My two female dogs were mated by a neighbour's dog: what are my legal options?

Aloha71
Aloha71 Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone!

I have two dogs, Zoé (18 months old) and Bidouille (7 years old), who aren't spayed and are kept tied up in my yard (the landlords won't pay the costs to install a gate).

I live in a tiny village of 50 people and for a while now, a male dog (probably a spaniel) has been roaming the streets because his owners (who live about 500 yards from us) aren't keeping him in.

The thing is, Zoé is in season at the moment.

Because of that, yesterday, this male spent the whole day mounting my dog (10 to 15 times during the day). Every time I tried to shoo him away, the damage was already done!

I then spotted him mating Bidouille, a little Beagle!!

Today, I'm worried that both my dogs will have litters that I won't be able to cope with.

I know the owner's name and address but I want to find out about my legal options before I go to see him.

Can I report this? Who is responsible if there's a litter?

What should I do if they are pregnant? Have them terminated or hand the puppies over to the male's owners? Can he be made to pay for the vet fees for the termination? etc....

I specifically chose two females so I wouldn't have any trouble, and they are tied up, so I'm actually really fuming. If I go to see the owners now, I think I'll lose my temper and things will escalate.

So if you have any info, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    "I'm worried that getting my dogs spayed will have a massive impact on them, both mentally and physically. But that’s beside the point..."

    That’s absolute rubbish! Do you realise you’re putting your older dog's life at much greater risk by letting her have a litter than by getting her spayed?!

    And that the other one is far too young?

    And it’s not up to him to look after your dogs' health—it’s down to you!

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Neutering doesn't change a dog's appearance or temperament; it just protects their health. As for their weight, you just need to be a bit careful, that's all there is to it...

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    Aloha71
    Aloha71 Icon representing the flag French
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    Yes Kayouwiro, I posted my reply before your last one went up. Thanks! And as for Coco 33150, I understand your point of view and I’m with you there, but to be honest, I’m worried that spaying might have a major impact on my girls, both mentally and physically. But that’s not really the point of this thread..
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    No, I wasn't there; it was my neighbour who told me! And even if I had been there, if I’m out the next day, it amounts to the same thing. And once again, you aren't answering the question. Do you have any information regarding what the law says?

    I’ve told you what I know:

    So, to answer your question with the actual law, letting dogs roam free is prohibited (I think you can find the specific legislation on the GOV.UK website). But even if you manage to get him to keep his dog on his own property, he isn't going to pay for your dogs' pregnancy terminations. As I said before, you might get somewhere by having a chat with him, but if you go to the police to report his dog for straying, it’ll likely wind him up, and you won't be able to expect anything from him after that (and I reckon the police might just send you packing anyway).

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    Coco33150
    Coco33150 Icon representing the flag French
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    At 7 years old she's far too old to have a litter. Rescues and shelters are already full to bursting and are being forced to put dogs and cats down... spare a thought for them...

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    Aloha71
    Aloha71 Icon representing the flag French
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    No, I wasn't there; it was my neighbour who told me! And even if I had been, if I’m away the next day, it amounts to the same thing. Once again, you aren't answering the question. Do you have any information regarding what the law says?
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    So, to answer your question regarding the legal side of things, it’s actually against the law to let a dog stray (I believe you can find the specific legislation on the GOV.UK website). However, even if you do manage to get him to keep his dog contained, he’s unlikely to pay for your dogs to have an abortion or an emergency spay. As I mentioned earlier, you might get somewhere by just having a chat with him, but if you go to the police to report his dog for being out of control, it’ll probably just put his back up and you won't be able to expect anything from him after that. Besides, I reckon the police or the dog warden would probably just brush you off anyway.
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Personally, I think you’re very much at fault here, even if your neighbour is also to blame (as I mentioned earlier).

    Secondly, if you saw them, then you must have been right there at the time, no?

    And finally, Bidouille is 7, which means she’s already far too old to have a litter. Breeding her—even if you’re thinking of doing it later down the line—would be really bad for her.

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    Aloha71
    Aloha71 Icon representing the flag French
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    I didn’t start this thread to ask whether or not I should have my dogs spayed, but to find out what legal recourse I might have following the situation I’ve described. So please, spare me the judgements on my choice and just provide some relevant answers.

    If you don’t know, please don't reply. I’m looking for objective facts and to know where I stand legally... nothing more!

    Thanks!

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    "So why should I have to get my girls spayed when he’s the one who can’t stop his dog from roaming!"

    Look, a ***** in season can attract males from miles away, so leaving your dogs tied up outside while they're in heat is just asking for trouble.

    Rescue centres are already bursting at the seams, so why bring another litter into the world (especially since you're even considering breeding from your seven-year-old, who is already too old for that anyway)? Breeding is a proper job; it requires a huge amount of expertise, time, and money.

    The best thing to do would be to get them spayed; they’ll be much more relaxed, and it’ll give you peace of mind too.

    Translated from French

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