Advice re complaints on dog - untrue

[ormeau1]

Help!!
Im really worried at the moment. I have a dog who when I open the front door bolts out, if I;m not careful.I normally keep him in the kitchen when the front door is opened to prevent this. However his 'escaping' isn't a frequent occassion and has happned 4 times in 6 weeks.Usually with me chasing after him.
I have moved to this area a year ago and the neighbours are all quite close and ignore me. However their dogs one in particular is always out and in one occassion ran into my house.
To cut a long story short I have been accused of letting my dog foul all over the street - he doesn't; no 1 he's not out enough and no2 I clean the garden after him everyday and believe me he uses it!
This morning before work my dog slipped out by me and I was chasing him in my night gown when one woman roared or should I say bellowed she lets that dog out every morning to s**t oll over here. I was mortified and so cross and told her he is never out without me unless he slips out and she said oh we all know about you, I've lived here 17 yrs and the streets never been so dirty. We've all complained about your dog. May I note that am mixed race and dark skinned. This is significant because when I told her that her massive dog had been through my house she told me her dog has a right to be here , more right than you do.
Secondly my mum is white and on coming home from the hospital after a stroke she was called a black bastard!! My little niece who is a quarter black is constantly yelled at by this woman and her other friends in the row about the dog poo. She came home one day asking what a wog was, as she had been called this by another neighbour.
I can swear on my life that my dog has not been out fouling all over the place, when he escapes i chase him, other dogs live in the street and are often out unattended yet they insist on blamimg mine.
These neighbours are all quite scary in that this morning when I tried to reason with her I thought she was going to hit me and manys a night they are out shouting and screaming drunkenly in the street.
What should I do I don't want to let her away with false accusations, I am terrified of leaving my mum alone when I go to work should she start and no one here speaks to me.
I can't move and part of me says why should I? that's what they want... but how can I make them leave us alone. I am no trouble and I think a good neighbour, I don;t socialise just go to work and back and care for mum. I feel bad enough being the only dark person in the area and this has just made me so paranoid and must admit scared. I know its only my dog they are talking about but they are lying and goodness knows what else they will say. Its deformation isnt it or is it?
If anyone can advise I would be very grateful.

[aluvss]

I think you should report this to the police, you also need to keep a diary of all incidents that take place, it seems as though these people are deliberately harassing you.

I can't think of much else but I'm sure someone else will come along with more advice. Hope it all works out for you.

[Threelittleducks]

Jeezo - this sound horrific!

Have you community police officers in the area? Can you phone the police and make a complaint about the racsim to them?
This is definitely abuse, and is something that you are harrassed by and should not have to live with- and if it's making you unsure of the safety/welfare of your mum when you are out, then I would be filing an official complaint against them.

Every drunken arguement they have in the street - report it.

Also, make sure you do pick up after your dog every time - not to satisy them - but because if it does come down to who did what, I believe there is technology available to detect which dog did what through dna in the poop. Which would prove that your dog is not the culprit!

I'm amazed at some folk's behaviour! How do some folk think it's ok to be so rude to others? Does my head in!!

[scurryfunge]

You need to report this as a racist incident....you neighbours sound dreadful. Do not accept it.

[thisisyesterday]

i would call the police and report anyh threats made to you or your family.
it's important things are logged, so that if this escalates they have a record of it

regarding the dog poo, i wouldn't worry. if anyone was investigating it, it would be easy enough to prove it wasn't your dog by taking a sample from your animal and a sample of the stuff in the street

your main concern really is the racist threats from, the neighbours. you must report it

[Curlylox]

I'm so sorry your going through all this. I would do what aluvss suggests and keep a diary of events and make a report to the police. Please don't let it make you feel like a prisoner in your own home. Keep us posted to how you're getting on.

[moragsoverhereplease]

Yes report this to the police, keep a diary of everything that happens every day. What your neighbour/s is/are doing is illegal. Don't stand for this harassment from them.

[ormeau1]

Thanks guys, I have reported this to the police on your advice and they were great. They are going to keep a log as I didn't want them to come out, but emphasised that I have every right to take this further.
I am so relieved as I was so stuck, I thought the police would automatically call out but they have been great and are working with me.
Even just to have a log of it is great.
I will keep you all posted but thanks so much for your advice xx :)

[Vallhala]

As has been said, keep a log and inform the Police. Also, ring your council and ask if they have a specific anti social behaviour department. If so, contact them for more advice and ask them to act.

And, please, for your poor dog's sake as well as your own, find some training classes, work on his behaviour or consult a behaviouralist about his escaping. Heaven forbid, anything could happen otherwise. He could be hurt or killed, hurt by a neighbour, cause an accident...

Try asking your local rescue for advice and a recommendation for trainers/behaviouralists and/or post on DogPages.

HTH

[QS]

Sounds like a nightmare.

1. The dogpoo - they cant prove it was your dog. They will either have to make a photograph of your dog crapping and prove you did not pick up after him, or film your dog in the act. Dont worry.
   

1. The police is hot on racial abuse, and came out pronto when my neighbour was calling me names. Keep logging it.
   

1. If your dog keeps bolting out, it might seem quite scary to other people, they might be scared of your dog thinking it really wild and untrained, especially parents of young children. I know you try and keep him in, but please try harder. 4 times in 6 weeks is quite frequent. Does your dog need training?

[ShinyAndNew]

The kennel club has a list of APDT registered trainers here. I have one coming this week to see my dog, who is also a bolter. Although he has only managed to get out once and it was dd2 who let him out, so I agree with Val, for the safety of your dog you need to be careful. 4 times is a lot.

Although your neighbours sound revolting. You definitely need to report it to the police again. Start keeping a diary of all the incidents with times/dates/names etc and phone the local station asap.