I live in an apartment complex. Single level ranch style with little patios off to the side of our front doors. This is a pet friendly complex, but it’s pretty slummy. Rough side of town, gunshots now and then, etc. I live here because I was freshly divorced, selling my house because I couldn’t afford it, in the middle of a career change, and I wanted to keep my GSD.

The neighbors across the way from me brought two pit-mix puppies home a month ago. They sealed the bottom of their patio with 2x4s and the side of their neighbors patio with the same. Then they set up retractable leashes to the slats of both theirs and neighbors patio with those little key chain hooks and proceeded to let their dogs out to potty that way, and leave them out for over an hour at a time.

Aside from the liability issues of having dogs chained up outside at an apartment in the middle of a city, the dogs bark at everything. One of them lunges when someone is walking by. I have a fear they’re going to snap their tiny leashes and attack someone. The neighbors don’t check on them when they’re barking. It’s 10pm eastern and as I write this my neighbors dogs are outside barking. The good thing that’s coming out of it is my dog is getting some desensitization training from them being out there, we’ve struggle with reactivity.

Barking dogs and liability aside. Yesterday the dogs broke a table they had set up outside for whatever reason and I watched the female neighbor come outside and yank one of the dogs around by its leash and then by its collar. The dog hit the ground, ears back, whining, tail wagging. These dogs can’t be more than 20 lbs, and I could see clear signs having been abused in the one she yanked around.

My sister gently mentioned I’m kind of the asshole (to the pups) for not calling on my neighbors. My boyfriend told me I should dog nap them and take them to a shelter. I don’t want problems with my neighbors, especially given that this is a rough neighborhood, but I’m starting to collect evidence. No videos yet and I can’t prove physical abuse.

(Here it is 10:15 and the puppies have been barking since 9:40 and that’s just when I got home and they were already out.)

AITAH? If you have suggestions I’m all ears.