To say something about the neighbours dogs?

[Lolitabonita]

We've lived in our house for years, we have 2 cats and a small dog. Our dog has issues as he's been attacked before by other dogs so always has to be on a lead and HATES other dogs approaching him. Our two cats are elderly - one has heart problems.

6 months ago our neighbours moved into their rented house. They have 2 massive dogs which are never on a lead and they allow them to walk from the house to their garage over the side of the street loose.

When they first moved in, they allowed their two dogs to come and stick their heads inside my newborn's car seat as I put him on the floor to open the door. They looked at me like I was bonkers when I tried to show these two dogs away. My DD is scared of them but they still let their dogs approach her shouting "they won't bite!!" and get assy when I once told them that she doesn't like big dogs. They constantly allow their dogs to run up to my dog on a lead who basically shits himself and goes absolutely mental to the point of where I have to pick him up and walk away.

The final straw has come today when I let our cat with the heart problems out the front door and saw both dogs fly past chasing my cat all the way down the road. They have no recall as the neighbour was shouting them. As she ran past she said "they won't kill it". My cat went missing for hours and has only just returned which is unusual for him.

AIBU to approach them about this? What do I say?

Anyone? 🤔

They don't sound like they are taking you seriously. You can try asking them to keep their dogs on a lead but if they keep ignoring you I think you'll be forced into escalating matters which may create more tension with your neighbors.

If you want to take things further call the Dog Warden and see whether he/she is willing to have a chat with them.

Meanwhile try placing yourself between your dog/DD and the dogs, putting out one hand and firmly saying stop. It might work or it might not. Just to clarify this is appropriate advice if the dogs are exuberant not if they are aggressive - from what you describe they sound exuberant and annoying rather than dangerous (although of course they did scar your cat).

Do they know your cat has heart problems/dog has been attacked/child is scared? They should be more under control without those considerations, but they might be more thoughtful if they know

YANBU. I hate this type of dog owner with a passion. I think you do need to say something. I guess your options are telling them bluntly how completely inconsiderate they are and how their naive claims about what their badly behaved dog "won't do" only serve to demonstrate they have no understanding of the species! Or, tell them you understand they trust their lovely well behaved dogs completely but due to past experiences your dog and cats are very nervous around other dogs - even the very friendly ones - and you'd really appreciate it if they could keep their dogs on s lead outside your house.
Only you can say which is most likely to be effective.

I'd just talk them calmly if they are reasonable x

Idiot owners, sodding bane of my life, the 'my dog is friendly and won't harm your dog/child/cat' etc. Just keep the fecking things away from me, I don't give a shiny shit how friendly they are. Tell them your dog is fear aggressive and their dogs are scaring your child, cat has heart problems. If they don't take you seriously, call the dog warden and mutter darkly about the dogs out of control, fear for your animals etc.

Yes you need to say something, and ask them to be more considerate

Write down a diary of incidents, bring it around to the neighbours and have a discussion. If they don't come to some sort of reasonable agreement, threaten that you'll report the dogs for being dangerous.

What has the fact they rent got to do with anything?

Our staffy cross appears not to have been socialised with other dogs, we got her as a rescue dog when she was two. I hated, with a vengeance, other dog owners who said "oh he/she only wants to play!" Yes, and my dog only wants to eat yours. If you have no bloody recall, don't let your dog off the lead. Other dogs, cats adults and (especially) children should not be frightened by your dog.

It makes me furious that dog owners can be so unreasonable

@WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup OP is a permanent resident who own their own home. They're not coming and going with no regard to how they impact others who have been there a longer amount of time (not saying that everybody who rents does that, I certainly didn't when I was renting).

Waitrose - I stated that they were rented because it may make a difference in the fact that if hey owned their house they can't be evicted for making their neighbours life a misery. Just trying to state all the facts!

Of course YANBU. Your cat could have easily been killed today either by being mauled to death or the stress affecting their heart. Their dogs need to be on a lead, I'd start by asking them to do that as a minimum.