Neighbour's attitude has annoyed me
Discussion
Yesterday morning I opened the back gate to get my bike out for the commute to find a random dog stood staring at me. Tan coloured thing, looked like a collie, very pretty and friendly thing. Wasn't the neighbours dogs (yappy lap dog things), couldn't see anyone out the front, street was deserted as it was 6:45am. Ushered it into the back garden so it couldn't run off.
I had to be at the station for 7am but by this time I had already missed my train. Now I couldn't let it continue wandering around the street, it was too healthy and friendly to be a stray and didn't want it to be run over/ taken by travellers etc. and someone must be very worried about it's whereabouts. After trying to phone the local vets and RSPCA but just getting answerphone messages that they didn't open till much later I thought I'd try my dog-owning next door neighbour as he's always up and about early and is retired so does bugger all most of the time (I was rapidly becoming very late for work, and was stood there in my cycling gear).
His response: "dunno mate. Let it wander back, it's wandered down here."
And shut the door. Didn't offer to keep it in his garden and try the vets later or anything. Just left me to it.
Now, bearing in mind he must have some sort of attachment to his dogs, I was amazed at his lack of compassion. surely he would expect anyone that found one of his dogs to try and get it to safety? A day later I still can't help think about this and its troubling me.
In the end I put a photo up on our little estate facebook page and a nice bloke from down the road came up with a spare lead and looked after it until the vets opened, I heard later on that the owner had been traced and re-united, so it all worked out. I got to work an hour and a half late as I had to stay in the garden with a very distressed dog that it had transpired had escaped the night before.
How do the other dog owners on here feel about this? Am I wrong to feel annoyed by his attitude?
I had to be at the station for 7am but by this time I had already missed my train. Now I couldn't let it continue wandering around the street, it was too healthy and friendly to be a stray and didn't want it to be run over/ taken by travellers etc. and someone must be very worried about it's whereabouts. After trying to phone the local vets and RSPCA but just getting answerphone messages that they didn't open till much later I thought I'd try my dog-owning next door neighbour as he's always up and about early and is retired so does bugger all most of the time (I was rapidly becoming very late for work, and was stood there in my cycling gear).
His response: "dunno mate. Let it wander back, it's wandered down here."
And shut the door. Didn't offer to keep it in his garden and try the vets later or anything. Just left me to it.
Now, bearing in mind he must have some sort of attachment to his dogs, I was amazed at his lack of compassion. surely he would expect anyone that found one of his dogs to try and get it to safety? A day later I still can't help think about this and its troubling me.
In the end I put a photo up on our little estate facebook page and a nice bloke from down the road came up with a spare lead and looked after it until the vets opened, I heard later on that the owner had been traced and re-united, so it all worked out. I got to work an hour and a half late as I had to stay in the garden with a very distressed dog that it had transpired had escaped the night before.
How do the other dog owners on here feel about this? Am I wrong to feel annoyed by his attitude?
I'd feel disappointed in the same way, you'd expect a dog owner to possess a general compassion and empathy for animals but it's not always the case. I found this the other day when my wife and I recused a family of ducks from imminent death on a main road. The nearest house had no interest in helping at all. Personally I'd have been delighted if given the opportunity to take care of a family of ducks.
Not very neighbourly I agree, but there may have been plenty of reasons not to help at that time.
Also - a bit like the fact I like my kids, but not everyone elses
He may like his dogs, but is not a universal dog lover.
Glad to hear it worked out though and the dog got back to its owner.
Also - a bit like the fact I like my kids, but not everyone elses
He may like his dogs, but is not a universal dog lover. Glad to hear it worked out though and the dog got back to its owner.
I don't know if I feel disappointed because I thought we got on pretty well and if anything he would have been helping me out rather than the dog as he knew I was needing to get to the station and clearly wasn't going anywhere himself. Bearing in mind I looked after his fish tank while he was in hospital and don't care if his family park on the shared bit of the drive when visiting (which is most days).
Turned out the dog was a New Zealand Heading Dog, basically a short haired collie. The owner was visiting his son over the weekend so the dog didn't know the area.
Turned out the dog was a New Zealand Heading Dog, basically a short haired collie. The owner was visiting his son over the weekend so the dog didn't know the area.
Many older retired folk forget about the urgency us workers face in our daily lives. I think it's a big ask to expect him to relieve you of dog sitting duties without having actually asked him. Maybe if you'd said "I'm going to miss my train and be late for work" he might have stepped up.
There's an elderly neighbour across from me who likes me to help him cook for dinner parties. He's even asked to "borrow" mustard, balsamic and vinegars before. Cheeky old sod.
There's an elderly neighbour across from me who likes me to help him cook for dinner parties. He's even asked to "borrow" mustard, balsamic and vinegars before. Cheeky old sod.
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