Neighbours Are Letting Their Dog Poo under The Apartment Clotheslines

peppet on 01/05/2022 - 19:34

One of the tennants in our small apartment block take their medium sized dog down to one of two lawn spaces on the property to do its business. This happens to be right under the communal clotheslines.

There is a dog-friendly park under 5 mins walk away, a nature strip out front, and a front lawn that no one steps on, but they choose to let it poo under the clotheslines that are constantly used.

I feel disgusted hanging my clothes down there and stepping in areas the dog potentially shat to hang my laundry (no space for a dryer and no sun on balcony). Not only that, but they take the dog down there while clothes are out and it rubs itself all over them.

Somehow I'm the only person who seems bothered by this. Is it just me, does anyone else think this is disgusting? And extremely lazy?

I have a similarly sized dog, we take him off grounds to do his business where no one is walking around or hanging their clean laundry. It's the same distance to the front as it is to the back but they refuse to let it go anywhere else.

I love their dog so I don't want to anger them, but I hate it.

Apparently this is allowed by the coucil. How do I get them to stop? Or just go in the front lawn which is less than 15m away. They won't listen to me.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Quantumcat on 01/05/2022 - 19:36
    +15

    Talk to the strata, maybe you can make it a by law that dogs can't be taken there to poo, or that owners have to clean up after their dogs. I guess council allow it as it is private property.

    Also you could put a dryer on your balcony.

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 19:48

      Our balconies are so abysmally small that we can't fit a dryer on it, just big enough to step on to. Can fit a few clothes on there but the sheets go on the line whenever we get some sun because they don't dry at all inside, even with a fan or heater.

      Strata are no help either, they refuse to put it to a vote. I wonder if we can ask the council to step in.

      • Quantumcat on 01/05/2022 - 19:53
        +2

        I don't think the council will do anything as it is private property. If strata won't help, and you don't think you can talk the neighbours into behaving differently, outside of retaliation (don't recommend that, if they care so little about others they will do that they could easily make trouble for you, keying your car etc) I don't think there's anything else you can do, except to move :(
        I don't think dog repellents will work, it isn't like someone taking their dog for a walk and you are just trying to avoid being the lawn the dog chooses to stop at. The owners are taking the dog there to poo and probably won't go back inside until it does. The dog won't take itself to another lawn because it doesn't like the way this one smells or anything.

        • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 20:01
          +2

          Agghh some people are just impossible. I'd hate to see the inside of their unit if they don't mind hanging their laundry around dog poo.

          Very much considering moving asap. Poor doggy deserves a lot better

  • apsilon on 01/05/2022 - 19:46
    +6

    Collect the "evidence" and drop it in the pocket of their clothes when they're hung out next along with a note that you'll stop if they do.

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 19:49

      I'm so very tempted to do that, but since we've complained to them they'll know it was us and get us in trouble.

      Like is it so hard to take the dog for a little walk? Especially on a sunny day?

      • apsilon on 01/05/2022 - 20:02
        +3

        There's a difference between knowing and proving.

      • turbochris on 02/05/2022 - 08:37
        +1

        You are just returning their property to them.

  • morse on 01/05/2022 - 19:47
    +4

    They won't listen to me.

    Sounds like you’ve already tried talking to them. Maybe a safe dog repellent that won’t harm the dog.

    It’s reasonable to be disgusted - that’s not hygienic.

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 19:51
      +1

      I hadn't even considered this. This sounds like a fantastic idea. Something safe for the grass and our pets, I see Bunnings has some, we'll definitely be trying it this weekend

  • HairyChickens on 01/05/2022 - 19:52
    +2

    Pretty sh*tty situation you're in……

    sorry

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 20:02
      +1

      Your joke is the only thing cheering me up right now :'(

  • AustriaBargain on 01/05/2022 - 19:54
    +3

    Mix one part vinegar to one part water and spray the grass area, the dog won't like. Not too much or you'll harm the grass.

