Wording A Letter To Your Neighbour..

[:ange:]

I'm having a problem with my next door neighbours dog continuously getting out.. I've already mentioned it to the old lady in passing that she might want to get her fencing checked because her little dog keeps getting out and it might get run over. She hasn't done anything because it's getting out just as much.

The last week or so I'm having this issue where my male dog is barking non-stop at it every time it gets out because it comes and stands reallly close to the fence and wanders accross the road and back to our house. My dog is now trying to dig under the fence to get to it, because face it - the grass really is greener on the other side playing with that dog.

Now I'm thinking I would like to write a letter to the lady asking her to please try and keep her dog contained as it's affecting my dogs behaviour while they are in the backyard as they are attempting to dig out to get to her dog plus the barking non-stop while he/she's out. I'm going to be crating them while I'm away for now until the issue is sorted out because I really don't want to come home and find two escaped dogs long gone.. (fence is being reinforced by OH this afternoon).

Any suggestions as to how I should word the letter? Should I not write a letter?

[shmoo]

Is the "old lady" capable or in a financial position to repair/replace her fencing?

Stuff the letter, I would be repairing the fencing myself. I would feel guilty if I came home and saw her dog squished on the road and know I did nothing to really help.

[:ange:]

"old lady" as in 60 yo lady? Still pretty mobile, she looks pretty well off and able to afford to get her fence fixed. She also has her grown children around very frequently!! (sorry for the generalisation I think you must have imagined a decrepid white haired woman with a walking stick..) I don't see it as my duty to repair a neighbours fence!! Sorry!! Probably sounds harsh.. but noone comes to fix my fence when my dogs are digging out!!

I don't actually know where the dog is getting out.. I just asked her to check her fencing. It just keeps appearing.

[shmoo]

When a car drove through our neighbours stock fencing at 12pm on a rainy night my OH and I ran out to promptly fix it in case their stock got out. We couldn't get a response from knocking on their door. We used our own fencing supplies.

I'd rather fix the fence then risk a dead animal or injury to driver.

[:ange:]

That's really kind shmoo! You sound like a better neighbour than me then.. like I said on my previous post I don't know where the dog is getting out so I can't really go snooping around her place trying to figure that out. She has 5 small dogs, and it's just the one that's getting out.

[raineth]

Just be polite and assertive,

focus on your concern for her little dog, say that you saw it nearly get hit by a car.

Say that you are worried that the lady doesn't realise just how much he is getting out....

[W Sibs]

I will probably go over and have a proper chat with her about it.

[Greytmate]

I wouldn't waste time talking to her again.

You have told her once and she hasn't fixed the problem.

I would either pick up the little dog and take it to the pound, or call the ranger every time the dog is out.

Councils are paid to sort of these problems, don't make it your own problem.

[juice]

i agree, ring council everytime its out, and mention it makes your dogs bark, in case anyone reports your dogs for barking.

[Red Fox]

I wouldn't waste time talking to her again.

You have told her once and she hasn't fixed the problem.

I would either pick up the little dog and take it to the pound, or call the ranger every time the dog is out.

Councils are paid to sort of these problems, don't make it your own problem.

Agreed. She will get the idea pretty quickly.

[Teebs]

I wouldn't waste time talking to her again.

You have told her once and she hasn't fixed the problem.

I would either pick up the little dog and take it to the pound, or call the ranger every time the dog is out.

Councils are paid to sort of these problems, don't make it your own problem.

agree as well.

[W Sibs]

wow, really?

Talking in passing is a lot different then sitting down with someone and talk properly about it.

They might not realise that their dog is causing someone else grief. Sometimes people are clueless...

[Tilly]

You are probably wasting your time but at least by writing the letter you are doing something to help with the dog - and if the worst happens you know you have done something.

Sometimes we need to make a little effort even if it isn't appreciated.

I have a house next door to me which is a rental. It has recently gone on the market and was talking to the agent selling the place. I wanted a tree in the neighbour’s yard gone because not only is there a risk of the roots damaging the sewage pipes but it is dropping its leaves and seeds in my yard and I have had enough. I ended up getting the owners permission to send my gardener to the rental property to remove the tree and clean the gutters along that side of the house - at my expense. Everyone thinks I am nuts paying for it but I want the tree gone, it isn't going to happen unless I make it happen and by cleaning the gutters it might stops their gutters from overflowing and flooding my yard.

[Lady Flying Furball]

Just be polite and assertive,

focus on your concern for her little dog, say that you saw it nearly get hit by a car.

Say that you are worried that the lady doesn't realise just how much he is getting out....

I agree with this approach. And even offer to walk around her boundary with her to look for the spot. Unless you or her need everything pristine, a small dog hole can be fixed with an old bit of board and a brick...very economical I do this a lot at friend's places when I take my papillon, so I can relax with putting him in their backyards. I never found a hole I couldn't block with minimum effort!

[Greytmate]

wow, really?

Talking in passing is a lot different then sitting down with someone and talk properly about it.

They might not realise that their dog is causing someone else grief. Sometimes people are clueless...

I don't think it is a good idea to let the neighbour know who has a grievance towards them. This isn't and should not be a negotiation or dispute between neighbours like you would have about overhanging trees, or fences causing grievance.

The woman is breaking the law.

Inform the council and let them sort it, it's their job. If you get involved with this you might find that the neighbour develops a grievance towards you.