Animals and Bad roommates

[headcheese]

CALIFORNIA

My question is wether or not my roommates, by agreeing to live with and choosing to move in with a prexisting pet, are in any way able to be held accountable for their actions (or lack thereof). I have a large breed puppy that is easily kept in check with simple actions (aka put him in kennel when nobody is home), but my roommates constantly neglect to care, knowing that he's a puppy and he has a tendency to chew when alone. When I leave I now make sure to always lock him up, but my roommate will let him out and then leave despite being told EVERY DAY that it's just asking for trouble. She also refuses to clean up after herself, leaving her property and waste all about the house. Recently she left the dog unattended and uncared for for a long period of time and some things of hers along with mine were damaged and destroyed by the loose dog. Sadly I can't just move out due to a lease, but my one roommate won't stop making demands on her damaged things even though she still (after multiple accounts of this) refuses to clean her things up or attempt to keep the puppy safe from harm and from harming property. What can I do? and what if my puppy is harmed or even killed by her actions?

thank you

[seniorjudge]

Did your roommate agree to take care of your dog?

[xylene]

Your dog is cute, young and adoptable.

Give it away to a home that does not require kenneling and to an owner with sufficient time to devote to a dogs formative period.

[ninalou]

I can't speak from a legal standpoint, but as a dog trainer any experience a puppy has is training whether good or bad. If your roommates are allowing it to run loose, jump on furniture, chew up whatever... the pup is learning that is acceptable behavior. As it's 'owner' it is your responsibility to train it and keep it safe. It is clearly not in a safe environment.

If your roommates are true slobs, suppose some form of poison is lying around... Suppose your roommates think it's fun to give it beer or feed it raisins (extremely toxic). You need to set extreme guidelines that they will respect OR move your pup's crate into your room and keep your room locked.

If they still won't respect those actions, then either you and the pup need to leave the situation or find the pup a new home. I'm sorry to say that, but you owe it to the dog.