Oh, dear. That's the height of doggie-owner rudeness, IMO.  Hopefully
your note will be received well by them, and that will be the end of
it. I think it's always prudent to keep on friendly terms with the
next-door neighbors. Personally I wouldn't call the police or animal
control. I just don't think that would accomplish anything but making
them mad at you.  I'd rather have a face-to-face, friendly chat with
them myself than drag in the police.

Sherry

You can't make enemies of such people - they have already  declared
war on you and the rest of the neighborhood.

<snip>

Try speaking to your neighbours face-to-face first - it's best if you can
avoid this building up into a neighbourhood feud like the one which
afflicted an unfortunate person in a local suburban area here a few years
ago. That was about dog droppings in yards, too.

If you can't afford fencing to keep the dogs out - or even if you can -
your next step might be to call the local city council or equivalent and
find out what the leash law actually says and how they enforce it - you
might have to file a complaint with animal control instead of the police,
depending on your local government setup.

There are substances purported to discourage animals - I had a recipe
for one concoction which worked reasonably well, but looked like vomit and
washed away quickly in the rain. We get a lot of rain here. It was
something like a litre of water, an onion, an entire garlic bulb (not
clove) and hot pepper, pureed and spread around after any solid waste has
been removed.

If there is a leash law, then there is also the possibility that there is
also a bylaw that states that if the animal does get loose and poo-poo
(probably not worded as such in the bylaws) on someone else's property, the
owner of the pet(s) is responsible for cleaning it up as the property owner
has the right to enjoy their property without worrying about dog-poo (or
being attacked by other people's dogs).

If he continues 'walking' his dogs without leashes, remind him of the leash
law, and that his yelling is bothering your sleep (there is probably also a
noise ordinance, check into that too) - and if that doesn't help - by all
means, report him.

We've had problems with neighbor's dog(s) getting into our yard, but we've
never reported it as *they* have made the effort to confine the dogs to
*their* yard by plugging holes in *our* fence (old farm fencing that was on
our property line when we bought the place) where it touches their property.
Another neighbor's dog occasionally gets into our yard, but they are quick
to try and get him/her back.  I actually don't think it's our neighbor's
dog, I think it belongs to  a friend of his, and his friend brings him over
occasionally.  One time, the friend's teenage son's were traipsing around
our house trying to corral the pup - in the pouring rain!!!!  Pup, of
course, thought it was a fun game and led them on a merry chase throughout
the neighborhood.

Hey Pat,
It could well be that these neighbors are just careless and unthinking
rather than deliberate in their actions.  Does it look like the folks
that lived in your house before you cared about how the lawn looked?
Maybe they just never said anything about the dogs?  I agree a one on
one visit is best at this point...you guys have to live next doot to
each other.  Let us know what happens!
PatM

YUK!!  I read through this entire thread before deciding to answer it.  I
agree with those who say to try to talk to the persons first.  Maybe, since
you were both country folk before moving into town, you could approach them
with either a dinner invitation or a request for information about where
they think is the best place (sorry Mandy interruptions) to find something
you need.  Then you can ask about leash laws, in case they affect the cats,
and so forth.  Who knows you might become good neighbors with these people,
if not friends.  You may find out that they can help you as much as you can
help them.

Pam S. who has found some good friends using a smile and a casserole