Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Livid with neighbour over dog pee

118 replies

annoyedbydogpee · 01/12/2019 23:09

A couple of weeks ago, very late at night I saw my neighbour walk over to our garden and let his dog pee on our grass. I then set up my baby monitor camera to face our garden and as expected, the neighbours have been bringing their dog into our garden to pee every night. I am livid with them, not only has our grass started to die in the area where the dog has been peeing (clearly they have been doing this for some time), we also have a 5 and 2 year old who play on the grass. I’m so angry that I’m actually considering getting a lawyer to write to them and threaten them with legal action. AIBU to take it as far as getting a lawyer involved? WIBU to ask them to get our grass treated so the grass will grow back? I’m fcuking tempted to go and pee all over their brand new Mercedes Angry!

OP posts:
BuzzShitbagBobbly · 02/12/2019 07:20

I have a vague recollection that if your friend writes a letter in their official capacity, then they are bound by professional conduct and you have engaged them.

It's not like they can just dash off a veiled thread on conveniently headed notepaper without any meaning or consequences at all.

BeyondMyWits · 02/12/2019 07:21

A few bramble twigs across the area it normally wees will stop it - we do that to combat the neighbourhood cats that like our grass (well at the moment moss really!) because everyone else has gravel or paving for cars Angry

SoupDragon · 02/12/2019 07:22

If it is the same time every night, be ready and should "WTF do you think you are doing?!" at them.

My first thought was "motion activated sprinkler" though.

MummyofTw0 · 02/12/2019 07:24

This is really gross and rude of them

OverByYer · 02/12/2019 07:24

One neighbor here put up a sign asking people not to allow their dogs to pee on their lawn.

MrsFoxPlus4Again · 02/12/2019 07:27

Just knock their door & ask them to stop.

Honestly if you send a lawyers letter though without talking to them let us see it’s ones can have a giggle Grin

Actionhasmagic · 02/12/2019 07:32

Yanbu!!!

Devereux1 · 02/12/2019 07:35

Remember dogs pee as a communications method, and when they go on walks they tend to dart to the same places to see what message was left by other dogs, and re-mark the area again.

Their dog rushes out to your garden as others are peeing there too, you're just catching your neighbour's dog doing it.

So if you were to have a word with your neighbour, they could try and stop their dog coming to your garden, but I think you'd have the same problem from other dogs.

Certainly don't get lawyers involved. Have a polite chat with them, and maybe put up some small barrier in this area.

FairfaxAikman · 02/12/2019 07:35

"You're the alpha, not the dog."

While I agree with the rest of your post vanguard, pack/ alpha theory has been well and truly debunked.

As for the OP, tell them to stop it - preferably while they are in the act so they can't deny it.

WhenYouCantRunYouCrawl · 02/12/2019 07:36

Have a polite word, then get a sprinkler system 👍

lotusbell · 02/12/2019 07:39

Can't believe people are trying to excuse it by saying it's winter and your children aren't playing out on it or to bring it up politely! While I'd hold off on the lawyer's letter for now, you do need to address it.
I'd be knocking on the door and saying "is there a reason you are bringing your dog round to pee on my lawn and not your own?" then looking at them until they reply. When they do, whatever they say, say "It's unacceptable, stop doing it".
If they continue, then take it further.

CravingCheese · 02/12/2019 07:41

@BuzzShitbagBobbly

No idea how it's in the UK.
But where I'm at? You're only allowed to represent somebody if you are officially contracted as somebody's attorney (whether retained just for a specific issue, topic, in general).

Which means that you have a duty of care to represent your client's interest in the matter you were contracted for.

The other scenario is a lawyer giving legal advice (and potentially even writing official letters, petitions, responses etc) in 'white'. Which basically means that it's not on official paper identifying any kind of law firm or specific lawyer and in the name of the client.

Or a lawyer simply giving their friend a little friendly advice.
But even in the latter case, a lawyer would already have a duty of care to advise and work faithfully (to the best of their knowledge, according to the stated and or assumed interests of the client)...
So if you work for free you basically get all the risk without any of the gains. 🤷🏻‍♀️
A perfectly acceptable choice (obviously) but something people may shy away from in certain scenarios.

Anyhow. I have no idea how it is in the UK. But there must be a similar mechanism...

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 02/12/2019 07:45

So if you work for free you basically get all the risk without any of the gains.

That's the sort of thing I meant too. Only based on reading similar things over the years and having legal bods like you come along and explain in actual real terms Grin

emilybrontescorsett · 02/12/2019 07:46

Shove a note through their door telling them to stop.
If they don't buy a large water gun wait in the upstairs bedroom and spray both the dog and them with freezing cold water.

Rachel438 · 02/12/2019 07:47

@ItsNovemberNotChristmas

I may be 'stupid' (how rude!!) but the OP is being precious about her garden - thinking of legal action for a bit of dog wee. Maybe 'precious' wasn't the right word.

I should have said 'utterly ridiculous' - especially as she hasn't even asked the neighbour to stop the dog from peeing there.... But I didn't say that, as that would have been rude.

TheRobinIsBobbingAlong · 02/12/2019 07:48

Lawyers letter as first step is ridiculous. Try speaking to them first.

If the NDN has to walk to the end of their path then it sounds as though there is a fence or some barrier between the gardens. Put a gate on to enclose your space to keep their dog out. Add a bright motion detection spotlight too.

moobar · 02/12/2019 07:51

Don't bother your friend with this. I'm a lawyer and I would have told you absolutely not even if you were my best friend. Just talk to them.

YoTheGinPussyOfStMawesOnThigh · 02/12/2019 07:56

It will soon be the season of goodwill. Ask them in for Christmas drinks, make sure you have cheap rank white wine to offer them. Say you have some home movies to share with them and show your films of their dog peeing on your lawn. In the silence that follows ask them to guess what they are drinking.

Not really but you can dream. Knock and confront them.

CravingCheese · 02/12/2019 08:00

BuzzShitbagBobbly

It's the same for all professions, I suppose. A surgeon couldn't just remove their best friend's appendix either without automatically being bound by certain responsibilities and a duty of care....

I'm really not familiar with the UK's legal system but I personally would not touch this issue with a ten foot pole.
(and disputes amongst neighbours seem to have this unfortunate tendency of escalating and I personally have some rather serious doubts about whether involving a lawyer would even benefit the OP...)

BuildBuildings · 02/12/2019 08:08

Jesus that's pretty twatty of your neighbours! Definitely pull them up in it.

breakfastpizza · 02/12/2019 08:09

Put a screenshot of the dog pissing on your property through their mail slot with a note asking them to stop.

slartibarti · 02/12/2019 08:19

So you saw the neighbour letting their dog pee on your garden late at night and just watched?
Why on earth didn't you say anything at the time?

DontCallMeShitley · 02/12/2019 08:22

Ask them to stop.
If they continue put the recording on your local FB groups. Someone round here put a photo on of a man emptying his dog regularly outside their house after they put up a sign asking people to pick up, and he did pick up but he stuck the shit to the poster. It made the press.

Chickychickydodah · 02/12/2019 08:30

Go out have a few beers and pee on their garden 👍🏻

EntropyRising · 02/12/2019 08:32

I wouldn't be happy at all but why is your first instinct legal action? It makes you sound like a lunatic.

Good luck.

Swipe left for the next trending thread