What to do about loose dogs !?

[SammynDqtz]

I have been pretty upset lately with the dog owners in my neighborhood. There are 2 big german shepherd mixes, 1 white boxer, 1 Cocker Spaniel, and 1 coonhound that are always coming to visit! They eat my cats food ( i have rescued feral cats that hang out on my front porch)... go potty in my yard and drive my three dogs CRAZY when they run past our fence, or when I walk them. (my dog do live inside, but they do go out to play and the like). I have tried calling the Boxers owner, she said she would contain her but a few hours later I saw her out on my walk! The problem is, in the county I live there is NO animal control to call, you just have to hope these people will obey the leash law that our housing community has set. They do not enforce it, but leave it to animal control which has resently quit patroling our side of the county. The only "animal control" we have is the sheriff, he will only come out if there are aggressive dogs that need removed.
What can be done about all these dogs? I don't know what to do! I have tried talking to owners but they just do not care.

 

[ljnash]

The problem is, in the county I live there is NO animal control to call, you just have to hope these people will obey the leash law that our housing community has set. They do not enforce it, but leave it to animal control which has resently quit patroling our side of the county.

Does that mean animal control won't come to your side of the county even if you call them?? If not, maybe the housing community president could write the offenders a letter?? There isn't much you can do if animal control won't get involved unless you singly keep asking the individuals to keep their dogs from roaming. That's a tough situation to be in.

 

[SammynDqtz]

Yes, if you call animal control, they tell you they do not service our county.
Writing the president of the community is an idea that I hadn't thought of, maybe if they got a notice from him, they may contain their dogs.

 

[Evie&Adam]

take it to the next step. Hopefully your county is set up like mine....

Our main sheriff is an elected person. Try to get an appointment with him/her. If that doesnt work, get an appointment with your Representative or Senator and let them know that the sheriff wont help with the problem. Of course, you could write a letter or e-mail. Part of your Reps job is to help with things like this - when nobody else will.

Best of luck!!

 

[blurble33]

we live in the country as well and almost everyone allows their unspayed and unneutered dogs and cats roam whereever they want to. it makes me so mad, and when one dog gets hit by a car and dies they just go buy another one and turn it loose. people actually look at us like we are crazy b/c we have to big dogs in the house and walk them on a leash?? my girls have plenty of friends that come visit when we are out just potting or playing(we don't have a fenced in yard) the only good thing about all of this is the dog accross the street is very protective of her land and ours for some reason? i guess b/c when they brought her home from the BYB she was only 4 weeks old!!!! and she spent a lot of time at our house with my dogs. anyway, we had some people staying at our house and one of their husbands came to surprise them but my husband and i weren't home and the chic was sleeping so he thought he would try to climb through the window. Morgan felt otherwise and ran to our house barking and growling and actually bit him on the leg trying to get him away. he was pretty upset about it till i told him her side of the story i mean she was just protecting ehr other family. the bite didn't break the skin or anything.

as for your animal control problem we face the same one here, nobody patrols this area not even sherriffs. i hope you can figure something out though - good luck

 

[Faughtey]

I have many of the same problems in my neighborhood. My property is fenced except for the driveway, so stray dogs don't usually get in. They do leave their monster poops in my driveway. I raised the catfood high enough so the dogs could not get to it, but the cat could. If you catch stray dogs in your yard spray them with a dog repellent like mace or tear gas. I do this when dogs are bothering my horses. They don't usually come back for another try. Good luck!