We heard the neighbor's dog carrying on outside today, a part pit bull that he lets run loose, and when I went out to check what he was doing he was scratching at the back door and ran off. It was not until later that I noticed that the cover on my mini parked just across the road under a deck had partially blown off at the front. Well it turns out the cover had not blown off but was torn off by the %$@#& dog, probably chasing a ground squirrel. It was not a pretty sight with the cover in pieces and tatters and muddy paw swipes all over the bonnet. He had even bitten a piece out of the back of the cover. This isn't the first time the dog has scratched up a car of ours, but it's the first time for the Mini, so I'll be calling the sheriff tomorrow to document the damage. I won't know how much damage he did to the bonnet until I can wash it off, but I suspect it did not come out unscathed. I can't blame the dog but I certainly blame the owner for letting him run loose and ignoring our many requests to keep him at home.

 

 

Just make sure you dig the hole ahead of time.

 

 

Yes, it is a very rural area, so no local dog catchers. The dog is actually very friendly but it goes nuts over ground squirrels. I have taken it back to the owner multiple times and he will try to keep it home for a day or so and then it is back running the neighborhood again. I once found it dragging a small cable that it got wrapped around a trailer in my yard; I don't know how long it had been there but when I untangled the cable to take it home it was so strong It practically dragged me there. Another time it was trying to get at a ground squirrel under a 1986 Corvette project car I have and it scratched the heck out of the fiberglass hood of that car even chipping little chunks out of it with its claws and climbing on top of the hood. I had to push it of with a broom several times before it would finally give up.

The real problem is the owner having a dog he can't (or won't) control and his refusal to take any responsibility. I am out at least the cost of a new Mini cover and likely the cost of repairing scratches to the paint on the bonnet, unless the law steps in and makes him take financial responsibility. I do own guns and a backhoe, but I hope it doesn't come to that. I'd rather see the dog removed and given to someone who is more responsible (in another neighborhood far, far away).

EDIT: The Sheriff's animal control officer came out and looked at the damage to the mini and the cover and took some photos with his phone and said he would go tell the owner about leash laws (or leave a note if he is not home) and suggest that the owner should pay for a new cover, but he can't charge him unless I saw the dog actually doing the damage or have photos of him doing it; he said it would not stand up in court without such evidence. He also said if I see the dog running loose again to take a photo and they could charge the owner with violation of the leash law, but he can't force him to pay for the damage. I also showed him the claw marks on my Corvette and told him I definitely saw the dog doing that damage because I had to push him off with a broom several times before he would go away, and he said I should have reported it at the time. I did ask if there is a law against shooting a dog on your property and he said if an animal is on your property doing damage you have the right to stop it by any means available. I told him I'd rather shoot the owner and he chuckled and said there were some folks he felt that way about but he couldn't do it.

 

I was being facetious, I also would not want to hurt the dog.

How functional/willing is the law enforcement in your area? A cheap security camera could catch the dog damaging your property. From there you could potentially get the law involved because the owner is negligent with regard to his animal.

If you want to play hardball you could use a wrist rocket or low powered air rifle to persuade the dog to not come on your property.


It is unfortunate this animal is being allowed to roam. I feel bad for the dog, he's just doing dogstuff and his owner is negligent.

 

I do have a security camera in my car port, on the driveway on the other side of the house, and on various decks, but they were set to record at night so we'd know how many coons were roaming about tearing up the bird feeders. (I live trap the coons and haul them off to a nearby mountain) The Mini was actually across the road under another weekend neighbor's deck to protect it from all the acorns falling right now along with the oak leaves, so no camera there recording or not. The irony is that I thought I was protecting it from falling acorns but never thought it would be attacked by the &^%$&! dog. Guess I need to move the Mini back home and set the driveway cameras to record 24/7 for awhile to catch the dog running loose. One problem is that I have only 2/3 of a Mini cover now. I may try to talk to the dog owner if the rain ever stops, but I don't have high hopes of him accepting financial responsibility.

