MorningGloria
Sprinting down the street
Warning, this is a long one...
A little bit of backstory: I was planning on purchasing a home and ended my current lease, but at the last minute found out I was accepted into an internship program out of state, but it doesn't start until the summer. So I was able to stop the purchase of the new home, but was unable to get back into my old, basically leaving me homeless. My friends had an open room and invited me to stay as long as I needed. So now I've been living here about a month and a half and I've had a few minor issues, but nothing that I can't live with. One thing though that I just can't shake is the way the one roommate treats her animals. She has one cat, one dog, one conure, one senegal, 4 parakeets and a betta.
The cat's litter box has been changed only once and it reeks. Unfortunately the cat is the best kept of the bunch as he is at least fed and petted regularly.
The dog is kept on a leash tied to the table. She claims it's because he pees all over the house, but he's a puppy and he's only allowed to go out twice a day nearly 12 hours apart and only for 4 or 5 minutes. She doesn't work so there is no reason why she can't take him out more often or for longer periods. He's a minpin with lots of energy but is kept on a 3 foot leash during the day and a dog crate (the traveling kind that you keep cats in, he can't even stand up or move around) all night. He chews through his leashes and nearly chokes himself trying to move around and is constantly getting tangled in the chairs leaving him with less than a foot of lead. His water and food is limited to prevent accidents but since he's still so underwalked, he often poops or pees in his crate and then is left all night to sit in it until she sees it and the morning and yells at him
The birds have NEVER had their cages changed or cleaned since I've been here. The cages were disgusting when I got here so to go an additional month is just beyond belief. They rarely, if ever, get fed and it's usually the other roommate (not the owner) that does it. Once I realized this issue I've been trying to make sure at least all of their basic needs are met. I feed them and change their water and try to give them attention when I can, but with a full time job I've been working overtime with and a bird of my own to care for I just don't have the time to give them the full care they all need. The birds literally have 2 or 3 toys per cage and they are half chewed and dirty and never get changed out or even moved around. She claims it's because they don't like toys, but if you had to stare at the same thing for months you'd get tired of it too. I know for a fact the Sennie likes toys because I give her some of Archys and she goes nuts. The poor conure has gone so long without contact that he's not tame. He talks and says thank you and gets along great with my conure, but when it comes to humans trying to take him out or touch him he doesn't know what to do. It's so unfamiliar to him.
I've tried to bring this to her attention but it's one excuse after another. Even the other roommate who realizes there is an issue will make excuses. She takes in animals and gives them up like it's nothing. I've offered to help find a home for all of them, but she's shocked that I would even suggest it. It's really hard to watch. She sits on the computer alllll day while the dog barks to go outside and the birds have empty food and disgusting water dishes. I'm doing everything I can for them now, and I know in about a month I'll have a lot more free time to give them more attention, but I'm concerned about what will happen when I'm gone. They will survive thanks to the other roommate, but they will live miserably.
We all know how lax animal cruelty laws are so I don't think I can report her to anyone as she hasn't technically broken any that she can't easily excuse away. I do like her as a friend because believe it or not she's a very caring person but the lack of care for her animals is reprehensible. I just don't know what to do...
A little bit of backstory: I was planning on purchasing a home and ended my current lease, but at the last minute found out I was accepted into an internship program out of state, but it doesn't start until the summer. So I was able to stop the purchase of the new home, but was unable to get back into my old, basically leaving me homeless. My friends had an open room and invited me to stay as long as I needed. So now I've been living here about a month and a half and I've had a few minor issues, but nothing that I can't live with. One thing though that I just can't shake is the way the one roommate treats her animals. She has one cat, one dog, one conure, one senegal, 4 parakeets and a betta.
The cat's litter box has been changed only once and it reeks. Unfortunately the cat is the best kept of the bunch as he is at least fed and petted regularly.
The dog is kept on a leash tied to the table. She claims it's because he pees all over the house, but he's a puppy and he's only allowed to go out twice a day nearly 12 hours apart and only for 4 or 5 minutes. She doesn't work so there is no reason why she can't take him out more often or for longer periods. He's a minpin with lots of energy but is kept on a 3 foot leash during the day and a dog crate (the traveling kind that you keep cats in, he can't even stand up or move around) all night. He chews through his leashes and nearly chokes himself trying to move around and is constantly getting tangled in the chairs leaving him with less than a foot of lead. His water and food is limited to prevent accidents but since he's still so underwalked, he often poops or pees in his crate and then is left all night to sit in it until she sees it and the morning and yells at him
The birds have NEVER had their cages changed or cleaned since I've been here. The cages were disgusting when I got here so to go an additional month is just beyond belief. They rarely, if ever, get fed and it's usually the other roommate (not the owner) that does it. Once I realized this issue I've been trying to make sure at least all of their basic needs are met. I feed them and change their water and try to give them attention when I can, but with a full time job I've been working overtime with and a bird of my own to care for I just don't have the time to give them the full care they all need. The birds literally have 2 or 3 toys per cage and they are half chewed and dirty and never get changed out or even moved around. She claims it's because they don't like toys, but if you had to stare at the same thing for months you'd get tired of it too. I know for a fact the Sennie likes toys because I give her some of Archys and she goes nuts. The poor conure has gone so long without contact that he's not tame. He talks and says thank you and gets along great with my conure, but when it comes to humans trying to take him out or touch him he doesn't know what to do. It's so unfamiliar to him.
I've tried to bring this to her attention but it's one excuse after another. Even the other roommate who realizes there is an issue will make excuses. She takes in animals and gives them up like it's nothing. I've offered to help find a home for all of them, but she's shocked that I would even suggest it. It's really hard to watch. She sits on the computer alllll day while the dog barks to go outside and the birds have empty food and disgusting water dishes. I'm doing everything I can for them now, and I know in about a month I'll have a lot more free time to give them more attention, but I'm concerned about what will happen when I'm gone. They will survive thanks to the other roommate, but they will live miserably.
We all know how lax animal cruelty laws are so I don't think I can report her to anyone as she hasn't technically broken any that she can't easily excuse away. I do like her as a friend because believe it or not she's a very caring person but the lack of care for her animals is reprehensible. I just don't know what to do...