Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neighbour's dog walker isn't walking the dogs [shock]

60 replies

BigRedBall · 29/04/2014 21:29

There's a dog walker who comes and takes next door's dogs every morning.

When I drive around the corner to take dd to school he's parked on the road having a snooze with the dogs in the back of the van! I've caught him doing it loads of times.

The other day I realised he also takes dogs from another house up the road. This time I walked past him putting dogs in the van. Then I walked back from taking DS to nursery and he's parked around the corner again just sitting reading the newspaper. I gave him evils and he looked a bit sheepish. I could hear the dogs barking in the back.

Should I spy on him a bit more before telling the neighbours?

OP posts:
MamaMary · 29/04/2014 21:31

Why would you need to spy a bit more?

Just tell them.

Shock
Ohnonotagen · 29/04/2014 21:31

how well do you know the neighbours, if reasonably well i'd just tell them what you saw and leave it up to them if they want to spy further

Realitybitesyourbum · 29/04/2014 21:32

Tell them! And tell us what they say!

littlewhitebag · 29/04/2014 21:33

Just tell your neighbours. They may have noticed that their dogs don't seem very tired even though they have been 'walked'. He sounds like a bit of a chancer.

ArcheryAddict · 29/04/2014 21:33

Take a picture of him on the sly and show them. They need to know, I don't own any pets but I know that I would be fuming if someone put my dogs in the back of a van.

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 29/04/2014 21:33

I would spy a bit more and then tell

BigRedBall · 29/04/2014 21:34

I don't know them that well and their house was repossessed a few weeks ago. I don't want to cause them more bad feeling.

OP posts:
PotPourri · 29/04/2014 21:38

I would just mention it to the neighbour and leave it to them to sort it out

subtleplansarehereagain · 29/04/2014 21:38

Dog walkers are expensive! I was pissed off that mine just sat in the garden with him. (I was ill so lurking upstairs). Mention it if you can.

Topseyt · 29/04/2014 21:44

Yes, tell your neighbour. She is parting with good money for a service which her dog is not getting.

It isn't that he puts the dog into a van, it is that he isn't delivering the promised walk that is the problem. He just wants to make easy money with the minimum of effort, and it is deception really.

trashcanjunkie · 29/04/2014 21:45

I am a professional dog walker. Please tell them, it it so unfair on the dogs. I'm seething to read this, I cannot bear it when cowboys take advantage of people like this.

TequilaMockingbirdy · 29/04/2014 21:46

I'd tell them. The poor dogs :(

BigRedBall · 29/04/2014 21:58

I don't want to seem like a busy body, but I will talk to them.

OP posts:
coffeeinbed · 29/04/2014 22:06

I would want to know if my dog is walked or not.

Mutt · 29/04/2014 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aurynne · 29/04/2014 22:11

I would DEFINITELY want to know! Those are good owners who care about their dogs getting exercise every day, and they and the poor dogs are getting shafted! Please, please do tell them! I would be very tempted to take a photo of the dog no-walker and post it all around the neighbourhood.

giraffesCantBoogie · 29/04/2014 22:15

tell them for sure

StandsOnGoldenSands · 29/04/2014 22:15

Poor sad dogs.
Maybe you could put a note through their doors, if you don't want to talk to them directly?

Theodorous · 29/04/2014 22:24

I would tell because if he doesn't care enough to do this he may not be a very nice person. My dogs can be quite irritating to other people and I would be concerned iltgat if he is dishonest and horrible he could be also abusive.

HansieLove · 29/04/2014 22:31

This makes me really angry! People are trying to do right by their dogs and the dogs are not getting walked.

Did you ell the two neighbors?

MollyGuacaholly · 29/04/2014 22:35

Yesyes to the tell them! They care about their dogs otherwise they wouldn't pay (dearly!) for dogwalkers. Is really terrible if someone takes advantage like that, poor dogs.

ColdTeaAgain · 29/04/2014 22:36

I don't think you will come across as a busy body OP. Just tell them you've noticed what he's been doing and you wanted to let them know as he ripping them off. I would be really grateful if someone informed me I was being swindled!

Also, this van he sits in, does it have his name on it? Because you say it seems he is doing this to more than one customer. People are paying him for a service which he is not providing - Trading Standards?

BerniesBurneze · 29/04/2014 22:38

Oh god tell them! Near me it costs £10 a dog a walk Shock

KeatsiePie · 29/04/2014 22:39

My goodness, please please tell them!! Please don't wait.

I used to have dog walkers when I worked all hours. I am crazy about my dog and I really counted on them. First company was terrible and it was hard on her and made me furious. The second woman I hired was a godsend and it was so much easier for me to do my job knowing my dog was getting some exercise and love while I couldn't be there. It's a big deal. Imo. people who hire dog walkers really want the best for their dogs not everyone who works long hours does it so they should definitely be informed. I would be so grateful if you were my neighbor and told me.

Also, locking a bunch of dogs into the back of the van and then leaving them is just incredibly stupid. They may get stressed and frightened enough to get into a fight in there, which would be disastrous for all of them in a small space like that. What a stupid jerk that man is.

KeatsiePie · 29/04/2014 22:41

I said "leaving them" but I realize the man is in the front seat. I meant leaving the dogs in the back in the dark though. Totally, totally cruel and unacceptable.