I think I would just, when the poor dog is barking and the owner is away, would go over with a big hunk of cheese, use the cheese to insure friendship with the dog and untie it. let him go. Might be wrong, but that's what I would do. No dog deserves to be tied up on a permanent basis. You say the county has no resources to come and take care of the issue, they wont have the resources to come look for whoever regularly unties the dog either. I cant stand people who mistreat animals and children. No everyone who wants to castigate me, have at it, I really don't care.