Neighbours... How do I play this??

[Flicker]

We live in a lovely, quiet close. Me, OH and the two cats. Our neighbours are mostly very pleasant, and it is important to me that we all get on. However, the family across from us (mum, dad, three adult daughters) have two scotties, two springer spaniels and a golden retriever. Taking them for walks involves loading them all into two cars, on the drive. They never use leads, and the scotties and the retriever mostly run off. They've come into our garden and chased the cats on a few occasions. I have asked them to control the dogs better, and it gets better briefly, but then goes back to how it was. Their mum used to be really friendly, but now she barely speaks to us.
This evening, the retriever ran off, again, and came bounding up to me as I was getting out of my car. It didn't pay the daughter the slightest bit of attention when she called it and she had to come right up to me to grab its collar. I said, 'why don't you put him on a lead?' and she got really sniffy and said, 'he doesn't need one, thank you', to which I replied that I thought he probably did need one.

I really don't want to fall out with these people, but I know that if I try to talk to them they'll get really defensive, as they already have. But their dogs running uncontrolled in our street is just not acceptable either. I cannot fathom why they won't put them on a lead - I can only surmise that it is too much effort. It has been a long time since I had dogs (we had German shepherds and rescues all through my childhood through to early adulthood) but I never would have dreamt of letting them off lead anywhere but a confined garden or designated walking area. Have times changed?

Any HHO pearls of wisdom for me? Dog owners, what do you think?

 

[Dry Rot]

Similar and related problems here with new neighbours. The first week after they'd moved in, they were at the door asking if I'd seen their two dogs. I said I hadn't but remarked they were lucky as I'd just lifted the fox snares! Not true, but I hoped they'd get the message.

Roll on a couple of months and one of my GSDs chased after what I initially thought was a black rabbit in one of my own fields. I yelled "Leave" and immediately realised it was in fact a small black dog. My dog abandoned the chase and the small black dog disappeared through the hedge back into my neighbour's five acres.

Roll on a few more months and they are at the door again looking for lost dogs. I pointed out that it is lambing time and most farmers around here keep a gun in the vehicle. I could see my suggestions were definitely not welcomed!

Roll on a few more months and there is a young black terrier wandering around my yard. My dogs, who would have had it for breakfast and not even bothered to spit out the bones, were locked up in a kennel where dogs should be when not under the immediate supervision of the owner (me!).

This time I had enough. The dog was enticed into a kennel and I phoned the police. I volunteered to drop the dog off at the police station. When I went out to get the dog, I discovered it has got out and had presumably gone home.

A few days later someone from the council turned up in a white van. The man wasn't the dog warden but was from a related department. He was extremely helpful, very sympathetic, and had all the legislation at his finger tips. He said he would go and see my neighbour but at another time in case they'd noticed his van visiting my property and put two and two together to realise I was the complainer. He advised taking any stray dog to the police from where it would be taken to the local pound. I gather the owner has then to pay to get his dog back and it is made a matter of record. Even if it is known who the dog belongs to, if not actually accompanied it is still technically a stray. If the straying continues, there is such a thing as a doggy ASBO. I was impressed how discrete and knowledgeable the man was and how very much on my side. I'd advise anyone with a similar problem to contact the police or the dog warden. If you can catch and hand the dog in, so much the better. Your name will not be disclosed and everything will be handled very professionally and discretely. They really do not want stray dogs wandering loose around the countryside. Sorry for the long reply but the adrenalin is flowing!

 

[JillA]

I think it is an offence to have a dog not under control on a public highway - maybe you could ask your police CSO to have a word about what offences they may be committing? They will know it is you but as they don't speak anyway.............................

 

[Flicker]

Thank you both for your responses and advice!
Dry Rot, my adrenalin levels were rising in sympathy hahaha!!
I just don't get people sometimes...

 

[LittleMonster]

I understand why you are annoyed by this i would be!

My Nan's next door neighbors had a lassie dog (can't remember the breed name!) quite big for what i would think to be the 'standard' and he used to come on the drive way and bark/growl, generally be aggressive because i think he thought it was 'his' land because they never stopped him.

One day i got a bit of string tied him to their fence while he bark blue murder. (even tried to go for me!)
They asked me why ''Because he is trespassing and should be on a lead, and i am quite simply fed up of being growled at trying to leave the house. Next time he comes on to the property i will be reporting you.''

Lassie dog was then on a lead every time i saw. I never spoke to them again. (until there granddad started to block the drive... they are just a nightmare...) But i would be speaking to them and mentioning the 'worst' case scenarios

 

[Dry Rot]

Thank you both for your responses and advice!
Dry Rot, my adrenalin levels were rising in sympathy hahaha!!
I just don't get people sometimes...

I certainly don't get my neighbour. At least I am getting some pleasure from hearing his nasty little dogs barking like crazy in their kennels outside his back door. I expect they are bored, so I feel sorry for them. Me? I just turn my deaf aids off!!!

(Does anyone know anything about peafowl? I hear they have a rather loud call!).

 

[Tiddlypom]

OP, you've said what you can, but unfortunately your neighbours are not taking it on board. Sooner or later, one of their dogs is likely to end up being run over or causing an accident, because of their stupidity.