 

Sounds like the Animal Control Officer was pretty candid about your options. I think I'd be following up with your camera changes and beginning to put together evidence of your neighbors negligence. I truly feel bad for the dog here.

 

 

I opened this post this morning, no comments made at the time, and composed an idea concerning methods of making dogs disappear and the disposal thereof but then thought better of it. Guess I'm not the only one with that solution to the problem. Only problem with that is, the owner would more than likely replace said critter with one equal to or even worse.

 

I don't think the dog is human aggressive, just after small animals. I would not treat a domesticated animal the same as a wild animal unless it was threatening me or mine. For the sake of the dog I would be inclined to not permanently harm the dog unless I absolutely had to. I just like animals too much, but I dislike most people.

 

 

This gave me a good laugh. I often feel the same way, but then it probably reflects poorly on myself rather than "most people". Most people are probably ok, it is just the casual interaction and event that colors our judgment of them. As long as you don't like the Boston Red Sox, I might like the person.

In this dog situation I'd be inclined to try a motion activated sprinkler head to see if that keeps him/her away. Killing animals or people over cars, that is off the list for sane folks.

 

Well, it takes all kinds.

I do not consider it a positive reflection on myself either.

 

And find a responsible owner for the dog too.

 

That's a shame......... :(

It seems like you need to build a garage for ALL the cars and or anything you want protected.

The owner will never control the dog or any other animal he/she may get.

I am an animal lover and would try to never shoot any animal........BUT........I am from the school that......its on MY property........not doing ANYONE or anything any harm....

now something or someone does damage......They pay one way or another.

Good Luck and LOVE the YELLOW Mini !!!!!!!!

 

Update: Today I was out back getting my leaf sweeper ready for this year's oak leaf assault and found the heavy vinyl motorcycle cover I keep on my JD commercial mower in tatters.




I gathered up the vinyl pieces along with pieces of the Mini cover and a print out from the Budge web site of the C-1050 Mini cover and walked up to visit the dog owner. He had built a chain link enclosure beside his house and the gate was open so Max must have been inside. When he came out I was polite, showed him the scraps, and said I wanted him to come see what his dog had done. He was also polite and came down and looked at the Mini and its cover, at the shredded mower cover, and at the chips on the front of the 86 Corvette that the dog had clawed this summer when I had to physically push him off three times. He did not argue or say it was not his dog and he took the printout and said he would order a new cover and bring it to me. I told him I didn't know where to find another mower cover, but I would look and let him know. He was apologetic, perhaps aided by the visit from the Sheriff's animal control officer who Chris said told him if Max was found running loose again he'd be arrested. He said it was weird that Max seemed to have a cover fetish, and I said I was sure he was chasing ground squirrels because I had seen him go crazy on them before (like on the Corvette). He said he had tried an electronic device on Max that he'd bought on line that didn't work and we discussed another neighbor's electronic dog fence that had really worked for their dog who had been a free roaming playmate to Max before the fence, and Chris said he might look into that - I hope he does. It was an amicable conversation, no recriminations, no shouting, and I hope we can continue to have a civil relationship and that he can keep Max at home. I haven't washed the mini bonnet yet but am hoping everything will wash off or buff out and that the cover took the brunt of the attack.

For coopermike29, thanks for the compliment. "Tweety Bird" is an 04 Cooper S JCW with a few extra go-fast mods. Here's a photo from the recent MITO group photo shoot gathering in Eureka Springs. I think my wife let me buy it because she liked the eyes (and because I bought her a 2010 Honda Odyssey Touring) The mallet is one I carry as my window motor persuader - it even works sometimes.

 

VERY SHARP !!!!!!

Did the owner buy you 2 new covers ????

 

Thanks,

He took the print out from the Budge web site and said he would order a new cover and bring it to me. Nothing so far, but he has tried to keep his dog at home except one time when he was working in the yard when I passed by and Max followed my car for a 1/4 mile.

 

 

I hope it doesn't come to that. It is not really the dog's fault but the owners for not keeping him contained.