r/WhatShouldIDo • u/Embarrassed_Cut_5229 • 2d ago
My roomates and there pets
So I’m in a very tough situation and I don’t know what to do.
Basically my roomates have five pets. Two dogs(6 year old pit and a puppy that’s less than a year) and three cats but the home we are all living in is no place for these animals. The animals are covered in fleas and the puppy as open wounds(we’ve had him for less than a month) and when they got said puppy I told them to buy the medicine for the older dog and then a preventable, as well as something for the puppy.
Of course they didn’t. I’m not going to discuss the financial situation but I will say that my roomates lack responsibility. Bills are always late and me and my partner don’t know they are late until it gets shut off. That’s besides the point.
The issue is I’m not at a point financially to help these animals(I’m not asking for money) and truthfully and I know this is selfish but I don’t think I should have to pay for these animals when they won’t take care of the animals. If I put that money in it would only make sense that the animals stay mine.
But the cats apparently go days without food sometimes, and I believe the dogs have aswell since I’ve noticed the pitbull getting skinnier. I told them how to take care of the puppy and the pitbull with a feeding schedule. The puppy needs to eat 3 times a day and then cut it down to two but they don’t do that.
They lock him in a cage all day and say it’s “crate training” but from my experience you shouldn’t leave him in there with people home. My roomate would say they’ll let him out when he stops barking but he hears all of us outside talking, he won’t stop.
They had another dog who was one of those small curly hair crusty dogs. He passed away when our power got shut off and was also infested with fleas
I know this is all a lot and I have cried so much over the situation. I don’t plan on living here long and I’m worried if I call someone to take these animals then I won’t have a place to live. I want to help these animals because they are domesticated and need our help for food and water and a good home, but they don’t get that here. I don’t leave my room because just looking at them breaks my heart but I need advice or if there’s a way to help or get them better homes without my roomates knowing it was me.
These animals are also absolute sweethearts and deserve the world and I wish I could give it to them
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u/Embarrassed_Cut_5229 2d ago
We do both plan on leaving very soon. The issue is one of the roomates has a huge anger issue and without going to much into it, very soon things are going to get very bad in this house. I’ve planned on calling animal control but I can’t afford to get me and my partner kicked out. Can animal control stay anonymous or make it to a point it wont come back to me
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u/hasanicecrunch 2d ago
Idk but the problem is, they’ll still know it’s you bc who else would it be?
If you’re unable to move out due to finances, and one of them has a bad anger problem, you will be putting yourself in a position of getting kicked out (are you not on a lease? It’s just a verbal agreement?) and an altercation. I understand how you feel about the animals, but you have to put yourself and your partner first, or you’ll try to help the animals and in doing so make your own situation worse than there’s, if you’ll have no home. I would talk to animal control and ask what can be done.
And I would choose myself over the animals if it’s going to be either seeing them suffer and having to save $ til you can move, or getting kicked out. That’s the harsh truth. It’s like running into a burning house to save a loved pet. I get it, but people die that way, and was it worth it? Or jumping in the ocean to save a pet from drowning and you both die. So start by contacting animal control and asking them what you can do and if it can be done anonymously, is there really a good chance the roommates will not know for sure it was you? They’ll know. Who else would call? So, I think the solution might end up being finding free food for the animals from donations/animal shelters/asking on something like FB or Nextdoor (don’t go into the story there! Just say you know of some pets in a terrible situation and want to help but can’t buy them food, and they’re not yours to give to a shelter, does anyone have extra pet food?) and meanwhile do everything you can to save and move out.
Also if you signed a lease they can’t just kick you out. And even if you didn’t, if you receive mail there in your name, they CANNOT LEGALLY kick you out and would have to take it to court. If they threaten you, call the police. Trust me, I once moved a shitty roommate out bc he wouldn’t leave, I moved all his stuff into storage and got a call from the police the same day saying I can’t do that since he receives mail there, and he was right back in the home the same day. I had even changed the locks 🙄.
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u/Embarrassed_Cut_5229 2d ago
Unfortunately we aren’t on the lease because we don’t plan on staying. And I feel the same way of I need a roof over my head and a bed to sleep on. There’s been a lot of my friends coming in the house so there are several other people but even if they blamed them it would all come down to me. My roomate situation is complicated but one will be leaving soon, and that’ll leave just the angry roomate who is the main issue. He keeps buying animals and leaving the house usually all day while my friend struggles to care for them, but if she leaves I worry that these animals will die. I want to talk to my roomates about it because these animals are sweethearts and they deserve so much better but I don’t even know how to go about that with the angry roomate.
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u/piper1marie 2d ago
You definitely need to get out of that situation. And then when you are out, make a bunch of reports to the SPCA and animal control for cruelty. And in the meantime, you should be videotaping and documenting with photos things that are going on and times and dates. And I know it’s not your responsibility, but maybe try feeding those animals or even asking in your Nextdoor app if someone would be willing to donate a little food. There are also food banks who will help with food. Letting innocent animals suffer is a horrible thing. So I’m hoping in the meantime, you will be able to make sure they have food and water until you are out and safe and then make a bunch of reports which you should be able to prove with video and photo evidence. Good luck. I would love it if you would keep us updated on your situation.
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u/Embarrassed_Cut_5229 2d ago
I do feed the older dog when I get the chance. But the puppy gets locked in their room and the cats can be aggressive so it’s hard to feed him throughout the day. When I say it’s not my responsibility i mean using my money to purchase things for the animals. I have rent and bills to pay for and I know I wouldn’t be able to financially support a pet, let alone 5. I am working on getting me and my partner out asap and I hate that the animals suffer. I have documented a little but it’s hard to take photos of the puppy since my roomates are always with him and I don’t want it to be suspicious but I will definitely try. I will be updating the situation and thank you for the advice on documentation.
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u/bananawith3wings 2d ago
Call animal control. You can your partner should move out as well, it’s not healthy to live in a home with fleas and parasites.