Neighbours Dog Was In My Garden

[phleb]

I opened back door to get my mop and saw this big thing run towards me, growling, i quickly ran and shut my back door...it is massive, and i swear it would have jumped me/bitten me etc. So glad it was me and not the kids that were out.

I have time and time again mentioned to them to repair the gate as the dog can jump over it and go through the gap on side of it. They continue to ignore me, she did come out and it took her 20mins to get the dog under control. It just would not go to her. It was going wild.

What really got to me was it leapt onto my decking to get me, that is my space, how dare it do that.

I am thinking of taking legal action, as my children s safety is compromised. Where do i stand and where do i start. It shook me up. I nearly slipped when i ran in, decking was wet, and i'm pretty fat at the moment.

I have even stopped using my right of way through their garden because of the dog, which again inconveniences me and my family. (see post about this)

[ladybirder]

Best thing to happen here for all concerned would be for the dog to be rehomed. Big dog like that locked in a cage all day is disgusting. I hope they get prosecuted. That was probably its daily exercise when it was in phleb's garden.

[2sp_]

First of all, I'm glad you're OK, you must have got such a fright.

I would call the police. You are heavily pregnant and things could have gone horribly wrong if you had fallen or the dog had caught up with you. At the very least I would expect the police to talk to the owners about the dog escaping.

I agree with you keeping the kids inside until this is sorted. Too often we hear of dogs attacking people when it can be so easily avoided.

[THEMOTLEY1]

///DEFRA states that a dog is dangerously out of control if it is on land that it has no permission to be on and causes fear of or injury to a person or another animal///

[phleb]

Its stress that I really could have done without. I'm determined to get it sorted. Rspca said they will ring me back. There isn't really much for them to see when neighbours are out..blinds be shut

[phleb]

Fat lot of good reporting them did me. I have been informed that I have to write a letter to my neighbours outlining the issues and ask them to solve them. This will then become proof that I have tried to work things out amicably. Even though I have spoken to them many times, that is not proof.

Will someone please help me write this letter, I am not great with words on paper, so my problems are:
1. Impeding my right of way by having a dog loose.
2. inadequate fencing, which enables the dog to enter my garden either by jumping over or getting through the gap.
3. Having an out of control dog in my garden, and frightening me to death, almost causing me to fall and be attacked.

These are the 3 main issues and I need to pen a letter highlighting them. Please help me put these in a good letter.

I really appreciate your help again.

If my letter does not help, then the legal action can be commenced.

[lady-janine]

phleb - just write what you have already outlined in a letter, numerate the problems and start dear mr and mrs and thn finish thanking them for their co-operation and consideration, etc and finish it yours sincerely . . . .

keep a copy for yourself, one for the police and one for the council.
it is up to them then.

[pixie373]

The points you've made above are fine as they are. Just address it to the neighbours and sign it. It may be worth starting with, "I would like to put this in writing, as our previous discussions have not made any difference...". I don't know if it would also be useful to add that you have young children and a baby on the way?
I do hope they sort this soon, it's unfair on your family and on the dog.