A woman who recently bought a house was left angry after discovering that her next-door neighbours, who are renting, have allowed their dog's excrement to pile up in their garden, creating a severe odour problem.
She described the neighbours as having a "very easy-going lifestyle" and said they have "neglected their garden to the point where it's become an inaccessible forest." While she managed to clear overhanging trees, the dog mess remains a major issue.
Dog Mess Piles and Smell
On Reddit's 'Neighbours from Hell' forum, she wrote: "However, they have a large dog, and it's made a mess of their patio with its excrement. I don't mean a little bit; there are enormous piles of dog mess all over, some right next to the fence that divides our gardens. About 10 piles large enough that you'd think a horse made them."
The smell is so bad that she cannot use her garden properly or leave her back door open. "I can't even open my back door because there's so much of it that I can smell it from inside when the door is open. They must not have a sense of smell," she fumed.
Seeking Advice
She wanted to address the problem without causing conflict, as she has just moved in and does not have a partner for backup. She asked: "How should I approach this? Just politely ask them to clear up their dog's mess? I can't think of a way to hide the smell on my side."
Commenters urged her to talk to the neighbours directly, and if that fails, to escalate to the landlord or health department. One wrote: "They're upsetting you by living in filth. There's already tension on your end. Who cares if they take it personally? That's disgusting. Get some cameras before you report them if you think they'll retaliate. Or. Or! OR! Just go talk to them."
Another suggested: "Contact their landlord. I'm sure they wouldn't like them doing that." A third added: "They don't need to know anyone reported them. The landlord is just dropping by, a normal practice, to check on their property. Sees it being used as a canine latrine." A fourth commented: "You can report that to your local code enforcement and or health department as not cleaning up dog waste is a health/code violation."
