Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Neighbours dog in my garden !  (Read 5521 times)

jools66

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Fife
Neighbours dog in my garden !
« on: September 22, 2014, 09:40:40 pm »
That's the 2nd time I have caught my neighbour's dog in my garden !! So far I have been lucky as my chickens have not been free ranging at the time but it keeps going for the quail in their hutch. I now have scratch marks on the hutch and nervous quail.
I have reinforced my fence and hedge but I was wondering if there are any laws on this ?

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2014, 10:08:39 pm »
Rather than get into a legal argument it might be better to talk to your neighbour if they are amenable (they may not  be if they let their dog out knowing it has an escape route  :innocent:
You could tell them that they would have to pay for any hens it kills.  But if they aren't the listening kind http://www.justanswer.com/uk-law/
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2014, 10:39:51 pm »
If your law in Scotland for these things is like ours it is up to you the land owner to fence it so it will keep the dog out..
It's not right , I know,  for I've had probs like that as well .

 Perhaps capture the dog and hand it into the pound as a stray for it may not be your neighbours.  :innocent:
Then who ever claims it will have to pay the release & kennel fee, If it's not claimed the problem gets solved one way or another by the kennels .
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2014, 11:15:45 pm »
It is up to the owner of the dog to keep it under control.
There is no such thing as a bad dog...just bad dog owners.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2014, 11:22:40 pm »
Does the ruling about shooting dogs that worry livestock not apply to poultry? If the owner is not reasonable, you could mention this.


As an alternatively, what about some electric fencing connected to the mains?

jools66

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Fife
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2014, 07:42:50 am »
The neighbour's do say sorry but often instead of walking their 2 dogs they just let them run around their garden and I think because they are kept in the house for long periods before getting out the poor dogs are wild .

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2014, 08:18:52 am »
Do you have a dog warden in your area?  Maybe a word from them will give the neighbours something to think about.

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2014, 08:34:38 am »
I had this and in the end had to put extra fencing everywhere. Plus electric but I do have paddocks. Neighbours dogs spent more time on our land than there own. I know you can shoot dogs chasing livestock on farm land in Scotland but not sure if that would cover a garden.

xnbacon

  • Joined Mar 2009
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2014, 09:33:42 am »
Just a thought, but if the dog is getting in, so can a fox.  Might be worth stepping up security on the chickens in any case.  Have to admit I think there are plenty of 'bad' dogs around, though many have very responsible owners.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2014, 10:17:42 am »
My thoughts too - I reckon if my dogs can't get out of my garden others  can't get in - but foxes still can, so my chicken and duck runs are netted, with only daytime free ranging when I'm here.  They're shut back in if I need to go out
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

jools66

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Fife
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2014, 07:13:14 pm »
My chickens only free range when I am there and its more that 3 of my quail ended up with bloody heads as they kept flying up in their hutch to get away from the terrier . We both have good fencing around our gardens it  is only between us the dog  manages to get out !

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2014, 07:28:28 pm »
Quail can kill themselves if repeatedly scared like that. It's causing preventable suffering ...... have you made it clear in a friendly but firm way to your neighbour the problems that the dog is causing to the quail. Some people just don't seem to get it. Someone told me that their dog was so friendly he would just 'play' with sheep  :o. Explained that it wasn't a good idea and why  ::). This was a holiday maker and the local farmers would have had more than a quiet word if his dog had gone to 'play' with the sheep. You may have to spell it out or invite them round to see the damage caused.

Terriers can be hard to contain. Father had a similar problem with a neighbours terrier and his chickens. Neighbour was elderly so dad reinforced the fence but explained that if the terrier continued to dig his way in despite wiring down then they would have to take measures to secure their garden.

If my dog was getting out I would consider it my duty to secure fencing and contain them.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2014, 07:52:04 pm »
I once had this problem and "captured" the offending dog, put it in the stable then chalked up a notice on the blackboard by our gate that we use for egg sales - "Found - Dog."  The neighbours could be heard calling it then they walked down the lane and saw the notice.  Red faces and mumbled apology from them and I never saw the dog again.

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2014, 08:48:02 pm »
It is absolutely the dog owners responsibility to fence their dog in if they wish to let it loose in their garden. End of , no arguments.

Think about it logically...if they started keeping elephants, would you then think it was your job to provide a fence capable of keeping them out ?

If you keep animals it is your responsibility to fence them in (or keep them under control) ...not your neighbours responsibility to fence them out.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2014, 09:26:51 pm by stufe35 »

Old Shep

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • North Yorkshire
Re: Neighbours dog in my garden !
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2014, 10:30:15 pm »
I would discuss this with your neighbours.  Just talk it through - they are people just like the rest of us I presume, and most people would be mortified if they thought their pet was harming another living creature.  You need to live next to live next door to these people so try build a relationship.


I have a really good relationship with my next door neighbours - lovely people - yet their hens keep wandering into my garden and sometimes I have to return them in a carrier bag after my dogs find them before me.  Seems I'm the only one distressed and upset by this :-(  Good fences make good neighbours ;-)

Helen - (used to be just Shep).  Gordon Setters, Border Collies and chief lambing assistant to BigBennyShep.

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS