What can I do about loose dogs / oblivious owners?

[Milocalwinnings]

I rent a house in a complex that consists of around 50 houses. There is one road that loops through the middle of the complex and the houses are all along either side of that road, in a square formation.

I walk my dog 4-5 times a day on this road. It’s the only road safe enough to walk him on unless I want to drive somewhere.

There is a house that has two dogs- one big yellow lab and one mid sized black and white mutt. On several occasions I’ve been out walking and have had one or both of the dogs run out to me and my dog. They’ve followed us down the road, trying to get their turn at sniffing his rear end or “man area” (for lack fo a better word). Bo is generally friendly with other dogs but he isn’t happy about being bombarded. I do my best to shoo them off. I’ve almost hit the black dog with my truck on one occasion, as she ran out infront of me while I was entering the complex. I’ve seen the owners out once, packing the car up and they’ve tried to call the dogs off but the dogs continued to follow us and they just went on with their packing. Normally I try and ignore the dogs, but I’ve brought them back to their house a few times. Owners don’t care. I’ve brought them back twice in a 24 hour period this weekend so far.

I’m going to file a complaint with my landlord on Monday. But other than that, is there anything illegal about me picking them up next time I see them and dropping them off at animal control?
Dogs get loose accidentally, I get that. This is just a case of the owners not caring.

[LauraKY]

Call animal control for advice. First you need to know what the loose dog and nuisance dog law is.

[fish]

[QUOTE=LauraKY;6584100]
Call animal control for advice. First you need to know what the loose dog and nuisance dog law is.[/QUOTE]

Yes. I had a problem with the neighbor’s poultry eating my pasture-- both the grass and the newly drilled seed. They also were a chore to drive through going in and out of the farm on my driveway. When I called animal control, they told me to write my neighbors asking that they remedy the problem-- and keep copies-- before they sent out an officer. They also advised that I take photos just in case we ended up in court. Whatever the law is, it’s a good idea to have solid evidence that they’ve broken it and you’ve tried to remedy the situation before appealing to government.

[JanM]

I agree, ask animal control what they recommend, and it might make a difference if the street is a public street or belongs to the complex instead of the city. Definitely complain to the management company, and there might be other implications for the owners, if their animals are allowed or not. It’s good you’re doing something before an animal gets squashed. I have never been able to understand why people who are neglectful owners have animals anyway.

[fish]

[QUOTE=JanM;6584776]
I agree, ask animal control what they recommend, and it might make a difference if the street is a public street or belongs to the complex instead of the city. Definitely complain to the management company, and there might be other implications for the owners, if their animals are allowed or not. It’s good you’re doing something before an animal gets squashed. I have never been able to understand why people who are neglectful owners have animals anyway.[/QUOTE]

I agree that this conduct is dangerously irresponsible in this era, but fondly remember times and places where children and animals freely and safely played together in the streets and parks. Perhaps these people grew up that way-- as my daughters and I did. I’m really glad I have a farm, because it would be hard for me or my animals to adjust to leashes and plastic baggies.

[jetsmom]

Personally, If they were loose off the property, I would treat tham as any other stray and drop them off at AC. Maybe when the owners have to pay fines to get the dogs back, they will start keeping them contained.

If you want to be nice, you can send an anonymous note to the neighbors, telling them that their loose dogs are causing problems, and that if they are found loose again they will be taken to animal control where they will be fined.

[BeeHoney]

Jetsmom has it right, just quietly start dropping them off at AC, as you would any other stray. I wouldn’t bother with the anonymous note. OP has already returned the dogs twice in 24 hrs and the owners aren’t getting the hint.

[Anne_FS]

Pepper spray.

I’m not a believer in calling AC. Too many problems with them, since 1) too many AC people are anti-animal control freaks, 2) animal owners should not be calling AC’s attention to themselves in case your AC folks are like the ones in #1, and 3) you may alienate your neighbors who will retaliate by sic-ing AC on you like you wouldn’t believe. (Your dog is off leash while it walks from your house to your car? Violation!).

Carry pepper spray and squirt the dogs (practice in your own backyard first so you realize just how your canister works - how far, how fast, how to aim, backblow from the breeze). You can just squirt the chasing dogs and be done with it, or you can call out to the owners, “Please call off your dogs or I will pepper spray them.” Then it’s up to you if you spray them or call out to the owners that you are carrying spray and next time you will use it. And keep moving! Do NOT stop to “discuss” it with these people. One squirt and you’re on your way.

[Anne_FS]

Are you saying they followed you home from your walk and you took them back twice? Or they’re roaming around your property twice?

