Neighbors that are lousy pet owner, what do you do?

[Carolyn R]

So what do you all do when you have neighbors that are lousy pet owners? We have one neighbor that has a young QH mare and two goats. The horse is constantly breaking out. I understand that it happens, horses get out once in awhile, but I am talking about a dozen plus times a month. She likes to play in traffic (with the goats in tow), eat grass from the opposite side of the road on a blind turn. Her new favorite thing for the second month in a row, trying to have a sleep over in our driveway. I have caught the owners going as far as opening the fence in the summer to let her out to graze!!!!!! I chased her and the goats home 4 times between last night and this morning. Again once tonight already. When its not the horse and goats its their pitbull/boxer mixes thinking they can come up and growl at us in our driveway. They don't answer the door, their number is unlisted.

THEN we have another neighbor that is about 1/2+ miles away that has another QH mare, a ewe and a ram. She has already ventured here too. Nothing like trying to take my 2.5 year old full size horse out on foot, getting her socialized and such, and being chased by a ram that is 1/4 of a mile from it's own home.

WE CONSTANTLY HAVE PEOPLE TELLING US OUR HORSE IS OUT OR A HORSE IS LOOSE, I don't know what else to tell them besides she isn't ours and please call the township police to report it.

Any suggestions?

 

[bevann]

Take photos of the horse out in the road and on your property.Take them to the local or even state police.This is definitely a bad accident waiting to happen.Just a question of time.This is a big time safety issue.Call aminal control and let them know what is going on.Maybe a stiff fine to get their animals back or seizure of their animals will wake up your neighbor.

 

[Eagle]

I agree with Bevann, take photos and then report them before these poor animals get hurt. You will never forgive yourself if they or someone gets hurt and you didn't try to solve the problem. JMHO

Good Luck

Renee

 

[Carolyn R]

Well she was out again last night I was feeding and tucking in my horses for the night and a car came up the drive to inform me that there were goats and a horse in the road. Explained the situation, and (thankfully) she called the township police. Of course we got the visit, had to point them in the right direction. Our biggest fear is retaliation, which is why we haven't made a huge deal about the situation. So sad, I don't know where she is from or who her breeder was, but I wonder if her breeder ever dreamed their cute little filly would end up having this kind of life? Among the slew of reasons I stopped breeding.....,it was just too heartbreaking to think of the possibility of one of my foals ending up in a home that didn't love them the way they deserve to be loved. So sad

 

[cretahillsgal]

Be sure to call the police and report it each time she is out. You wouldn't even have to give your name. Just call and report the horse at such and such address is out on the road.

I don't know what the laws are where you are from. But here if an owner has "repeat offences" of having their animals out, and someone hits that animal, the owner is liable for any and all damages to vehicles or people. Yes, I worry about the animal, but think about that car with a family in it that could come around the curve, hit the horse, and the family gets killed.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Dogs and cats are one thing livestock is another. Report it to the police and they will have to go to the owners and the owners will need to either fix it or they will be charged with animal negliect. They can easily destroy property or hurt somebody and playing around the highway is dangerous. Like you said its one thing when they get out once or twice but when the owner doesn't do anything to try and fix it then they just don't care.

The dogs if you have animal control great, report it and if multiple accounts happen they will take them away. I get so peeved with topics like this because I have to deal with it every day. Last couple of years my neighbors dogs would chase my horses, eat horse feed, attacking dogs and with countless videos of evidence the county won't do anything about it and said we had every right to shoot them but we had to kill them on site. One thing we live within city limits, I don't own a gun and even if I borrowed one I can't shoot and what if I hit one of my horses or someone, or if I just injure the animal I'm the one in trouble. Couple of days ago the neighbors dog got loose, only been loose 2 or 3 times but the owner didn't care and just let the dog loose. Got into a chicken coop and the guy shot and killed the dog. These people should not own any animal but yet when your own law enforcement won't enforce it who will. It's not like you can take the dogs away you will be charged with stealing. Its redicolous.

I hope your situation gets better and I agree get tons of evidence and report it, they shouldn't have to say who is reporting it.

 

[bevann]

We had a situation several years ago with a very large Rottweiler showing up in the field with my Mini mares.Nice dog STUPID owner.found out his owner&after several calls told them if he came back again_DEAD DOG.I wasn't really going to kill him-just catch him&take him to shelter in another nearby state&turn him in-owner unknown.I am sure he would have been adopted.He was such a nice dog.He never came back.Years ago I rescued a female Corgi from a busy highway several times.After taking her home 2 times to a STUP

ID owner I kept her and gave her to a friend of mine who knew the story.She lived to a ripe old age in a home where she was loved and protected.With me it's all about the welfare of the animals.

 

[minisch]

Reminding them that if the horse gets hit by a car they could have their butts sued will usually awaken the stupid. Don't be afraid of retaliation, get in touch with law enforcement/animal control and if that doesn't do it, take pics report days and times of being loose and contact animal cruelty.

 

[Riverrose28]

I don't know about the police in your area, but in mine they are not versed in livestock. I've caught loose horses before and called the police and they have no clue as to how to respond. I've called all the local horse people in the area and no one knows who the loose horses belonged to. I called animal control and they weren't much help either. I caught the loose horses and put them in my front field and finally the owners saw them and came and got them. Mine got loose once when hubby forgot to lock a gate. I was frantic trying to catch them and one of our arabs was running beside the road I was so afraid he would run in front of a car and cause an accident, but was finally able to get him to the barn with a bucket of grain. Loose horses are a danger to themselves and to drivers so I hope you can find a solution.

 

[Genie]

In Ontario, Canada, you can shoot stray dogs that come on your property, when you have animals.

Someone suggested getting a paintball gun and shooting the dog. It doesn't kill them and the owner might wonder where all the paint came from.

 

[HGFarm]

Since this is not a one time accident that they got out, and is a continual problem, I agree, get pics and call and report it EVERY TIME they get out. Encourage drivers and other folks to call too. That is a fatality waiting to happen with them out on the road!

Another thing about reporting it every time- there is a record that it is a continual problem and not a one time thing. If someone were killed, their car totaled or something, I am sure the owners are going to say they must have 'just gotten out' and it was an accident. If it's a known problem, this is making them take responsibility for their lack of caring. I feel sorry for the animals, as you know they are not going to live through it either!

Got a video camera or any way to catch them purposely letting them out? I would film that too! Again, there is no cure for stupidity but someone is going to end up paying a drastic price for this if it continues.

 

[Carolyn R]

I will have to start taking pics. Seems like Murphy's law, you can rubber pad everything and your horse gets hurt, have a neighbor(s) that let's theirs roam and their animals seem to be invincible.

Regarding them letting her out in to graze, last summer I was riding a gelding I had. Not a bad horse, but no matter how much time I put into him he was always a bit nervous when there wasn't a lead horse or person in front of him. It never helped that the two of us never had a bond.

Well, while passing their place I remember saying " I don't remember that part of their yard being fenced in" just then I realized there was no fence there and the strands were coiled up and hung on the fence post, she came running up, in full blown heat squatting and peeing in my geldings face. What else could go wrong you ask? How about a car coming around then blind turn? Nothing like a clueless gelding, a mare in heat a car that had to stop in the middle of the road and you guessed it, no owner to be found. I don't think I have ever dismounted so quick in all my life! I had to use my reins as a whip to get her to exit the road. Sadly, their house is only feet from the road, I honestly don't know how they could not see the commotion outside!