I am so mad!

[Beamers Mom]

Someone is opening our gates so the dogs can get out!
I check on the dogs often when they are in the yard. It is fenced in with a gate on the side and a gate at the back. The other day Bruce looked out and Fritz was the other side of the fence near the back gate. He noticed the gate was open. He brought Fritz in and closed the gate. A little while after he noticed the gate was open again. He thought that Fritz may have opened it - he thinks Fritz could easily jump up and knock the latch to open it. So he went and closed it and fixed it so it couldn't be opened.

A few minutes ago our neighbour brought Beamer to the door. We checked to see where he could have got out and the side gate was opened. There is no way any of the dogs can have opened that and it is always kept closed unless the kid that mows the yard has to open it to take the mower to the front - and this time of year he hasn't had to come and mow the yard.
It really looks like someone is deliberately opening the gates. Luckily we check the dogs often when they are in the yard, so Beamer couldn't have been out for long.

Bruce has just gone to the hardware store to get some padlocks for the gates. I think we need to set up some kind of video camera!

[cheryl19]

I would put up a camera to see who is doing this. I hope they don't think this is funny!!

[manolos mom]

Originally Posted by cheryl19

I would put up a camera to see who is doing this. I hope they don't think this is funny!!

I ditto that...You need to catch them in the act...

[babbsiam44]

Good for Bruce. Getting locks was exactly what I was going to say. Too bad you don't have surveillance cameras. It would really stink if someone was doing that on purpose. Good that you had honest neighbors. Keep your eyes open on your babies.

[BanditSocks2]

We have a privacy fence and it's 5ish feet and we have a padlock even though there's no way they could open it. I'm too scared after reading all these stories. I also watch them like hawks. I just let them out to go to the bathroom, and if I leave them out to play I stay with them, I think I'm overprotective.

Either way, I would def. put up cameras to catch who is doing it, you'll probably be preventing someone elses pup from escaping.

[Beamers Mom]

Bruce just got back with the locks. (Ace Hardware is only a couple of minutes away)
He put the one on the side gate and when he went to put the one on the back gate it was obvious someone had been messing with it. He had put something on it to stop it being opened (think it was a drill bit or something) whatever he had put in it was laying on the ground. It couldn't have fallen out accidentally. Someone deliberately removed it.

[FlDebra]

Time to set up some surveillance and catch whoever is doing this. I can have a sense of humor about some things, but not when you mess with my pups' safety! Probably a kid thinking he is really funny, but needs his britches dusted!

I don't let mine out without me. I will stand in the doorway like a big wimp when it is cold or wet, but I am watching until they come back in. When it is nice, we all go out and I usually wonder around with them or sit in my swing if they want to play a while. They don't like being out without me anyway. So, it works well for us. I live in the country and have too many critters to worry about. Snakes, cow killer ants, wasps, fire ants, hawks, turkey vultures, eagles, you name it we have it out here! But so far no 2 legged varmits have messed with mine. Hope you catch whoever is playing games!

[Perrella]

Oh, how scary to think they could have ran away or been stolen. Why in the world do people do such things. Are there any kids around that would think it's a prank?

So glad you figured it out and Bruce has it under contol now. Sad, to think you would have to put locks on because people can be so evil.

[Patti]

That's terrible. Are their any new kids in the neighborhood? I would definitley set up a security camera. Maybe ask neighbors if they have seen anyone around your yard or if any of them have had any similar problem.

[margaritaville]

We had to padlock our back gate. The teen age boys next door were jumping over the back fence into our yard and going out our gate to the street to get the school bus. I hope you get the problem solved because it is very scary to think what could happen to them.

[sugarmamma]

Oh Sylvia....you must have about DIED when your doorbell rang and you saw Beamer out front I know how very special he is to you! I am picturing how I would feel if it were SUGAR

Tell Bruce to get back in touch with his Service Days and catch the sucker

[baby yorkie]

Do you have a wooded area around anywhere? Somebody is watching because it seems like every time you fix it, somebody messes with it. I have Elementary school kids across a little canal and they love to throw rocks at our fence. We also had someone who kept stealing our sign (Please pick up after your pet) in the circle in front of the house. The cops told me they couldn't do anything because it wasn't my property. Do your babies bark at people who come up to your yard? I'll send mine over and they'll let you know if someone is out there. They'll run away...but they'll let you know! lol

[Rhetts_mama]

Time to file a police report. You can just go down to the precinct and file a counter report if you don't feel like calling them out to your place.

[Beamers Mom]

Originally Posted by baby yorkie

Do you have a wooded area around anywhere? Somebody is watching because it seems like every time you fix it, somebody messes with it. I have Elementary school kids across a little canal and they love to throw rocks at our fence. We also had someone who kept stealing our sign (Please pick up after your pet) in the circle in front of the house. The cops told me they couldn't do anything because it wasn't my property. Do your babies bark at people who come up to your yard? I'll send mine over and they'll let you know if someone is out there. They'll run away...but they'll let you know! lol

There is a wooded area but it is the other side of the street at the front of the house.
The Tillman canal is at the back of the house, and the city just cleared all the trees that were in front of it.
The house next door to us on one side is empty and has been on the market for several years. We know the people on the other side of us.
The only kids in the neighbourhood are across the street - they are the ones who brought Beamer back, we have been friends with them and their family for years and they wouldn't open the gates. It is one of those that mows the yard and he is super careful about making sure the gates are closed if he ever comes through one of them. They are well behaved kids. - When Bruce is in the hospital and I am laid up it is one of them that comes over to make sure I don't need anything - even brought me breakfast before they went to school.

There isn't anyone new in the neighbourhood that I know of. Most are retired people like us.

Anyone any recomemndations for an inexpensive wireless surveillance system?

[Beamers Mom]

Originally Posted by Rhetts_mama

Time to file a police report. You can just go down to the precinct and file a counter report if you don't feel like calling them out to your place.

But all I can do is say someone is opening the gates. They would have to be able to catch them in the act. I can't see them having someone keep an eye on the house all the time.