Dogs will be dogs, BUT owners will be expletive, expletive, expletive and probably a few more expletives. Our neighbour a few doors down is unfortunately one of these frustrating dog owners. We live in a townhouse complex which means we share some common outdoor space with all of our neighbours and we also have a small, private backyard. The neighbour in question lets her dog out the backdoor of her home to run free throughout the townhouse complex. This has been happening for quite a while, and although it irritates me to find her dog alone in my backyard or to go out my front door to find the dog on my front stoop I have done my best to keep my patience and ignore the situation. After all, the dog is just being a dog.
A week or so ago I reached the end of my leash. After being outside to play in the backyard I discovered very questionable "dirt" on the girls' snowsuits. YUCK! I obviously washed everything - coats, snowpants, mittens and hits all in the laundry. And, sure enough dog poop in our backyard! I'm sure you all know how disgusting the spring melt can be when it includes piles of dog mess, and it is extra frustrating because it isn't even from our pet!
In frustration I decided to contact the property manager who contacted the owner to remind her that pets must be limited to owner's private yards or accompanied by owners and leashed in the common shared areas. Now weeks later, after more complaints and more phone calls from the property manager the dog is still running loose. My frustration is becoming anger as I'm imagining the weather improving and not being able to play with the girls in the yard because there are doggy-landmines everywhere!
I will admit I'm not a dog person. I don't intend on ever having a pet dog, but I don't dislike dogs. I get that they can be great companions and that many people have a special bond with their dogs. All that said, why does this dog owner insist on imposing her pet on us? Please pet owners, explain this to me! Help me to sympathize with this woman because right not I'm imagining myself scooping all the poop and piling it high at her front door!
Poop aside, the dog seems nice enough but what happens when she lets her dog out and my girls unknowingly do something that unnerves the dog. Now I have images of teeth-barred, barking, dog bites... Please dog owners, help me to understand.
Sadie, I totally relate! Everywhere I’ve lived there has always been an inconsiderate neighbor with a dog they let run loose. Everyone always says, “Just talk to them like mature adults,” but in my experience, it never does any good. They just don’t get it!
ReplyDeleteA few ideas you might try:
*If the townhomes in your neighborhood are privately owned, there will be a board of directors that meets monthly. Go to a meeting and let the board know that the property manager isn’t doing his/her job.
*If the community is wholly owned by a company, go to them.
*If your town has animal control, call the dogcatcher every time you see the dog out.
*My nephew once had a neighbor like that; so he picked up after the dog and dumped the collection on his neighbor’s front porch during the night. After a while, the neighbor quit letting his dog run loose. Be careful if you take an aggressive course like this, though; ironically enough, it’s probably against the law for you to “return to sender” this way.
Good luck in dealing with this!
Thanks! I actually did contact the city bylaw department and I've been emailing the property manager obnoxiously. Haven't seen the dog in a few days, but the mess is still every where! Yuck!
ReplyDelete