In the meanwhile, can you dog proof your drive and garden to protect your cats? It shouldn't be necessary at all for you to do this, but it may end up easier just to go ahead and do it.

 

[Flicker]

OH and I had a long chat about them this afternoon. Basically, if it happens again we are going to do our best to remind them, politely, of their legal obligation to keep the dogs under control (including the consequences of them knocking over one of the kids that live in or visit the street, or of the dogs getting onto the busy road nearby) and follow this up with a polite letter and a copy of the relevant legislation.
If it happens AGAIN after that, we will be reporting them.
Unfortunately our bungalow is very open plan style so not easy to dog proof easily, but I am thinking seriously of fencing off the front! Yes I agree, I shouldn't have to, but might be worth the effort for peace of mind!

 

[SadKen]

You need a mate with time and patience. If neighbours have a routine 're dog walking, get the mate to park in the street away from your house, then get out of car and walk slowly around while pretending to be on a mobile when the dogs exit the property (to give plenty of time for the dogs to be naughty). When the dogs run off, said mate can tear a real strip off with no connection to you. The mate can say all the things about danger to the dogs getting run over etc and scaring the kids or resulting in elderly folk having a fall etc, and remind them of the legislation about people being scared in a public place of dogs etc... Then leaves! No connection to you, point made.

You have to pay the mate in nice food.

I swear I'm two madcap plans away from being a supervillain.

 

[Alec Swan]

……..

(Does anyone know anything about peafowl? I hear they have a rather loud call!).

So I'm advised, the trick is that when you've incubated the eggs, and the little darlings hatch, you're supposed mix tomato sauce with their feed, so that they can see what they're eating, or something like that. The term 'Bird Brain' seems apt, some how.

Alec.

 

[Capriole]

(Does anyone know anything about peafowl? I hear they have a rather loud call!).

Oh, yes! They make the most horrendous racket. Good job they're pretty things really.

 

[Flicker]

You need a mate with time and patience. If neighbours have a routine 're dog walking, get the mate to park in the street away from your house, then get out of car and walk slowly around while pretending to be on a mobile when the dogs exit the property (to give plenty of time for the dogs to be naughty). When the dogs run off, said mate can tear a real strip off with no connection to you. The mate can say all the things about danger to the dogs getting run over etc and scaring the kids or resulting in elderly folk having a fall etc, and remind them of the legislation about people being scared in a public place of dogs etc... Then leaves! No connection to you, point made.

You have to pay the mate in nice food.

I swear I'm two madcap plans away from being a supervillain.

Hahahahaha!! This is BRILLIANT!!! Sadly (or happily for them I suppose) my one mate who could have fitted this bill after being made redundant, is now gainfully employed once more. However, if her new job doesn't work out, she'll be first on my list.

You are an evil genius!

 

[wren123]

OP, you shouldn't have to but for a quiet life I would just fence off my garden so they can't get to the cats and leave it at that. You have done your public duty by warning them of the potential for accidents and to be honest I would not want to have a toxic atmosphere in my road. I am not frightened of conflict but as I have got older I just can't be a***d!!

 

[MyBoyChe]

Do they not see how much the dogs are at risk from getting run over! I have a similar situation, I walk my 3 dogs by putting them in the car and driving to various local footpaths and bridleways where I know we can have a good wander off lead. I have to get 2 ESS and 1 JRT from the garden gate to the back of the pick up, all 5 yards of it. I live in a small close and every one of the 8 houses, bar mine, have at least 1 cat. Dog chases cat, cat runs, not necessarily to the safety of its garden but maybe straight across the road, dog follows cat... I just wouldnt take the risk and cant see why anyone would. If they wont listen to you, sooner or later there will be an accident and chances are, it wont be your cat that gets hurt, it will be one of the dogs. Some folk just dont seem to have much sense. I can appreciate how annoying it is for you but I honestly feel the dogs are more likely to end up getting hurt here, the cats will get the last laugh, sadly

 

[AmyMay]

Call the dog warden??

 

[Flicker]

Call the dog warden??

Unfortunately our dog warden's services are now stretched so thin that they are practically useless (in the nicest possible way).

 

[Flicker]

Do they not see how much the dogs are at risk from getting run over! I have a similar situation, I walk my 3 dogs by putting them in the car and driving to various local footpaths and bridleways where I know we can have a good wander off lead. I have to get 2 ESS and 1 JRT from the garden gate to the back of the pick up, all 5 yards of it. I live in a small close and every one of the 8 houses, bar mine, have at least 1 cat. Dog chases cat, cat runs, not necessarily to the safety of its garden but maybe straight across the road, dog follows cat... I just wouldnt take the risk and cant see why anyone would. If they wont listen to you, sooner or later there will be an accident and chances are, it wont be your cat that gets hurt, it will be one of the dogs. Some folk just dont seem to have much sense. I can appreciate how annoying it is for you but I honestly feel the dogs are more likely to end up getting hurt here, the cats will get the last laugh, sadly

Oh, absolutely! There's a football club near us and the lads often park on our street. Nice lads, but they don't exactly drive sensibly. I dread the day that the perfect storm of loose retriever and exuberant teenage male driver arrives