[LauraKY]

A/C in my county is awesome. They will come pick up, just need to see the dog(s) off property. We had an incident a month or so ago, with a couple of bulldogs, that had been loose before. They had chased my horses and attacked my neighbor’s cattle previously.

To make a long story short (involving other neighbors and guns), A/C came out for the 2nd time that day, they were off property. He took them in. Big fine (bitch was in heat which turns out is a big no no in Kentucky). Big, big fine.

They haven’t been loose since. Owner isn’t talking to me, but that’s fine, keep your dogs up.

[bits619]

I wouldn’t hesitate to call animal control on the dogs, or if they followed me home to load them up and go for a ride to the pound, especially if it was a recurring problem. We had a similar issue with a labrador in our old neighborhood. The college kids would just let the dog hang out in their postage stamp front yard, and guess what- the dog would run across the neighborhood street to follow us, sniff butts and posture. Thankfully our dogs were pretty good about it, but we never let them stop and stare. Ours had to continue on the walk. Usually the owner would come running up and grab the dog, or it would get bored after a few driveways and go home.
I guess it’s because I know our AC officers but I would definitely prefer to get them involved and early on. The fines are there for a reason and I think a sense of responsibility may have to be paid for (via fines) by some owners before they can buy a clue. That and it opens up the possibility that the dog will be adopted or rescued from animal control, and given another chance at a safer existence. Just how i see it, after getting to know our officers beyond the “evil dog catcher” mis-label.

[wendy]

have you actually had a chat with the owners? present it as you’re worried about their dogs getting hit by cars, rather than you being irritated by their dogs. They might just be clueless idiots who need a wake-up call. Even if they don’t care about the dogs, someone hitting a large dog could suffer considerable damage to their car, or someone swerving to avoid hitting a dog could crash, and thus the owners could be open to legal liabilities for damages to property and people.

you need to find out what the legalities are- if your “complex” is private property, it’s possible the local “dogs at large” and “leash laws” don’t actually apply within the complex, so calling AC will be a waste of time. Complaining to the landlord is probably your best solution- consult your own lease, it probably lays out the “dog rules” for your complex that tenants are required to follow.

It is, of course, always a socially responsible course of action to rescue a stray dog from being hit by cars by picking it up and taking it to a shelter.

[GraceLikeRain]

@Anne FS;6585778

Pepper spray.

While I agree that pepper spray makes sense for an aggressive loose dog when you don’t have animal control, I don’t think it should be the OPs first choice. It sounds like the dogs are friendly but a nuisance. It seems like a shame to cause physical discomfort to two otherwise sweet dogs because their owner is irresponsible.

I’d rather let them spend a night at AC. Either the owner will shape up and keep them contained or they can be rehomed into a situation with a more responsible owner.

[vacation1]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;6587080]
While I agree that pepper spray makes sense for an aggressive loose dog when you don’t have animal control, I don’t think it should be the OPs first choice. It sounds like the dogs are friendly but a nuisance. It seems like a shame to cause physical discomfort to two otherwise sweet dogs because their owner is irresponsible.[/QUOTE]

You can use dog spray to warn off an approaching dog, which is the only way I’ve ever used it. You spray out, low, into the air between you and the oncoming canine, and the oncoming canine runs into the recently sprayed area and rethinks the whole ‘let’s charge over to that dog and be obnoxious’ plan. I agree it’s still not the perfect plan, especially for a neighbor, but if you run out of polite/civilized reactions and the dogs are still coming over, it’s better than having your dogs endlessly stressed and harrassed.

[Houdini1220]

This is a major problem in my neighborhood. Seems to be the norm to just let dogs run loose. I have had one sweet one show up on my property a few time…it was annoying as my girls were still young and not fully leash trained, so I would get dragged around a bit until I could control them. We have to walk our girls to and from the dog area on our property.

The other dog that kept showing up was NOT friendly and attacked both my girls on two separate occasions. We called animal control. They came out a few hours later and basically said that unless they see the dog loose there is nothing they can do. We had them give our neighbor a paper outlining the dog laws for our area so that he could not claim ignorance. Basically we were told if it happens again we need to file a report and document as much as possible ourselves, and that court was really the only place it would be settled. For a while we never went out without a camera. We also started putting up fence…and more fence…and more fence…cost a fortune but I do not trust this man to control his dog and although it is his issue it isn’t worth having my dogs hurt to prove a point.

