For the last three afternoons in a row at about the same time we have had a visitor to our garden. He is a young Bedlington x who appears having escaped from his garden in a street about 300m away from us. Today he hopped through our 5 barred gate into the back garden and chased our elderly, very disabled cat (spinal injury, can't climb, just wobbles about happily doing his own feline thing) and attempted to hump our distinctly unamused dogs. Lochan in particular takes this kind of attention very badly and I had to be very firm with her to stop her pinning him. The dog wears a collar with an address and phone number, and yesterday OH took him home but today I was busy in the garden so phoned the owner to come and collect him, meanwhile sticking the little dog on a slip lead attached to a gatepost in the front garden. She arrived some 20 minutes later (literally 300m away from us....) and instantly complained because I had him on a slip lead tied to a gatepost! I pointed out he had been chasing our cat and harassing the dogs and could she keep him in please, if the garden was not escape proof she could use a tie out post. I pointed out that I had my sisters dogs coming to stay and there would be four adult labs running round the garden and it would not be a good thing if he trespassed during this time. Her response - could I put our 4 dogs on tie-outs so he could roam at will!!!!At which she picked him up, stuck him unrestrained on her front seat of her car and disappeared with my slip lead.....some folk make you want to scream!
Re: An annoying visitor OMG how rude!! Personally I would pay the lady a visit and ask for the slip lead back and kindly let her know that you will do the same again if her dog strays into your property and that you will call the RSPCA! That might make her think!
Re: An annoying visitor Good heavens These moments seem to render you speachless dont they ? Then later, you think , why didnt I say this or that : : How very very rude
Re: An annoying visitor How blimin rude and awful, she dosent seem to get it , does she. I would phone the rspca to, or at least threaten too, sorry you have had to put up with this, Maggie xx
Re: An annoying visitor Next time slip it on the lead and take it to the local dog warden. Silly woman!
Re: An annoying visitor Blimey!!! Maybe pull a bit of authority - "I am your local vet" kind of thing? I would (if I had ANY authority... : ).
Re: An annoying visitor [quote author=Karen link=topic=5944.msg76934#msg76934 date=1400006906] Blimey!!! Maybe pull a bit of authority - "I am your local vet" kind of thing? I would (if I had ANY authority... : ). [/quote] Not always the best thing to be known to all and sundry as the local vet. Responsible owners NEVER turn up on your doorstep expecting free out-of-hours consults at your home but others will frequently abuse your good nature. Most notably the total stranger who turned up on Xmas day wanting me to catheterise his Basset Hound as clearly his own vet was shut and the out-of-hours service was too expensive.....
Re: An annoying visitor [quote author=Lochan link=topic=5944.msg76946#msg76946 date=1400008702] [quote author=Karen link=topic=5944.msg76934#msg76934 date=1400006906] Blimey!!! Maybe pull a bit of authority - "I am your local vet" kind of thing? I would (if I had ANY authority... : ). [/quote] Not always the best thing to be known to all and sundry as the local vet. Responsible owners NEVER turn up on your doorstep expecting free out-of-hours consults at your home but others will frequently abuse your good nature. Most notably the total stranger who turned up on Xmas day wanting me to catheterise his Basset Hound as clearly his own vet was shut and the out-of-hours service was too expensive..... [/quote] On previous family holidays I have been "a shelf-stacker in Asda" courtesy of my OH. It has its merits. A good general policy to be Mrs Bloggs outside of work rather than Dr Bloggs Although for quite a few years I was just Scott and Sophie's Mum
Re: An annoying visitor That's one for the dog warden. They will have to pay to get it back and your name will not be mentioned so no confrontation. I have this problem every 6 months.
Re: An annoying visitor Next time it turns up don't tell the owner, phone the dog warden and tell them you found a stray. She'll have to pay a fine to get the dog back and maybe make her think twice about it!
Re: An annoying visitor The dog warden would be a great idea. We are very rural though - anyone know if they have a target response time with a call from a member of the public or would I be left with him for hours? I know if we have healthy strays in at work (urban) they can take days to turn up and lift them, presumably as they know the dog is safe, warm and fed.
Re: An annoying visitor Yeah. If you call as a member of the public who has found a dog I would imagine they'd be out pretty sharpish whereas if they're safe at a vet surgery, as you said, the priority isn't there. I would be tempted to bend the truth a bit too just to make sure they come and get the dog, or explain how it's been 'terrorising' your own animals. I wouldn't mention that you know who the owner is as they might just tell you to take it back yourself. Of course there's every possibility the dog warden will just take it back especially if the dog has an address and phone number on a tag. If you know where your local stray kennels is you might be able to take it there yourself (often it'll be your local rescue centre). That way the woman will be guaranteed to have to pay the fine. They won't tell her who brought the dog in.
Re: An annoying visitor There is, of course, the public safety aspect of a stray dog. It could easily cause a road accident. I once rescued a terrier that was playing on the ring road. It had a tag so I walked it down to the next village, no one was in. But a neighbour unconcernedly told me it was always running around. So we march back up to the town. And to the cop shop. Big burly copper looks at little dog and says "Poor little scrap, you look to me as if you could do with a decent meal. Come out the back with me and I'll find you something". He then gave me an enormous wink. "By the time they've paid to get him back they'll think twice about letting him roam again" The long arm of the law at work with a gentle pat
