Advice Needed: My Tenant's Cats Has Been Killed by Neighbour's Dogs

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    dani1ada on 13/06/2022 - 18:59

    +2

    I don’t get the downvote on this comment. Why was that cat outside in the first place unrestrained?

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      BookerDeWitt on 13/06/2022 - 20:26

      You get it, mate. Cat people are crazy and don't realise the damage they cause. Just ot be clear though, I don't like cats, but I'm fine with people who keep their cats indoors.

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  RolandWaites on 13/06/2022 - 18:52

  +2

  Good on you OP for trying to help out. Can't deny that it's a little amusing to me to imagine the following situation though..

  1. Tenant's cat killed, want to help

  2. "Sorry to hear that [tenant's name]. I'll do what I can. I know some people who might know a thing or two about this sort of thing.

  3. Goes to computer

  4. www.ozbargain.com.au

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  Saver Scott on 13/06/2022 - 19:34

  +5

  Cats must be inside or fenced in their property. This is due to the amount of wildlife they kill. If the owner of the cats followed the law, they wouldn’t have been killed.

  Also, the neighbour’s dogs are vicious and need to be reported.

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    2024 on 13/06/2022 - 19:41

    Depends on where you are… Many places don’t have a law about containing cats

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    airtime on 13/06/2022 - 21:32

    Before accusing someone of breaching a law, maybe take the time to understand the situation. The OP stated the cats were where they were supposed to be - in the OP's/landlord's property. It was the dogs who had left their owner's property and wandered into the neighbouring property where they killed the 2 cats.

    The owner of the cat had followed the law and the cats were killed. Your post couldn't have gotten it more wrong.

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      Saver Scott on 14/06/2022 - 16:53

      I thought they cats were out the front in an unfenced area? If you read it as the dogs went into their house, then that’s on you. But it reads like the cats were out the front under the sun.

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  Ragnarok1983 on 13/06/2022 - 19:47

  Hope the dogs get put down!

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    Yaren24 on 13/06/2022 - 21:41

    I am not sure if the council will put both down, the tenant is upset that i felt he was unable of make a formal decision. this is why I posted here to gather everyone's thoughts as this is not uncommon.

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  bitcoinorbust on 13/06/2022 - 21:59

  Be a typical landlord and raise the rent because they no longer need to buy cat food

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  [Deactivated] on 13/06/2022 - 22:27

  Funny how it's all the dogs fault. Amazing how the dogs passed through the walls of a house by magic to gain access to the cats of a responsible owner who kept them inside. Oh wait…

  At dusk tonight there were about five different cats all screeching at each other outside in a standoff. Council rangers told me years ago to drop off any cat I catch on my property, they'll check for a chip, if it has one the owners get notified to pay to get it back or surrender it. It then goes on display for a couple of weeks for a responsible owner to buy, then gets put down. No chip and the same thing without the phone call to the owner.

  Well I recently found a trap on the side of the road that was missing a door and trigger. I fitted those a few days ago. So it's going to get a LOT quieter around here once I buy a tin of sardines.

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    Canberralad92 on 15/06/2022 - 13:47

    +2

    It's not the dog fault. It's the owner for keeping aggressive dogs and allowing them onto someone else property.

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      [Deactivated] on 15/06/2022 - 15:54

      That view is posted several times and it's nonsense. People are judging based on their personal bias, rather than a fair unbiased assessment. It's completely natural behaviour for dogs to chase/attack cats - and not just "bogan" breeds. Everyone knows Tom & Jerry cartoons (Tom & the bulldog). i.e. It's such a well known trope that it's been fodder for many cartoons for decades. There's plenty of other ownerless dogs who could have found their way into the yard and done the same. So really, BOTH pet owners are at fault:

      a) Cats shouldn't be outside the owner's house (not just left to themselves inside a yard), unless of course there's additional mesh or a run preventing them jumping the fence.

      b) Dogs who don't jump fences (most of them) shouldn't be outside a yard.

      It's dumb to punish one animal for it's innate behaviour toward another. Especially based on which one is "more fluffy" (which one we personally prefer). And anyone who says their cat only ever sits on a back step, never jumps a fence, is either lying or is only telling the truth because the cat is old and has years of culling wildlife behind it already.

      The guy just below has the right idea. Get rid of both of them. Unless someone lives on a farm there's no reason to own a cat, dog (or budgie, goldfish, or anything else for that matter). After years of observing and listening to pet owners, I think people who need to own pets have mild psychopathic tendencies. i.e. They have a need to incarcerate, to remove the freedom of… another living creature, but then perversely call it "companionship."

      A few rungs up the crazy ladder from that, are those who call animals "fur-babies" or "like part of our family." They buy or breed animals, then carry on like it had a choice and is like a child… but half those pets would run away without a fence trapping them there, and the other half are imprinted so have the human equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome. Well if they want us to believe their "fur-baby" is human-like to them, then by supporting the breeding and sale of animals they've basically engaged in child trafficking and human slavery.

