EGLU HEAT PROBLEMS

[Chicken deficient]

We've got new neighbours renting the house next door.

They've done a few things that have made me uneasy about them, but I'm particularly upset about what happened this morning.

Their 6 month old puppy came running up to me when I was out with the chickens. She was on her own and must have been out by the busy A road. I caught her and went looking for her owners, but they were out.

When he finally turned up, I explained what had happened, but he said he knew she was loose - that she had run out that morning when he had gone to take his son to school.

I was really shocked - I couldn't believe that he would have just left her out alone. Worse still - he had obviously been shopping too!

I am at a loss as to what I can do?

Edited December 2, 2010 by Guest

[Rhapsody]

call the dog warden

[Chicken deficient]

I don't think the dog warden could really get involved as the dog is no longer straying. It's their attitude towards their dog that concerns me and I don't think anything will change that.

[Rhapsody]

If a dog is at large on its own the dog warden has a duty to act. If it isnt then as the current law stands it is within the law as long as it has food water shelter. Dont get me started!

[Guest]

did he seem at all concerned that he'd left the dog running around loose? i think you can tell a lot by a person's responses so it's difficult for me to comment without having seen or heard him.

 

If he were my neighbour and this happened more than once, or he seemed completely unconcerned, I'd be tempted to speak to the dog warden.

[Chicken deficient]

No, he didn't show any signs of being concerned at all.

The puppy has an illegally docked tail too.

[WarrensWorld]

Do yourself a favour and move, now would be a good time. Living next door to a knuckle dragger just brings you down. We had 6 months of living next door to Rottweiler man and his dirty mouth girlfriend.......

[C&T]

Just to provide an alternative view. You COULD argue that getting his child to school was more important than running around trying to find a loose dog, if he didn't know where the dog was or how long it was likely to take to recapture... Not sure that justifies the shopping as well though! And letting the dog get loose in the first place is not exactly clever...

 

I know you said there were other factors as well, and we obviously don't know the full story. Only you know the situation. Would say though that having lived next door to someone with "different priorities", I would suggest only getting involved if you really believe that there is something fundamentally wrong, and not "just" that you have a different outlook on life. Our neighbours (whether we like it or not) really affect our own quality of lives, and if you are "at war" it makes life miserable.

 

Of course, if there is something fundamentally wrong, then the authorities should be informed.

[Chucky Mama]

It may be a one off but if you have other concerns about this person your concern is probably justified If you find that it happens regularly you could contact the dog warden. If they pick the dog up when it strays the owners will have to pay to get the dog back which usually makes them sit up and take notice. I doubt there is much point discussing anything with the neighbours though, it will probably end badly.

[Pipichick]

If they are renting, I would make the letting agent my first point of contact. Firstly to confirm they are aware there is a pet in the house and secondly to complain about the tenant's lack of consideration for the puppy and yourself. Letting agents tend to take complains very seriously and it would be unlikely that the agreement would be renewed. Good luck

[goodinparts]

We used to have an escapist Jack Russell, who would take himself off for a run round the neighbourhood at the drop of a hat if he smelled an alluring lady anywhere in the vicinity...I got very fraught about it, but there seemed to be very little way of preventing him short of keeping him tied up (he used the cat flap and then used to climb the hedge, in the same distressing way that foxes have)

People were always bringing him back to us, as after the first hour or so of scouring the neighbourhood I had to do other stuff...it was miserable and I always felt like the Worst Dog Owner Ever (he had been neutered in a desperate attempt to curb his urges... )...In the end we had to rehome him, and he became a working terrier with 3 other JR friends to keep him under control.

But those months were so embarrassing that I'll never forget them. He was a sweet dog, whom we all loved...and who seemed to love us too - but when he wanted to wander nothing would stop him.

Just wondering if there's any chance there might be similar issues for your neighbour....

[Chicken deficient]

If they are renting, I would make the letting agent my first point of contact. Firstly to confirm they are aware there is a pet in the house and secondly to complain about the tenant's lack of consideration for the puppy and yourself. Letting agents tend to take complains very seriously and it would be unlikely that the agreement would be renewed. Good luck

 

I know the man who owns the house. One woman signed the lease - they thought that was who was living their, alone, not actually four of them, a cat, a puppy and a children's daycare business. I think he still doesn't know about the animals or the daycare.

I have seriously thought about ringing him about them - on one hand I think he has a right to know what is going on in his house, but on the other, I don't want to get involved and I have concerns about what the neighbour might do if he found out. Also, I don't think this would make life any better for the puppy unfortunately, which is my main concern.

 

I feel a bit calmer about it all today - I was just shocked that he thought it acceptable to risk his dog's life by leaving it out like that. She is a friendly little thing - she even comes to me if I call her, so I doubt she ran off, so much as wandered off unnoticed.

[Chicken deficient]

...and of course thank you all for your replies. It really helps to see other peoples' perspectives and to get some words of wisdom x

[Chicken shack]

The landlord has a responsability to neighbours and if tenents become a nusence they are obliged to resolve the problen and/or evict them. This may take some time as notice has to be given first, if they don't leave when the notice is up an eviction notice is given through the courts and if they still don't go the balifs are called. This can take 6 months. You must make a log of all the incidents that occure and stand up for your rights.

[Cranfield Kate]

I'm a landlord and if one of my tenants was NOT the one woman I had signed up but was actually a houseful of people, pets and a childcare business, I would want to know, and I wouldn't tell the tenants how I found out either.

 

just thought i'd mention that in case you were umming and ahhing about telling him. i'd be pleased if you told me.

[Guest]

if the puppy is your main concern then you either want them to look after it properly, which sounds unlikely to happen, or for the dog to be taken from them, in which case you'll have to involve someone like the dog warden or the RSPCA.

 

If they carry on letting the dog run around then I think I'd have to say something to them and then, depending on how they react and what they say, decide from there.

[Patricia W]

Like Kate, I'm a landlord too, and I would definitely want to know if the people living in my house weren't the ones I thought they were. I think you should let him know. From what you say, it may be better for the puppy to be re-homed.

 

I hope you sort it anyway. Good neighbours are so important.

[Chicken deficient]

Update - they've moved out!

I'm very pleased, but can't help wondering how the dog will be...

[Couperwife]

good grief - that was quick

[Patricia W]

Wonder what state the house is in?

[Chicken deficient]

good grief - that was quick

 

coincidence - nothing to do with me I assure you!

[Paola]

My best friend when I grew up lived in the flat above and had a very large Airedale terrier. Her Mum would walk the dog on Clapham Common opposite to where we lived. He was entire and would be off at the first hint of a nice smell. He also had very selective hearing and would run away from you if you approached him to put him on the lead and he was not ready to go home. On more then one occasion she had to leave him on the common to take the kids to school (she was a single parent) and go to work. She would then go back to the common at lunch time to see if she could catch him!!