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Original poster

Oh help, my dog just got into the next door neighbours garden and killed their rabbit.

72 replies

Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:06

What do I, can I do? They are naturally devastated and I am totally upset too. I have offered to buy a new rabbit obviously but understand this is totally crap and not the same . Help. What should I do?

OP posts:
totalyfreaky · 08/10/2007 13:11

Oh no How are the neighbours with you about it?

RubberDuck · 08/10/2007 13:13

Gawd, what a horrible situation

I think if I was your neighbour, I would really appreciate the following:

  • some sort of assessment about HOW the dog escaped into their garden and some move to making sure it doesn't happen again (like you getting the fence repaired or similar).
  • would appreciate the offer of a new rabbit, but in practise wouldn't be ready to have a new "replacement" so soon.
  • would appreciate any signs of obvious remorse (maybe you could take round a bunch of flowers, or a small gift for the kids if it was their rabbit by way of an apology?)

I think you'll have to accept that relations will be strained for a little while, even if they know it wasn't in your control. For something like that, it's natural for human beings to want to blame someone else and I think you'll need to ride that one out in the knowledge that being a good neighbour in other ways will help heal the wound.

Does that make sense?

lapsedrunner · 08/10/2007 13:13

Ah...that is exactly what my dog would do given half the chance. Tricky situation

belgo · 08/10/2007 13:13

you need to make your garden totally secure, and also talk to your vet about your dog's aggression.

Lulumama · 08/10/2007 13:13

grovel

take your lead from the neighbours

how did the dog get in their garden?

bananaknickers · 08/10/2007 13:13

Skyler you poor thing. I don't see there is anything you can do apart from what you have already. Maybe make an effort to put a more sturdy fence up, buy them a new Rabbit and if it belongs to a little one buy them some sweets.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:14

Totally lovely which obviously doesn't help me. They have said don't worry etc etc. We were all stood crying in the garden and I just didn't know what to say apart from sorry and that just seems so utterly crap.

OP posts:
Fimbo · 08/10/2007 13:15

I don't think there is much else you can do .

Perhaps you could make sure in future that your dog doesn't get in their garden by making sure the fence etc is secure, at least that way it looks as if you are doing something.

My neighbours dog got into my garden a few times and it freaked my dd out.

RubberDuck · 08/10/2007 13:15

It sounds like you already have a great relationship with your neighbours already. I'd just go out of my way to be extra neighbourly and visibly contrite for a long while and keep reminding them that when they're ready to replace their pet that the cost and early vets bills (for vaccinations etc if applicable) are on you.

MintyDixCharrington · 08/10/2007 13:16

"talk to your vet about your dogs aggression"...

he killed a rabbit (prefectly natural instinct to have a tasty snack), didn't bite a human (aggression)

agree with others. try and fix fence, apologise profusely, offer new rabbit. And perhaps suggest that any other small animals be kept in a hutch rather than left to wander around? Because dogs will be dogs...

RubberDuck · 08/10/2007 13:16

(sorry, an extra "already" crept in there somehow!)

WendyWeber · 08/10/2007 13:16

The fact that you are as devastated as them will be worth a lot - for all of you.

Agree that getting a new secure fence fixed asap prob the best thing you can d (assuming that was how the dog got in)

(It's not aggression, belgo, it's normal behaviour for a dog, sadly.)

paolosgirl · 08/10/2007 13:16

Echo Rubberduck's post. Make it absolutely clear to them that you take 100% of the blame, that you are very sorry, that you'll make it impossible for your dog to escape again and let them know you're going to the vet about the dog's behaviour.

Was the rabbit in a run or hutch?

LucyJones · 08/10/2007 13:17

This happened to us when I was young. A neighbours alsatian got into our rabbit hutch which had a mum and 2 babies in it. Only one baby was left. We were devastated and to make matters worse my mum went round there and they just shrugged their shoulders and didn't apologise
At least you've done better than that. I would offer to bu a new rabbit too.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:17

Thank you. I will def be doing the flowers and card thing and not letting the dog out until the fence is re-enforced. We have chain link fences and the end bit along the back has been bent (by my children I think ) so there was a gap for her to get through. Crap crap crap. The girl is about 14. This is so sad. She was holding it as it died. Oh dreadful dreadful.

OP posts:
paolosgirl · 08/10/2007 13:17

Dogs will be dogs?????? Er, nooooo....not all dogs feel the need to kill a rabbit.

bananaknickers · 08/10/2007 13:17

my dog is a softy , but I know he would kill a rabbit too if he got the chance.It's nature

belgo · 08/10/2007 13:17

I would call it aggression if I was the neighbour. Is that normal behaviour for dogs?

bananaknickers · 08/10/2007 13:18

Well I don't know that ,but imagine he would

LucyJones · 08/10/2007 13:18

we didn't find our 2 rabbits We never knew if he'd killed them both but we hoped one of them at least escaped.

pooka · 08/10/2007 13:19

Oh Skyler. Poor you (and obviously poor next-door neighbours).
If I was them, I'd want to be sure that your dog wouldn't be able to escape again before I got a replacement rabbit. Was the rabbit out in the open, or was it in it's hutch? Only ask because perhaps a more secure hutch/run as well as colditz style fencing may be a way to go. A friend had friends looking after rabbits for another friend (stay with me) and foxes actually managed to manipulate the latch on the hutch in the dead of night and get in. Horrible.

LucyJones · 08/10/2007 13:19

The baby rabbit that was left was just cowering in the hutch. Sorry this thread is bringing back bad memories. Think I was baout 10.

WendyWeber · 08/10/2007 13:19

I imagine the only dog which wouldn't instinctively chase a small furry creature dodging about is a guide dog in harness.

Piggy · 08/10/2007 13:19

LOL! Of course dogs chase and kill rabbits. You can't undo hundreds of thousands of years of evolution by sticking a dog in back garden with only a chain link fence keeping it apart from a tasty rabbit.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:20

They had two rabbits. In a hutch with a run. One is ok as was in the hutch the other was in the run and my dog jumped on the top to get in. We know she goes for rabbits as she has on walks etc and she is never let off now when we go out. Now I can't let her out in the garden either. I will be buying massive fence panels that is for sure. Shitey shite.

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