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  BartholemewH on 14/06/2022 - 04:29

  +2

  Lol, love the debate in the thread based on the poster's preference for dogs or cats. Get rid of all of them I say. Problem solved.

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  bigbadboogieman on 14/06/2022 - 08:34

  Today it's cars, tomorrow it could be an attack on someone walking, could even be a child. Something has to be done. It must have taken alot of aggression to kill 2 cats.

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  Homr on 14/06/2022 - 10:31

  what breed dogs were they?

  Just found out they were staffy.

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  Save Medicare on 14/06/2022 - 11:10

  Have nothing to add, want to say that I'm sorry to hear about the cats.

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    Yaren24 on 14/06/2022 - 20:16

    +1

    The tenant is going through rough patches, i had a chat with him today, he doesn't feel well either, will have colonoscopy done shortly. I am not sure what he wants to do yet, but i feel he lost drive to take legal acitons. but i could be wrong.

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      DiscountForThee on 15/06/2022 - 09:01

      +3

      will have colonoscopy done shortly

      Well, I guess everyone grieves in different ways…
      But seriously it sounds like a sad story. Thanks for being supportive of your friend.

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        Yaren24 on 15/06/2022 - 19:11

        Thank you!

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  [Deactivated] on 14/06/2022 - 12:14

  +1

  I feel really bad for your tenant, I think it would be very tough on a 70 year old who loves the companionship of their 3 pets lose two of them.

  Very sad to think the way they died as well :(

  Of course I would never want any animal put down, but it is a concern that those dogs possibly could of injured a child and or definitely would of attacked potentially other dogs as well.

  Very sad situation for everyone involved.

  This isn't dogs vs cats, but is very rare to see another cat kill a cat however a large dog has the ability to seriously injure another animal or human for that matter.

  If these dogs are that aggressive towards a cat, they have the potential to be aggressive towards not only children but also adults.

  The responsibility falls on the dog owner.

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    [Deactivated] on 15/06/2022 - 16:56

    -2

    The responsibility falls on the dog owner.

    And the cat owner.

    If the cats were inside the house where they belong (being in the yard means they could jump the fence at will to go kill rare birds, koalas, etc), then no-one would even know the dogs escaped. They would have sniffed around a bit, gone home, owner would have seen his gate open and closed it. Ho-hum, nothing to see here. So BOTH were complacent/careless, only the dog owner made one mistake on one day, whereas the cat owner has obviously been allowing the cats outside most days over several years - during which time they've probably culled several hundred native species. By ending their reign of terror the dogs exposed the cat owner's consistent apathy, and done our wildlife a service.

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    Yaren24 on 15/06/2022 - 19:16

    Thank you. fingers crossed, the tenant is not too well in terms of his health, i would suspect he wouldn't take the other neighbour to court as this maybe too much for him (that's how i perceived from him).

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  sk3iron on 14/06/2022 - 16:05

  +1

  The only reason this would have anything to do with you is if the tenant complained about a damaged gate or repair that you have not undertaken that has negligently contributed to the harm his pet suffered. Otherwise, despite you trying to do the right thing, tell him to contact police and the ranger because you have no legal or actual obligation.

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  frostman on 14/06/2022 - 16:29

  +2

  In the US. animal control would put these 2 dogs down and hand the dumbass owner a fine.
  This country is around 200 years behind.

  Before chirpy staffy and pitbull owners start to experience ADD symptoms to this post, this is because once these dogs have killed a live animal, it will continue to have this instinct, this means breaking through a fence or launching at a person holding their cat.

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  Raj09 on 15/06/2022 - 00:34

  +1

  The owners of the dogs are responsible for their behaviour. It's not about dogs being better than cats. The owners of the cats would also be responsible for their pets behaviour.

  In this case, the dogs caused death and the owners are responsible. They will have to compensate or have their dogs put down. No getting away from that

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    Yaren24 on 15/06/2022 - 19:05

    I don't know about putting it down, this is up to the investigators, I would like to be justified but sometimes the council/rangers can be hit or miss.

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      Raj09 on 15/06/2022 - 21:54

      Yes. I'm not sure on putting them down either. But the dogs are sure to be dangerous.

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  Retchey on 15/06/2022 - 14:43

  -1

  Don't get involved in others species problems, stay well away , you could be bitten or scratched. Just my opinion

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  plastererJazz on 15/06/2022 - 16:17

  Well, you mentioned that there are cameras, and witnesses and an investigation has been conducted.

  There is pretty much nothing you could do as a landlord, perhaps waive the rent for 1 year?

  It most likely will issue a penalty to the dog owner and list the dogs as dangerous and mandated training etc.

