally legal

[Philbert]

Humane police? Do they really have police powers? Or they just like to pretend they do?

[AFARR]

I recall watch something on the Animal Planet with the kids and looked into it at one point. They (I assume the local guys do also) have sworn police powers (i.e. like a sheriff's deputy or local PO), but are paid by the Humane Society and only look at the humane laws.

[kalashnikovRPK]

yes, they have alot of police powers, not all but alot. they tend to cause more trouble than they prevent

[Dave in PA]

There may be a question of a dog house. If the dog is chained outside, they have to have some sort of shelter from the weather......with access to food and water.

[AFARR]

Yes, there is a commercial (Plastic) enclosed dog house outside, but the dog likes to hang around under the grill instead. There is always food (in the AM, and she doesn't quite eat the full amount we put out) and water.

AFARR