WWYD?/vent Neighbors throwing things into yard

[luv-my-boys]

I guess this is a WWYD and a little vent rolled into one. This is our situation. We live in a neighobrhood where literally everyone has children. Our back yard is fenced in with a side gate to allow access to our yard. our backyards and that of our neighbors (either sides) but into a *common* area and then the other side of the streets houses also back into it. Basically all our neighbors on our side and the other side of the *common* area do not have fenced in yards. Fenced yards are sprinkled throughout on property lines but its pretty open reign back there. We have a fenced yard because we have little ones and dogs, one of which is a runner. we have asked and told the neighborhood kids that if something gets thrown into the yard to please ring our bell and we will get it for them. To please not attempt to get it themselves (we had a few incidents where the dogs were let out and took forever to catch them) They are friendly dogs but for that reason we dont want unsupervised children in our back yard. I am forever finding toys and things in our yards...balls,frisbees,jumping ropes. Needless to say when I see them I throw them over the fence into the *common area* It is pretty common knowledge with the kids that if they come and tell me I will get them their toy immediately and throw it over the fence. Needless to say a few things have made it ove the fence, unseen by me, and the dogs (the puppy) have gotten to it and chewed it. I have thrown it over the fence and didnt think anything of it until a parent came knocked on my door and was snippy with me because "my dog destroyed my kids (insert expensive brand here) frisbee....AGAIN!" I said I was sorry but I have asked the children not to play so close to OUR PROPERTY (not all of ours is fenced in so theoretically they are most likely playing on our property) and if something falls in to come and get me. I dont have the time or energy to make a sweep of the yard everytime my dogs want to go out to pee: now if I do see something oh course I throw it over, but still WWYD. The neighbor made it out as if I should have been responsible and reinbursed/replaced the frisbee. I dont feel that way. WWYD? they are back yard neighbors so they are not my immediate neighbors.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I don't think you are responsible for anything that ends up in your yard. Of course keep tossing things out if you see them but I don't think you need to pay for anything that is thrown in there that your dog chews.

That said, I wonder if the parents think that your dog is getting out and then chewing on stuff that isn't in your yard? I think that would be a different story if your dog was going over to the neighbors yard and destroying their stuff. (which I know is not the case) Maybe you should keep anything you find in your yard that has already been chewed so you can prove that it was in fact in your yard.

[beanma]

I don't think you should feel like you need to replace or pay for something that someone put into your yard. Maybe you could post a sign on the fence near the common area reminding folks to come knock on the door if something goes into the fence.

The parents were probably frustrated because their kids keep losing their frisbees. Their frustration is misplaced on you and the dogs, though. It's the kids' fault. If they threw it up on the roof of another neighbor it wouldn't be that neighbor's fault. If they threw it in a pond in the common area and it sank that wouldn't be the HOA's fault. Not your fault somebody throws a frisbee in your yard.

[Ola_]

You absolutely do not need to replace anything that they threw on YOUR property. That's just silly. If the parents are giving their children such expensive toys then they should supervise closer to make sure it doesn't get damaged/lost.

Can you put a lock on your gate to keep the dogs safe? The kind of latch that we have you can put a lock (either key or combo) through it. I would be concerned about the dogs getting out and hit by a car if the kids are still coming into your yard.

[Super~Single~Mama]

This might be ridiculous, but can you put up a sign on the other side of the fence that informs people of the dog, and that it might chew anything that gets over? Maybe people would be less likely to throw things so close to your property if they know. If they still do it, and the toy gets chewed then they knew ahead of time the dog might chew it.

[gumby74]

You are most definitely not responsible for the toys that end up in your yard and get chewed up. I think my biggest concern would be that the dogs would get hurt chewing up something.

[luv-my-boys]

Originally Posted by thyra

This might be ridiculous, but can you put up a sign on the other side of the fence that informs people of the dog, and that it might chew anything that gets over? Maybe people would be less likely to throw things so close to your property if they know. If they still do it, and the toy gets chewed then they knew ahead of time the dog might chew it.

DH actually suggested this as well. We have a picture we took of the puppy after he got a hold of one of the boys stuffed animal. Its him looking lovingly into the camera with all this fluff around him torn to shreds. Im thinking about using that picture and "if it makes it into my fence...ITS GONE" and having it laminated and hang on the fence that faces the common area

[onlyzombiecat]

I would stop throwing the toys back. I would lock the gate.

You let them know they should come to you and get their toys back. I would pick up toys and put them in a box for a week. If no one comes to claim it then I would get rid of it.

I might tell the parents that if their kids play close to your fence and their toy goes into your yard then the dog might chew on it. If they don't want that to happen they should keep the toy from going over the fence.

[Miasmamma]

I used to deliver for FedEx and had multiple customers with signs on their gates that said basically the same thing, "Do not put anything in the yard, Dog will eat." You aren't responsible for what ends up in your yard. If the kids lose it and don't come ask for it, then it's fair game for your dogs if you don't get it first. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your neighbors have been warned.

[Ola_]

The one thing I would worry about is someone tossing something in that could hurt your dogs if they eat it. Toys with sharp parts or even something poisonous.

Not too much you can do though, just keep tossing stuff over when you see it and try to scan the yard when you go out there.

[slimkins]

I agree with all the other posters and about putting the sign up.
Also, if that neighbor gets attitude with you again then you should let them know that you will be sure to give them a bill for when you have to have one of their kid's toys removed from your dog's tummy, because that is very possible. I don't know if that would actually hold up in court, but they have no right blaming you for their children's responsibilities.