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 19:58

      This seems easy to test, project for tomorrow evening sorted

      • tomsco on 02/05/2022 - 07:42

        Best of luck. Eager to see if successful.

      • Euphemistic on 02/05/2022 - 12:22
        +1

        I can see god next post. ‘How to get lawn to regrow in winter’

        • peppet on 02/05/2022 - 12:30

          Well darn, I want to preserve all the green we have. I sprayed vinegar on a small patch near my area and the dog hated it, but the smell must've disappeared because he was happy to sniff it this morning. Hoping my grass doesn't die

          • Euphemistic on 02/05/2022 - 19:41
            +2

            @peppet: Vinegar is often used as an environmentally friendly weed spray.

            Vinegar, some salt and a some dish soap as a surfactant is a common recipe.

  • chrisn26 on 01/05/2022 - 20:14
    +1

    This is one of those situations where once you see it, you can't unsee it. I used to not pay much attention to dog poop before owning a dog, but now having to pick up my little one's "happiness", I'm starting to see other dog's everywhere.

    OP if you can't live with it (which is totally understandable), my only suggestion is to get permission and pay for concreting the ground under the clothelines. Dogs tend to have a preference on the surface in which they poo, most dogs have learned to poo on soft surfaces like grass so don't like to poo on hard surfaces. Make sure there's still grass nearby but away from the clothes otherwise you might get a few that will poo on concrete since there's no better option, lol.

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 20:22
      +2

      Concrete could be a good idea. We'll have to convince the other tennants to agree. You'd have to be extra loopy to let your dog poo on concrete 🤢

      • suzley on 02/05/2022 - 10:26
        +1

        Do you really think the other tenants would agree to pay for concreting? If they are faced with that, I would think they would approach the offender en masse rather than fork out money unnecessarily.

        • peppet on 02/05/2022 - 12:28

          I would much rather preserve the limited grass we have, so concreting is the last resort, but yes - only if the other residents even agree to it. Which knowing them they will most likely not. But maybe scaring them into potentially spending money will make them take my side re: poopy lawn.

    • Quantumcat on 01/05/2022 - 20:28

      This is an excellent suggestion that actually does solve the problem. Kudos!

  • Hybroid on 01/05/2022 - 20:25
    +2

    What about getting a washer/dryer combo unit? Been using mine weekend wash for 4 years and never had to put any washing up to dry.

    • Quantumcat on 01/05/2022 - 20:30
      +1

      This is a good suggestion too, they take a very very long time to get through a load but if you don't have kids (where you might need to go through multiple outfits a day plus wiping cloths, bibs, etc), then that's not a problem

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 20:36
      +3

      This is why I love forums, a bunch of ideas that seem so obvious yet I never thought of them. A combo unit sounds like an easy fix, might be the best idea of them all considering this horrendous weather

  • sjj89 on 01/05/2022 - 20:38
    +1

    Wait. You’re saying the dog does it’s business on the lawn and they clean up after it, and you just don’t like there was temporarily dog poop on the grass for a few moments?

    • resubaehtgnolhcs on 01/05/2022 - 20:43

      Or is OP saying that the dog does it's business and the owners don't pick it up …? I can understand why you would be upset with that!

    • peppet on 01/05/2022 - 20:49
      +1

      They mostly pick it up but they do a terrible job. I go down there and there's bits of dog poo in the grass, or it had diarrhoea and it's smeared everywhere, really gross

  • [Deactivated] on 01/05/2022 - 20:50
    +5

    if they're leaving it on the ground, put some liquid ass on it or one of those liquid fart things, people will think that the really bad smell is coming from the dog crap and you might find a few more allies, harder for the strata to ignore at that point.

  • Stopback on 01/05/2022 - 20:57
    -7

    Drop some chocolate on the ground

    • HairyChickens on 01/05/2022 - 21:10

      Council gives you permission to lick it

  • Hardlyworkin on 01/05/2022 - 21:30
    +2

    Poor dogs not having their own yard.

