Anyone else have neighbor problems???

[mugsy]

Ok, I'm so mad right now I'm shaking. Our neighbor next door hasn't left us alone since we moved in here because he doesn't like our dogs. He calls Animal Control varying from every 2 weeks to every other month. Animal Control comes out and they walk around the yard and check things out and never find a problem. They are nearly to the point where they will require 2 other neighbors to agree that there is a problem before they will even come out.

Today, Sadie, the Westie pup that lives behind us, snuck out while our dogs were out and she likes to tease our dogs by running the fence line. Of course, our dogs bite on it and then run the fence line right after her barking. So today, the old fart was out taking pictures of it and the daughter-in-law of the people behind saw him doing it before. If we had the money, a privacy fence would go up yesterday just so the old man would leave us alone.

Animal Control's take on it is that he's just an old man with nothing better to do with his time than to make our lives miserable.

I'm sitting here crying I'm so mad and I don't think there's anything we can do. I CAN'T lose my babies!!! Does anyone have any prior experience or could help us with this moron?

Thanks for listening.

Molly

[mugsy]

PS. We can't afford a privacy fence, if that was going to be anyone's suggestion.

[Karen]

Take a deep breath, and decide to visit him, sans dogs, one day. Bring him some, I dunno, a bread, flowers from the yard, or a casserole or something, just an excuse to say - "We're neighbors, I feel we've gotten off on the wrong foot, and I wanted to re-introduce myself." If he is just lonely, and has nothing to do, you might find that out. After some non-dog-related conversation, hopefully, you could ask him if he ever had pets. Maybe find out if he just hates animals and why ... Ask him how long he's been in the neighborhood, who lived there before ...

Maybe you could reach him somehow. Maybe, best case scenario, he IS just lonely. If he's never had pets, ask if you can visit again and bring you sweetest politest "dog ambassador" - but not one of the Danes - the sheer size intimidates people, and they don't know it's just a big marshmallow in a dog suit! Anyway, maybe you can rehabilitate the relationship?

In Pettalkville, of course, he would become a volunteer dog walker ... instead of a dog-tattler!

[CountryWolf07]

I HAVE the same exact problem with my neighbors.. My dad is building a 6ft. wood fence. We have this "quarrel" with this neighbor who hates our two dogs, and she whines, complains about how they bark a lot, how they're always noisy! THIS neighbor has a cat! She and her husband honestly SHOWS that they don't like us or the dogs very much. They're just idiots. She has this problem about us going across her yard to get to the church yard to play baseball, etc. One time, she yelled at my brother for going across and that really hurts his feelings. My dad has had it, so that's why he's building a fence. I swear, this feels like this is like some kind of a "fence war" we're having. Why can't you afford a fence? Like Karen said, you should go there and have a converstation with him, and talk it out! Good luck - Rachel

[Kat Kommando]

If a neighbor's visit can't make him friendly, e-mail the ASCPA and other animal welfare groups for advise. Also, there are actually lawyers that specialize in animal rights. Hope it does not come to that.

[slleipnir]

GL with the problem. I haven't really had anything like that, but the neighbor at our old house didn't like my dogs. He was an older man, and Jo always barked at him. This other guy, not a neighbor, but a cat person (Not implying anything other then he didn't like dogs), also was kinda a manic. He lived by my friends, and I'd often walk Rufus down to her house. I was about 8-12 yrs old at the time. This man's cat was out, and Rufus was wagging his tail when he saw the cat, the cat ended up coming up to us and slashing his nose (he didn't do anything- Ruf) And I asked the man to take his cat away, cause he was like stalking us or something, and he gave me this rude remark, and told me my dog used the bathroom down the road and I had to clean it up or he would call some type of animal shelter. He told me to F off after I told him his cats use the bathroom around the whole neighborhood and he should probably start looking for it. I know I shouldn't have been rude back, but I was just a kid and was upset he'd call the animal shelter and get Rufus taken away (I guess I didn't really unstand that he wouldn't have been for that, but we could get a fine). