Meter Reader In Backyard

[Split Arrow]

Last week our GSP mysteriously escaped the friendly confines of our backyard. I received a call from a good samaritan who lives a VERY far way away and thankfully he had captured Wyatt and held him in his backyard until I was able to come pick him up.

I spent more time than I care to admit looking at how the dog could have escaped with no success. There was no sign of any way out for him.

Today I was talking with our neighbors in the street and they mentioned that the meter reader had come into their backyard last week and their dog escaped when he left the gate open. Thankfully they were at home at the time and were able to quickly get their hands on their pup, but I now am 99.9% sure that our dog escaped because the meter reader left the gate open.

Here's my question: What should I do to prevent this happening again in the future? Should I put a circle lock on our gate?

Thanks for any advice you can give!

[XBowHunter]

I would just lock the gate to the backyard.

Let the meter reader jump the fence...

[Split Arrow]

I would just lock the gate to the backyard.

That's kind of my line of thinking, too. I figure the day you're irresponsible enough to let my dog escape is the day you lose the right to easily access my property. What recourse do they have against me in this scenario, if any?

[Kdog]

I would lock the gate. Is the meter on the side of your house, but in the back yard? If that is the case you might move the fence so the meter is in the front yard.

Glad you found your dog.

[Greenheadless]

Lock the gate. They will give you grief and try to charge you for a wireless. Tell them to pound sand and they will either cave and give you a wireless if you have the infrastructure (what they did in my scenario) or they can get the reading from a pair of binoculars from the yard behind yours.

Being in the Woodlands, I would think you guys were wireless already like most of Houston is.

If they really push the matter, make them sign a contract that they are liable for any damages/fees/expenses/costs associated with the loos of your dog due to their irresponsibility with the contract stating it is in response to the incident on x date at x time (establish precedence).

[flywise]

Put a good elastic tiedown or spring on the gate so he can't leave it open again along with a sign that reads
" meter reader Close the freakin gate or you will pay to get my dog out of the pound next time!!

[DuramaxDude]

That's kind of my line of thinking, too. I figure the day you're irresponsible enough to let my dog escape is the day you lose the right to easily access my property. What recourse do they have against me in this scenario, if any?

I am not sure if this is true but I have heard of many instances where meter readers couldn't get in back yards or were unable to get to certain meters and the readings and charges were based off past readings. Like went back and looked at readings from that meter from every march the past 5 years and averaged them together or averaged the past 6 or however many months together.

[flywise]

You might call the company and ask if you can email them the reading on what ever day they happen to want it.
I know several people who live in the country and call it in every month.
They might let you.

[huntinfool]

Put a spring on the gate so it closes automatically. I had the same problem and that's how I fixed it. It locked him in with the dog and was a pain to get out of, but my dog never got out again.

[Slick8]

Lock the gate, it's your house and property. They can pound sand.

Being in the Woodlands you're surely eligible for an electronic scanner.

Good luck and glad to hear that you recovered your dog.

[MASTERS]

If they can't access the meter then they will estimate the usage. I'd lock my gate for sure and call customer service, have them pull the records of what meter reader logged your reading and tell them to reprimand him or you are going to the local news station with footage of him letting your dog out....(wether or not you actually have the footage or not they will quickly get your point). Them tell them if they want to read your meter that they can foot the bill for an ert meter(wirelessly read meter)

[Playa]

I would call the power company & ask why their reader needed physical access to my yard. He may be using this as a plausible rouse to case out homes for burglary later. Seems out of the ordinary that the power co just now needed physical access to the meter & began subjecting their readers to possible dog attack. Something seems off to me

[bwssr]

Call the e-company and request that you read the meter, and send the info in, they will do this, the politly explain why

[Luck_of_the_Draw]

I lock my gate and the meter reader asks permission to trespass. (he's scared of dogs)