  • Caped Baldy on 01/05/2022 - 23:14

    So they clean up after the dog? Not sure I'd be too bothered when there aren't any washing out as it would be out of sight and out of mind.

    Having the dog do it's business when stuff is out is not on in my opinion.

    Running a fan or dehumidifier might be an option to dry your clothes since a dryer isn't possible.

    • peppet on 02/05/2022 - 12:34
      +2

      I was tolerating it up until I saw the dog brushing up against my sheets to find somewhere to poo as I went to collect my laundry, I'm definitely not cool with that. Then came the diarrhoea and smeared poop-grass which just made me depressed.

      Our washing machine is less than a year old so might the dehumidifier in a small room first. A fan doesn't seem to work at all for some reason..

      • gorgrond on 02/05/2022 - 14:52

        Sell washing machine, get washer/dryer combo?

  • Sega on 02/05/2022 - 08:11
    +1

    You’re gonna need a bigger dog

  • Austaurean on 02/05/2022 - 08:49
    +1

    Is the dog off lead, is it registered, is it desexed, is it micro-chipped.

    Many states, councils etc have rules on this and can take action on breaches of these.
    And the body corp may also have requirements around these rules/laws as well.

    Is the offending unit an owner or renter, the real estate may also have a say as you could term the issue a breach of tenancy under causing a nuisance..

    I also agree, allowing a dog to sh#t under the clotheslins is gross.
    Take the dog for a proper walk and pickup the gift… all of it..

  • kiitos on 02/05/2022 - 09:16

    Do they give a reason why they don't want to use the alternative locations?

    • peppet on 02/05/2022 - 12:31

      Their reason is that this patch of lawn is closest to them. Totally bs, that dog is big enough to need a proper walk, and can definitely handle a few seconds extra to walk outside the property

  • huggzz2u on 02/05/2022 - 10:00
    +2

    I have a medium dog in an apartment and make sure I do everything to keep her. Including using poo bag in common areas, dog parks, side walks, practically any time my dog poos I pick it up! Everyone should!
    In saying that Strata are the ones to take care of these issues. Part of the approval process is (d) take such action as may be necessary to clean all
    areas of the Lot or the Common Property that are
    soiled by the animal.
    If it is considered that your pet is either causing a nuisance or at worst, causing injury to persons or damage to Common Property, then the Owners Corporation, the Strata Managing Agent or your Landlord (if you do not own your Lot), may apply to a Strata Schemes Adjudicator for an order that you address the problem or that your pet be removed from the strata scheme
    Application forms to resolve disputes and publications containing information may be obtained from the NSW Office of Fair Trading; website www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au or the Renting and Strata Services Branch of the NSW Office of Fair Trading on 9338 7900 or 1800 451 431 (outside Sydney).
    ● Community Justice Centres can assist parties in reaching an agreement to resolve a dispute. The NSW Government section of the telephone book contains details of these centres.
    ● The NSW Department of Housing Home Purchase Advisory Service provides information on buying a strata unit – telephone 1800 806 653.
    ● The Tenants Union of NSW is a specialist Community Legal Centre that aims to represent the interests of all tenants in NSW. Its website is located at http://www.tenants.org.au/ – telephone (02) 9251 6590

    Otherwise buy $1 white vinegar and poor it in the clothes line area

  • b0rnwithabeard on 02/05/2022 - 10:12
    +1

    Get a small sprinkler and place it on the lawn, and turn the tap on whenever you see them on the lawn.

  • brad1-8tsi on 02/05/2022 - 15:17

    sprinkle pepper on the grass…

  • huggzz2u on 03/05/2022 - 08:53
    +1

    Spray rexona or lynx on the area. Only those deodorants not other ones dogs don’t like the smell. Apple cider vinegar. I didn’t realise the owners were cleaning up after their dog it was occasional excess which unfortunately can happen. Type a little letter I know you clean up after your dog but could you change to the front area as near the clothesline I have accidentally dropped my wet clothes on excess doggie excrement.

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