Reporting Wandering Dog

[RedFeather]

When hubs was walking Baskerville yesterday, he came across a dog in a yard that came out to play, but then started snapping and growling. Hubs picked up Bas and walked home, but this dog followed him all the way home, and into our yard. The dog had no collar so hubs looped our leash around it choker style (not idea but there was no option really) and walked him back around to the house where it had come from. He knocked on the door and heard two other dogs barking but there was no answer. He checked with the neighbours who confirmed the dog lived in the house where it had come from. Hubs went home and wrote a couple of notes and then went back with the dog again, and this time there was an answer. Hubs said 'Is this your dog?' and the owner said 'Yep, thanks', let the dog inside and shut the door in my husbands face.

Now, I don't expect everyone to be the same type of dog owner as me, or as responsible as me. Some people just aren't but their dogs are perfectly happy. If it had been me, I would have just put the dog on the footpath and closed the gate of our house (because I have a bit of a phobia of bully breeds...I know, I know, they are lovely, but I was bitten by a couple as a kid and I just can't shake it), but we live on a main road and hubs didn't want to run the risk of it being hit by a car.

Since we know where the dog lives, should we report this to the council? I mean, we're fine, our dog is fine, but what if it got out and hurt a child? Or a smaller dog than ours? And why is it being allowed to just wander, anyway? I doubt these dogs are registered, especially if he has three on the one property (local council limit is 2, although it's pretty easy to get an exemption I'm told). I don't want anything bad to happen to the dogs, either, because it's not their fault they have an irresponsible owner. The dog that followed hubs was some kind of bully/staffy breed or mix by the sounds of it, and I don't want it seized because of breed bias when I know they are perfectly lovely breeds.

I just want this guy to register his dogs, have collars on them and keep them secure so they don't wander and get hit by cars, or attack other dogs or people. Are the council even likely to investigate something like this? Or only if there's more than one complaint?

Edited July 17, 2015 by RedFeather

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I would report it.

The dog behaved a bit aggressively - tho not overly... and was wandering the streets which is bad for everyone (traffic hazard). Let the council know and they can decide what to do about it.

In SA - all dogs are required to wear a collar with a current registration disc especially if they go off their property. And most councils have a 2 dog limit unless the resident has a permit for more. So that's two broken laws that council can easily verify when they visit. Besides the letting a dog wander the streets growling at people (did he growl at your hubby all the way home?).

[persephone]

why wouldn't you report it ?

it is a danger to itself, and others.

[RedFeather]

My only hesitation is the dogs being seized. And, you know, the guy saw my husband and I have a paranoia thing about retribution

[hankdog]

You might find that the dog has bothered a few people. Since I own a reactive dog this situation is my worst nightmare, I keep my dog double leashed but in the past this meant I got bitten by a roaming dog.

Please report, you may be saving someone like me.

[Two Best Dogs!]

I report repeat wandering dogs the minute I work out which house they belong to (versus a dog that has gotten out as a one off or a lost dog). It's not safe for the dog, it's not safe for people, it's not safe for me or my dog or other animals. I had to report one tiny poodle thing once, because it was ALWAYS out on the street in front of its house and always charged me/my housemate's dog. Charged us across the whole road once and then one day it nipped me so I went "Nope!" and called the council on them. Got a follow up call that they got a talking to and a fine. Which is fine by me.

I would especially report a dog that appears to be aggressive and follows me more than a few houses. Thistle has been attacked by enough dogs in her life, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone else walking their dog or small squeaky child.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

If the pea brain does anything threatening - you report him as well.

In SA - don't know which council you're with but the dogs are unlikely to be seized the first time the ranger goes around there unless the bloke is really rude to the ranger and then - rangers may choose to throw the book at the bloke. Usually when someone thinks the rules don't apply to them, there's lots of rules broken like driving around unregistered cars, and parking them on the street (ezyreg - is a handy app for checking any rego plate in SA and there's a version of that for every state), not to mention the dog thing and probably a whole lot of other things the council can fine them for. But council won't take the dog unless it's out on the street and they can't return it. Their first choice is always to return the dog, registered or not.