|
| Her royal highness Bailey Elizabeth, the "Rin Tin Tin of Safety Harbor." |
Dear Nanny Fran:
I understand you intensely dislike lawn service and pool service people. Why?
I would not say that I dislike all in general as responsibility for their actions rests with the homeowner. I feel that many times the homeowner doesn’t even think about strangers coming and going from their property while they are away. They fail to inform the service person about animals on the premises and what TO do and what to NOT do regarding the animal’s safety and security.
My case in point relates an incident that happened at a client’s home in December. I had visited the home and cared for the kitty and bird. The home had a swimming pool and bird caged area in which their kitty was always allowed to roam freely. After caring for the kitty I went to my car and took my own puppy out for a walk in the quiet neighborhood. After returning to the home I saw a pool service truck parked out front. I put my puppy in my car and went inside the home. I stood quietly inside the home and observed the pool person. I noted nothing out of the ordinary. HOWEVER, the person exited the pool area and PROPPED OPEN THE SCREEN DOOR TO THE OUTSIDE!! Horrified, I ran to the door and closed it. I then ran, walked and flew to the pool person and stated very forcefully, DON’T YOU EVER PROP THE DOOR OPEN AGAIN!!! THERE IS A CAT IN RESIDENCE IN THE POOL AREA AND THE CAT IS NOT AN OUTSIDE CAT!!!
Yes, I nearly tackled this person; however, I managed to control my rage. I listened as this gentle person told me that this was a new account and no one had informed him/her of the kitty having roaming privileges inside the bird caged pool area.
This past week I was inside a client’s home writing notes about their children. The children were out in the fenced back yard enjoying the sunshine while I wrote. The yard was not only securely fenced but the only two gates to the yard had key locks on them. Suddenly I heard barking. I walked out into the bird caged pool area and saw two men walking in the yard. OF COURSE THE DOGS WERE BARKING!! THE PROPERTY WAS THEIRS….NOT THE STRANGE MEN. I was irate that someone had not knocked on the front door or rang the doorbell and requested that I bring the dogs inside. I would have joyfully complied. I DON’T TRUST STRANGERS. I shut the door to the birdcage area to protect the fur children from the strangers. I screamed at the men, “If these dogs get out and become lost or injured, YOU ARE DEAD!!! “ I could also have very well added that I would have been guillotined as well!!!!
These men exhibited no common sense. Yes, they surely had been granted access to the property by the homeowner; however, it was very unwise to not notify “me” the person in residence about their coming onto the property. They heard the dogs barking in the back yard. They saw my car in the driveway. They had the home phone number of the client. One call to that number explaining to me who they were and requesting me to secure the dogs would have prevented their total lack of common sense and intelligence from becoming so prominent.
For 15 years I have entered and exited properties with permission. However, if an unusual situation existed I did not enter the property without notifying the client and/or police. I never put the safety and security of myself or a client’s own fur children at risk.
One day you might hear of me being arrested for screaming until a service person’s head fell to the ground and started rolling along the sidewalk!
Home 
Columns 
