Why are people so stupid

[Buttholelane]

Seriously.

One of my neighbours has an old Labrador, it's in really good shape and obviously well cared for.

So imagine my surprise when I see it roaming around today, rootling around in people's gardens.
The houses are either side of a road which is very busy when the kids come out (this was at 2.30) and a mere few seconds away from a roundabout which leads to.... Yes, an extremely busy main road!

Naturally I assumed she must have escaped and the owners unaware, knowing they would be worried I of course went round to tell them their dog had escaped.

To be told that it's okay, she is allowed to go up the top of the road by herself!
This is a middle terrace house by the way, so they would have actually had to physically open the front door to let her out!

I was too shocked to say much.

If I hadn't stupidly gone round and identified myself, knowing now that they are deliberately letting her roam I would have dog Wardened them.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

How utterly irresponsible.

She could be run over or stolen. She could be approached and hurt by a strange child and bite someone. Anything could happen.

I hope you left these people in no doubt as to the length and breadth of their stupidity.

[ditavonteesed]

well I suppose if she has agreed to only go to the top of the road and there are consequencces in place if she breaks owners trust (removal of screen time, mobile phone type thing) then I supose its only fair to let her have a bit of freedom it does help them to grow independent.

Oh wait a minute you said labrador.

[Buttholelane]

Yep.

Regrettably I was so aback and shocked I turbed into a blithering fool and came out with 'oh. That's kind of dangerous'

Walked away feeling incensed with them, but also cross with myself for coming out with oh that's kind of dangerous,
Of all the intelligent things I could said and I come out with that.
Oh dear.

[Buttholelane]

• taken aback

[Bubble2bubble]

Well where I live that's seen as normal :(
When we first moved in I closed in a 'lost dog' most weekends until I found out they always belonged to one of the neighbours. Said neighbours were not necessarily grateful that I had kept their dog safe for them either ...
Our closest neighbour's dog came round every day to play with my dogs, uninvited.
A couple of weeks ago new two dogs turned up at my gate but ran away in fright and I spent an hour driving around looking for them until guess what, I found out they belonged to a house half a mile away.
Sigh. officially now known as the local dog loon

[Buttholelane]

I wonder if these people realise that it's actually illegal and that any dog, with tags, without an owner is by law classed as a stray and supposed to be taken to a pound where it can be pts after 7 days....

And that the dog warden and pound both fine you and charge the transport, and kennelling fee.

[fairgame]

She sounds like my neighbour who allows her little terrier out on the street unsupervised. Little terrier loves to chase and bark at moving vehicles. It's a dead end street so most residents drive down and do a 3 point turn before parking up so that their car is facing the right way iyswim. Trying to do a 3 point turn with the terrier running around your car is bloody awful.

[Buttholelane]

Incredible.
Just truly incredible.

[MehsMum]

If a dog causes a traffic accident, the dog owner is legally liable for damages. So even if the lab escapes injury, but causes a head-on collision with a two-car write-off and damages for injuries, its owners will be looking at a huge bill.

Are they the sort of people who would accept that sort of information and act accordingly?

[Buttholelane]

You know, they honestly look like perfectly nice, normal, sensible people.

I cannot overemphasise how shocked I was/am when they said they deliberately let it out.
That honestly was the last thing I was expecting to be told.

[MostAmused]

Yup, I've knocked on a door after passing a stray cocker on a country road, only to be told, "oh yes they've just had their dinner......I'll get them in now..."

I felt like an idiot. But to think I could have easily been doing 60 on that road and ran the dog over. Makes me feel sick.

[Bubble2bubble]

I have also picked up an elderly westie from the middle of the road and knocked at the nearest house to be told "I suppose she shouldn't really be out, she's blind and deaf " . But she was out, and had I been driving faster I would most probably have killed her and would have had to live with myself. Stupidity knows no bounds.

[TooOldForGlitter]

Boggles the mind doesn't it OP. My neighbours do this with their poodley x thing. Amazed it's still alive tbh.

[BabeRuthless]

I'm a member of a few lost and found groups and there was a post about a dog wandering the street a few weeks back. Turns out the owner regularly lets it do that as it always comes back! Cue lots of "ppl nd to stop judging!!!!" style posts after one member said she'd call the dog warden next time she saw it wandering unattended. I think the owner sees that as a substitute for a walk.

[myusernameisusername]

its a dog not a child "allowed to go to the top of the road" report them to RSPCA before that dog dies through no fault of its own

[merrymouse]

Do they think they have a large cat?