People! Grrrr!

[MPP]

OK, so I have the requisite neighbors who have a dog, though nobody knows why. She's a lovely dog, part sighthound and part something black-&-white-&-tan-and-skinny. Let's call her Rocket.

Over the years, I've found Rocket wandering the neighborhood at least 40 times. That is NOT an exaggeration. I've returned her, other neighbors have returned her, rinse and repeat. For a while, she got out almost every day. Nobody wanted to call Animal Control because we worried that she would go unclaimed. And it was a high-kill shelter.

So today, she was out again. I didn't have time to walk her down; I had to get my own dogs to the vet for shots. Pulled into her driveway and told the guy she was out again, just a few houses away. "Oh," he says vaguely. "I'll tell somebody to get her."

WTH? It's too much work to walk three houses down to get your dog? Ah, well, I had to go.

Went past again three hours later. Guess who was out on the front lawn with their other dog? Dog have no collars, no tags, nobody is keeping an eye on them---GRRRRRR! Truthfully, if I didn't live on the same street, I would just take the dog and keep her. Who would notice? Or care?

 

[LilahRoot]

Truthfully, if I didn't live on the same street, I would just take the dog and keep her. Who would notice? Or care?

I probably would anyway. No tags? No proof of ownership? Suck it! :lol-sign:

That really stinks though. I COMPLETELY understand your frustration. I have had some gems of neighbors.

 

[Taqroy]

Ugh. Poor Rocket. I've called Animal Control on my neighbors TWICE - in the last week. Their dog is out all the time with no collar, no tags, no leash. Sometimes he's left out with their toddler. The poor boy is a pit mix of some kind and likes to RUN at me when I am outside with my dogs, then stop, bark, run away, rinse and repeat. It's been going on for over a month and I finally got fed up with it. I feel so bad for him but he's either going to get run over by a car or stolen or get in a fight and get put down for looking like a pit. I completely understand your frustration.

Maybe next time you find her you can just keep her for a little bit? See if anyone even comes looking for her? I don't know how legal that is but I'd be tempted to try it.

 

[Lilavati]

If they chose to make a fuss, you lose. She's their property, legally. I think at this point if I wanted her, I'd just say, "Look, I'll pay you fifty bucks for that dog. I've taken a liking to her."

 

[sassafras]

Just to play devil's advocate... people return the dog frequently without actually telling the guy they think this is a problem (unless they do and you didn't mention it), nobody calls AC, and he's been lucky so far in that the dog hasn't gotten injured or confiscated. So there's basically no education about or consequences for the dog running loose.

From his perspective, why on earth should he change his behavior? It might seem like common sense to a lot of us here, but lots of people don't see a problem with letting their dog run loose, and he can't read minds. Or maybe he's just a lazy jerk. Either way, other people are constantly cleaning up after him (and he may not even realize there is a mess to be cleaned up), so why should he?

 

[Domestika]

I agree with sassafras. Some people have very strange ideas about what is involved in animal care. Like my friend who routinely let his Pit Bull/German Shepherd puppy run willy nilly around the neighbourhood. When it got picked up by the SPCA and he had to go claim her his response was "Ahh, it's a right of passage every puppy goes through a few times." Uh...WHAT?

In your situation, though, I'd be inclined to wait until the dog is off the owner's property (doesn't sound like that'll take long...) and take the dog in. Find someone in another neighbourhood who can take the dog for a few days and see if you can find a rescue who will take the random "stray" you found. Preferably in another town. Might require some planning beforehand...but it sounds like just a matter of time before it happens again. I'd hate to see that dog finally hit or killed on the road. Also just a matter of time.

 

[MPP]

I HAVE told them (it's a shifting cast of characters) every single time that I returned the dog. So have the neighbors, some politely, some not. People who walk the dog three or four blocks home--and it's hot here--and get not even a thank you for it are less likely to bother the next time. Although they do, because she's such a NICE dog.

As far as offering money, I've done that. When my beautiful Josh died (lab/dobe mix. Best dog in the world.), I begged them to let me take Rocket. "Oh, we couldn't," they said. "We love her too much."

And they always have an excuse for why she's out. My absolute favorite was, "Oh, we have a 5 year old. He's always letting her out." What can you say to something that imbecilic? OK, he let her out once, little kids do these things. When it happens over and over--you people who have/had small children, what do you think?

My second favorite was, "We didn't know she was in the yard and we left the gate open." Yes, of course. Because people always leave their gate swinging in the breeze, right?

 

[JessLough]

I would just take her... snap a picture of her If he tries to say she is his dog (I doubt he would, though, from the sounds of it), play dumb. "Oh, really? I just found her running around... without a leash or tags. Do you have a picture of her, or a vet record, so I can be sure she is yours? I want to make sure she gets back to the right owner..." If he makes a fuss about it, you make a fuss about it. If he has no way to prove she is his dog, nobody will make you return her.

 

[Taqroy]

Would it be possible to call Animal Control and then you can go claim her? Or call AC and say "Oh I found this dog wandering the streets and if you can't find her owner I want to keep her." I'd be tempted to do it that way. Actually I'm tempted to come visit you and slap some sense into the neighbors. We should do a house swap and you can come slap mine.

Edited so that I make at least a little bit of sense.

 

[sassafras]

I HAVE told them (it's a shifting cast of characters) every single time that I returned the dog. So have the neighbors, some politely, some not.

Ah, he's just a lazy d-bag, then. I'd be frustrated, too.