We also informed the other neighbor that we were calling animal control. Out of courtesy we did not want his dog getting picked up because he is a sweet dog and one neighbor hating us is more than enough. After that…and all the added fencing…I have noticed his dog is not over by us much at all anymore…maybe he took the hint.

At some point we are considering putting up security cameras as well. I could get mad over it…but unfortunately we are new to the area and the man who lived here before us allowed these dogs to run loose all over his property. So we end up looking like the bad guys.

[Anne_FS]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;6587080]
While I agree that pepper spray makes sense for an aggressive loose dog when you don’t have animal control, I don’t think it should be the OPs first choice. It sounds like the dogs are friendly but a nuisance. It seems like a shame to cause physical discomfort to two otherwise sweet dogs because their owner is irresponsible.

I’d rather let them spend a night at AC. Either the owner will shape up and keep them contained or they can be rehomed into a situation with a more responsible owner.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you. Not first choice, but I thought from the posts that she is now beyond first choice options. As to physical discomfort, the dogs are going to be a lot more uncomfortable (and confused & worried) in a noisy dog pound overnight wondering what the heck happened to them. Agree though that might be the wake-up call the owners need. Caveats for me are that the poor dogs might be more upset by being locked up in the pound, the owners might choose not to pay the fine and just dump the dogs, or there may be a disaster in the dogs being euthanized too quickly (it happens).

[Anne_FS]

[QUOTE=vacation1;6589743]
You can use dog spray to warn off an approaching dog, which is the only way I’ve ever used it. You spray out, low, into the air between you and the oncoming canine, and the oncoming canine runs into the recently sprayed area and rethinks the whole ‘let’s charge over to that dog and be obnoxious’ plan. I agree it’s still not the perfect plan, especially for a neighbor, but if you run out of polite/civilized reactions and the dogs are still coming over, it’s better than having your dogs endlessly stressed and harrassed.[/QUOTE]

Good point. Yes, this is how I’d use the spray. Definitely wouldn’t aim for the eyes or anything.

[Canaqua]

I would start with talking to the owners, before you call AC. You don’t want to damage a neighbor relationship by going to the authorities before you try to work it out with them. I’d take Wendy’s approach of couching it in terms of being concerned for their dogs (might get hit by car, might get lost following other dogs…). If they get defensive, tell you to MYOB or say they’ll take care of it, but don’t follow through, THEN you can talk to AC. I would certainly talk to AC rather than just taking the dogs anywhere yourself, you don’t want to be accused of theft.

My neighbor’s Pit is often loose and will follow me when I’m taking one or our dogs for a walk, if I feel like walking a second dog, I get a leash for him and walk him too. If Ihe alw can’t walk him (already have two of my dogs or am in a hurry), I stop and bring him home and put him in their house (door is always unlocked). I can’t let him just follow me as, well, he is a Pit. He’s sweet, but if anything ever happened he’d be the one blamed and, with him following me, I’d probably be blamed as well. I cut the owner slack because he’s not particularly well…he could be more responsible, but he’s an otherwise good neighbor and not healthy enough to take his own dog for a walk. If I walk his dog unasked or put his dog back in the house, ays thanks me, at least.

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=Houdini1220;6589855]
This is a major problem in my neighborhood. Seems to be the norm to just let dogs run loose. I have had one sweet one show up on my property a few time…it was annoying as my girls were still young and not fully leash trained, so I would get dragged around a bit until I could control them. We have to walk our girls to and from the dog area on our property.

The other dog that kept showing up was NOT friendly and attacked both my girls on two separate occasions. We called animal control. They came out a few hours later and basically said that unless they see the dog loose there is nothing they can do. We had them give our neighbor a paper outlining the dog laws for our area so that he could not claim ignorance. Basically we were told if it happens again we need to file a report and document as much as possible ourselves, and that court was really the only place it would be settled. For a while we never went out without a camera. We also started putting up fence…and more fence…and more fence…cost a fortune but I do not trust this man to control his dog and although it is his issue it isn’t worth having my dogs hurt to prove a point.

We also informed the other neighbor that we were calling animal control. Out of courtesy we did not want his dog getting picked up because he is a sweet dog and one neighbor hating us is more than enough. After that…and all the added fencing…I have noticed his dog is not over by us much at all anymore…maybe he took the hint.

At some point we are considering putting up security cameras as well. I could get mad over it…but unfortunately we are new to the area and the man who lived here before us allowed these dogs to run loose all over his property. So we end up looking like the bad guys.[/QUOTE]

Hot wire on the outside of the fence is a wonderful thing. It keeps out rabbits, coyotes and wandering dogs.