Completely NBR... Pet related (and not even my own!)

halfnhalf

Ok I'm going to ask you guys something b/c I know this is a level-headed bunch of people.  And I apologize in advance, it's gunna be long.

There's a family in our neighborhood who keep their St Bernard dog outside seemingly 24/7.  I've never gone by the house when that dog wasn't sitting out by the fence, alone, and looking completely bored and forlorn. 

It has been raining for 5 days here, we have flash flood warnings, and everyone's yard is a boggy mess.  We've had large hail, rain, wind, thunder, lightning, and tornado warnings.  And as usual, the dog has been outside everytime I've gone past, soaking wet.  There is no shelter that I can see.  I saw the dog huddled against the wall of the house apparently trying to catch a break from the rain under the 6 inches of overhang from the roof (not very effective).  I can't imagine how they could possibly be keeping the dog's bowls clean and dry in this weather with no apparent shelter.

Why on earth do people get always these big dogs and then banish them to the backyard?  These houses are around 3,000sq ft and up, there is room inside for a dog, even a St Bernard, so that's a stupid excuse, IMO. 

Is there anything I can or should do about this?  I mean, even in a passive agressive way, like print out info from the ASPCA and put it in their mailbox?  Report them?  I mean who knows if the dog is healthy and feed properly, I can't tell from the sidewalk.  He could be covered in tics and fleas and sores... who knows:(

Thanks for any insight you have.  I can't get this dog off my mind lately with all the bad weather we've been having.  I worried about him last summer too, when it was over 90 and humid for weeks.  I just feel like I should DO something.