Our Landlord Called Us Today...

[Jessika]

Apparently one of the new tenants in our building called our landlord with complaints about us. S/he told him that we don't clean up after our dogs, that she is worried they live in "cramped living conditions", aren't getting enough exercise, and aren't adequately taken care of.

This irritates me for a couple of reasons. We do clean up after our dogs. We also clean up after everyone else's dogs. Sometimes our dogs are on our back patio because Charlie REALLY enjoys the cooler weather and likes laying outside watching birds and people and cars go by, but they certainly are not on the back porch all day (maybe an hour at a time, because I can't get Charlie to come inside).

Our apartment is twice the size of the apartments below us because we're on the top floor and have a loft. But regardless of apartment size, we exercise them by taking them on long walks and also once a week take them to our friend's house who has acres upon acres of land and our pups and his pup have all that room to just RUN till their hearts content.

And they aren't adequately taken care of??? This just blows my mind!! Talk to any of my friends or family, I am ALWAYS teased for spoiling my pets! In fact just yesterday we drove to Springfield (45 minutes away) for dog food and everyone asked "why can't you just go to walmart; its a 5 minute drive away". Because I want the best for my pets and it just is not available anywhere around here. We have dog toys all over the house and buy more all the time!

The reason this irritates me the MOST though... there are only two other people living in this apartment building besides ourselves. There is a family that has been living here for a couple of months now and I know if they were going to say something they would have called already (that, and I know they are over the city limit for the number of people that they have living in their apartment, so why risk getting themselves in trouble also?).

There is a lady who JUST moved in last week who also has a medium sized dog that actually kind of looks like a smaller Aussie or an Aussie/sheltie mix. I was outside walking Jamie and Charlie together (as I always do) two days ago and her dog runs up and gets Jamie excited. I had trouble calming her down and getting her to sit without trying to run off or pull on the leash. So it probably looked as though they were untrained.

Please note: her dog was OFF LEASH.

I believe this woman is who called and complained to us. She also told our landlord that we have two large breed dogs when neither dog is more than 45 pounds (40 at most; they are kind of smaller for an Aussie).

Also I have to throw this in. I started a new job (the reason why I have not been around at all) and the first two weeks I worked 185 hours. Yes, 185 hours. That's 90+ hours per week (the paycheck was pretty sweet). Now I am averaging more around 65 hours per week, but then when I was hired I was called at 9am for an interview, hired, did a drug test, and started the job that very same day. We had NO warning or I would have kenneled my dogs (HJ and I work at the same place so we were gone the same amount). We have no family or friends who live here who could have taken them or stopped by to walk them for us. The only friends we have here also work at the theatre with us so lol.

I felt HORRIBLE about the first two weeks of work, the dogs were in the crate for 15+ hours a day. We would get one hour break, if we were lucky, and traffic was SO BAD there was no way we could make it home and back in time to clock back in to work (it is a very busy season here in Branson for Christmas).

Anyway so if that is what the lady was referring to, the busiest part is over and we are spending a LOT more time at home now. They are not in the crate a second longer than they need to be, and next year when tech week comes around I WILL be kenneling the dogs because it's unfair to them. I just had NO warning of it!!!!

So... I'm frustrated. We might lose our apartment because our landlord claims we only told him we had one dog when HJ stated clearly, many times, that we had TWO. So... I don't know what to do! Our apartment is clean, does not smell like dog (we had a friend come over who hasn't been over in a few months and asked him how it smelled), the dogs are clean, healthy, and well taken care of. This honestly HURTS me that someone would call and complain. I can lose my apartment over this!!! Our lease is up in February, anyway.

But at the same time I am happy that someone cares enough about animals that they would call and voice their concern to someone. But only IF their intentions were for the best interest of the animals and not because they like getting their nose into other people's business.

But... SHE DOES NOT LEASH HER DOG, and has nerve to complain about us.

[dukedogsmom]

I cannot stand it when irresponsible people do things like this! I was walking Molly for the first time the other day and here comes an unleashed Beagle. The man never leashes him and he's going to get killed. He'll just stand in the roadway. I told him he might want to come get his dog because I just got mine and didn't know what she'd do. In the meantime, Beagle is sniffing her rear

Anyway, I hope you don't lose your apartment over this. If you've been there a while, your landlord should know you're not like that and dismiss this stranger's accusations. Why she did it is beyond me.

[Sevaede]

I am so sorry Jessika! People like that often aren't concerned with the welfare of the animal, they are just looking for any excuse they can to get you in trouble.

Does it state on your lease anything about your pooches?

[Jessika]

We're looking for the lease... we actually think our first roommate threw it away. We're going to ask for another copy though. But yeah there was stuff in there about pets, the basic stuff like they can not be off-leash, clean up after them, etc.

