Sad Dogs

A friend of mine here was lamenting on a Facebook post this morning the sad lot of the dog who lives in the apartment next to hers. All day long, and sometimes most of the night long, she says, the poor dog is  locked alone in the apartment and it is obviously driving him crazy, given the evidence of his constant howling and barking, which itself tends to drive the neighbors crazy as well. 

One sees this sort of thing so often here that, though sad, it is hardly surprising. There seems to be no middle ground with many folks between locking their dog in all day and letting it free to run all day. Why people who are not able to be home at all buy dogs in the first place, I cannot figure. Nor can I figure why people who live in these little apartments that have no yard would buy a dog to begin with. 

The guy who lives in the house next to mine has found a different solution (though it is really no solution at all). He has two dogs and he keeps each  in its own small cage in the parking bay day and night. Naturally, they do a lot of howling and crying, especially when it is very hot or very rainy, and the rest of the time they just lie there and sleep. What kind of a life is that for a dog? I mean, come on, dogs are meant to run and chase cats and explore and play. Good grief.