Neighbours leave their dog loose and it shits in all our gardens. What can I do?

[iloveberries]

My thread title was going to be AIBU to kill neighbours dog?... I don't really want to kill it - just had as much as I can take of treading in dog shit every single week.

Next door but one neighbours have a dog they leave to roam free along the street. The dog freely shits in everyone's drive / garden. Many of us have young kids and several neighbours are elderly. Me And my DC have stood in dog shit in our own drive, it's been traipsed into the house. Little old lady who is their next door neighbour has real trouble bending and routinely finds shit in her garden. On top of this in the middle of our close is a play park which the dog goes and shits in as well.

Neighbours have had written complaints and letters from most of us but it continues.

I imagine the police won't want to know but what can we do? It's getting beyond a joke. I wanted to gather up each dog shit their mutt left and deposit it back on their doorstep but DP thinks this is "immature" and makes me just as bad as them.

Personally I'd like to poison the dog but I guess then I'd end up with some huge fine

[MrsCampbellBlack]

I would contact your local dog warden - they should be able to advise.

Horrible for you though.

[DerekSprechenZeDick]

Don't poison the dog, poison the owners

I'd pick the shit up and place in their garden every time. Sling it at a window now and again to get their attention

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Not sure if these numbers are up to date or not

Our local warden was helpful when I complained about a neighbour who was repeatedly letting his dog foul in my garden/drive.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

I'd pick it up and follow the dog home with it...placing it on their doorsteps just where they might find it with their feet

[DerekSprechenZeDick]

Ton set it on fire. Natural response is to stamp on it to put it out

Just saying

[RuralLibran]

Dogs cant be allowed to roam, ring the dog warden/ local council.

[Soubriquet]

Dog warden without a doubt

[iloveberries]

Thanks for the phone numbers. I will try the dog warden.

Of course I know it isn't the dogs fault.

[george1020]

Pick up the poo and put it on the dog owners doorstep if the owners are not at home otherwise,
Everytime the dog is loose whichever of your neighbours see it go and knock on dog owners door and ask them to get their dog, it's loose and shitting everywhere, then walk them to wherever the dog has taken a shit and ask them to pick it up, if you want you could even provide them carrier bags to stop any excuses.

It's really not the dogs fault.

[iloveberries]

We've tried telling them and walking them and they say they'll get a bag and come back and then don't.

Other neighbour's have put it back in their driveway.

This has been going on for nearly a year 😞

I do know it isn't the dogs fault

[manyathingyouknow]

To kind of quote a MN favourite:

You don't have a dog problem, you have an owner problem

[Nocabbageinmyeye]

Your dh is being unreasonable, pick it up and hang it on their door handle.

We have this where I live too and it drives me insane!!! Only we have a few people who do it and one dirty bitch who walks along with the dog to make sure it shits and walks away leaving it there, dh called her back last time he saw her and told her yo pick it up, I have taken to standing there watching her but if I see her do it again it's going on her door too

[Laiste]

Just coming on to say your local councils dog warden should help.

I emailed ours a few months ago about a boisterous dog which kept getting out of it's garden AND was being let off the lead on walks behind the houses on the fields to bloody charge up the sides of houses and into gardens barking at people and worrying other pets.

Dog warden went round to their house a day later and told them to keep it under control and that they had to power to take further action if they didn't comply. I was well impressed Never seen the dog loose since.

[SissySpacekAteMyHamster]

Ring the dog warden. They aren't responsible owners, dog shit aside, that dog could get killed on the road.

[EttaJ]

How does it get in? Why don't you have fences/walls?!

[AlmaMartyr]

Local council/dog warden. Ours are great for this sort of thing.

[Laiste]

Oh and just to add i gave my name and address when i contacted the warden, but asked for them not to tell the dog owner it was me who'd complained if they asked.

Given the fact that the dog had pissed off about 7 households i don't think the owner would ever have worked out who'd complained. I guess it would be the same for you OP.

[GrumpusLumpus]

If the dog is on your property you could always bring it in as a "lost" dog. The owners will need to pay a fee to get it back. It might well prompt them to sort it out.

[roseteapot101]

ring the dog warden say theres a dog running free with no owner in sight they will collect it.Thats what happened where i used to live.If they owner keeps having to collect the dog off them maybe they will stop letting him loose

[LurkingHusband]

Pick up the poo and put it on the dog owners doorstep if the owners are not at home otherwise,

Assuming the OP can. They may not physically be able to (as their neighbour). And anyway, why should they have to do anything at all ?

How does it get in? Why don't you have fences/walls?!

Not all houses have fences, hedges or walls to the pavement. Ours doesn't.

[hmcAsWas]

I would make damn sure I wasn't seen doing this as it probably transgresses the law, but I would post some of it back through their letter box (in a bag, I'm not that awful). That would focus their minds

[iloveberries]

Our driveway is open as are all the drives on our culdesac and we don't have side gates so the dog can do into the back gardens.

not sure that that is really the point anyway!

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

How irresponsible. I hate people thinking they can have a lovely cuddly dog but forget that dogs need actual looking after, including picking their shit up so other people don't have to deal with it.

[ClopySow]

Get a neighbourhood shit shovel. Pick up the shit and place it on their doorstep every time. Don't bag it.