[Canis Amicus]

Oh dear!
It happened to me too, when I adopeted Rex, my 5 yo GSD, in 2004: I received an annonymous letter! (I think I posted here). I am sure it was from people living in buildings on the other side of the street! At that time Rex was a terrible case of dog to dog aggression.

Simply I wrote an answer and taped at the entrance door of the apartment house where I live.

And at the end of the answer I stated that if I received any kind of this accusations, I would after my rights at the police.

Never got any kind of letter anymore!

I wish you good luck.

Rosana
Zurich, Switzerland

[elizabethann]

This is awful.

How about if you invite your landlord to your apartment? Perhaps if he sees that it's not cramped or smells like your dogs, he may feel better about the accusations made against you?

Good luck.

[ramanth]

I'm really sorry you're going through this.

In one of the other buildings there is a woman who just opens her door (that faces a four lane and very busy street I might add) and lets her Rottie out to go to the bathroom. This dog is off leash and she never cleans up after it.

I was walking Kia past the building one evening and didn't see the dog till we were almost on top of it. The woman noticed me and called her dog back. It just stood there for a moment but thankfully recalled.

Then just yesterday, I'm walking Kia and Chipper on the other side of the road when the Rottie steps into the road. Poor thing nearly got hit! This car lays on the horn and it just stands there. The woman was no where in sight!! The woman throws open the door and starts calling but the dog won't come. Some people.

I'd call and complain about her but I don't know what unit she's in. :\

Our building has a lot of dogs in it and not everyone cleans up after their dogs, but we make sure we do. We also take great pains to make sure they are quiet in the early morning and late at night.

Chipper has been going nuts when we leave for work, so hopefully he's either settling down fast, or people will be understanding and not complain.

I really hope your landlord will be understanding.

[cyber-sibes]

I hope you can convince the landlord that you really are taking good care of your dogs. It's so hard to find places that allow dogs in the first place. Have you thought about asking her face to face politely if she was the one who called? Maybe clear the air?

[kimlovescats]

I'm sorry you are having to deal with this. As long as you have your dogs "legally" as stated by your lease, then try to just be extra careful and ignore nosy neighbors!

Good luck!

[BOBS DAD]

I hope you can convince the landlord that you really are taking good care of your dogs. It's so hard to find places that allow dogs in the first place. Have you thought about asking her face to face politely if she was the one who called? Maybe clear the air?

That's a great idea CS. I mean, it wouldn't hurt. Be diplomatic and maybe even get to know her better. People are often caught off guard and don't know how to react when you do the opposite of what they expect. Return her accusations with pleasantry, ask her her dog's name, how old and what kind is he/she? Tell her how beautiful he is. Say hello whenever you see her. She'll have a hard time calling the authorities on you again.

Hope it all works out.

It does sound like maybe she got a bad first impression of you and hubby. Put yourself in her position... not knowing you, maybe she thought that the unusual period you describe was normal life for you and your dogs. And I sure hope that the lease doesn't say anything about just 1 dog, cause you could be screwed.

[flowergirl]

How much did you pay for a pet deposit? It is usually per pet. Also, you most likely have a seperate addendum for the pets that should list the age, breed, etc. You need to get a copy of your lease docs. and review. If infact, only one dog is shown, you just need to explain that it was an honest mistake, and hopefully you can just pay the addt. deposit. Good Luck.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I hope you can keep your apartment but I also hope that maybe you could hire someone to look in on your dogs if you are still working a lot. I'd try explaining things to your landlord. Good luck.

[Husky15]

This is awful.

How about if you invite your landlord to your apartment? Perhaps if he sees that it's not cramped or smells like your dogs, he may feel better about the accusations made against you?

Good luck.

That's what I was thinking.

Good luck with everything. This is really awful. I hate it when people try to cause problems like this.

[Lori Jordan]

i'm so sorry you are going through this,When me and my husband were seperated last year i had my own appartment and i had Lacy and Bandit with me,There was this one women that was like the security of the premisis(she thought so anyways)She called on me and said i was beating Bandit,because he was pulling me and i pulled him back and stayed put until he calmed down,Some people have nothing better to do then cause havelock!Best wishes to you nice to see you back,You should come around more often

Ps.....it has been ages since we have seen pictures of your wigglebutts!

Take Care remeber dont loose you cool,they tend to get worse!lol

[MinnieandJakesMom119]

Oh I feel terrible. I really hate how people just decide to nudge into ur own buisness. Its not fair. You didnt know that you would be working that long and if you would have known you would have kenneled them. IT IS NOT FAIR AT ALL THAT YOU HAVE TO SUFFER BECUASE SOMEONE ELSE DOESNT HAVE THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT!!! I totally feel for you and your pups I wish you the best of luck!!