  The truth is no amount of money and punishment will ease your tenant's pain of losing cats.

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    [Deactivated] on 15/06/2022 - 16:59

    -2

    Hopefully it cures his apathy about his cats roaming free in the yard to jump fences and cull wildlife though.

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    Yaren24 on 15/06/2022 - 18:54

    i already gave discounted rent, $100 less than the market rate today, I am afraid that they may label the dogs as dangerous and just a slap on the hand that's all.

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      plastererJazz on 15/06/2022 - 20:59

      That’s pretty much it and that is given if evidence can prove that the dogs engaged first. It would be a different story if the cats were roaming within neighbour territory.

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        [Deactivated] on 18/06/2022 - 17:33

        Animals don't recognise borders. That's why we've had councils, TV programs, etc for years pleading with cat owners to keep their cat/s inside their home. It's hypocritical and disgusting to kill one animal that escaped once, because it killed another which roams free every day and kills all sorts of other creatures. In fact, if that IS acceptable, there should be no problem killing every cat we find roaming around since they all kill birds, lizards, etc - hundreds of the same "evil" thing the dog did ONCE.

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  Misha Bakunin on 15/06/2022 - 17:31

  Gawd if they were my cats I'd be tempted to poison the dogs.

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    [Deactivated] on 18/06/2022 - 17:54

    If they were your cats, you should have kept them inside too. :-D

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      Misha Bakunin on 18/06/2022 - 23:27

      That's true…..

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  CauseNEffect on 19/06/2022 - 21:11

  +1

  Horrendous situation.

  The owner of the dogs is at fault. So sad for the owner of the cat to lose two family members.

  Pit bull staffies have a heightened prey kill instinct compared to other dogs which is why they kill small animals and also sometimes children. They also get frenzied when they attack they don't stop until they know they have killed, they are absolutely terrible dogs to keep in environments that have other small animals around.

  No doubt they can be great protection for owners family but no guarantee they won't snap and kill other dogs at any moment.

  The owner/neighbour needs to rehome the dogs
  to a farm or somewhere with appropriate fencing. They should also pay for new cats and grievances involved.

  Owning these type of dogs is lose lose. They kill and someone loses a family member, then you lose the dog/ your family member.

  Personally I don't see the point when there are so many better alternatives in dog breeds.

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    Yaren24 on 19/06/2022 - 23:59

    I am still angry about this, i would hope that they will put the dogs down, nothing else can justify the death of 2 cats.

    The law is lenient where people can get away from a lot of things, a lot to do with the owner.

    All we seeking is peace, I honestly want to kill the dogs right now.

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      CauseNEffect on 20/06/2022 - 15:38

      +2

      Yes that feeling is understandable.

      Such pointless violence but really this is their instinct. They are listed as dangerous for a reason. The owner really (profanity) up here letting the most dangerous breed offleash and unsecured. The owner deserves to be severely punished. The law needs to impose the same punishment as for firing gun type weapons imo. Pet Animals deserve to have rights and those that hurt them charged with serious animal cruelty charges with serious penalties comparable to thise against fellow humans.

      The dogs need to be neutered and rehomed to suitable environment with the information they have killed cats.. someone can provide a good home for them.. id argue against euthanasia as dogs don't live long anyway but that is because I stress these dogs must be taken away from the suburbs and out to somewhere with adequate space and fencing.

      Though truth be told if they had attacked a child they would already be euthanized. Something they may actually do in the future.. we've all seen the news stories and they are all too common.

      Why these breed are available for the general public is the bigger issue. There is no acceptable reason that I can think of as there are plenty of security dog breeds that don't have this terrible instinct to kill bred into them. Humans created pitbulls for horrific reasons and they are a breed that should not be for sale anymore.

      Unfortunately you have to follow local council procedures, the cat owners can likely take the dog owner to the civil and administration tribunal for damages and maybe some forced direction for the dog owner to move them on.

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        Yaren24 on 20/06/2022 - 21:02

        Thanks mate, i appreciate your inputs.

        This is the issue, laws are not strict enough, it seems lots of cases where owners can get away from many things. The law def needs to be going towards this direction. We had an investigator came through as well, he only provided assurance, didn't really want to help in that sense of going outside of his boundary.

        In saying that, the tenant is 75 years who has got anxiety issues, i don't think he has got the capacity to take someone to court. He does have a lot of issues too.. If was me, i would take the owner to court for $5k of damage minimum.

        I generally have no issues with Staffy, the day before I went to someone else's homes who had 2 staffys, they were really friendly absolutely had no issues, it all boils to the owner who supposly to train them at a younger age. I researched the staffys, apparently they had issues of swelling in the brain which exacerbated their eagerness to kill, some dogs you don't need to train, but these required to be trained, so they remain safely.

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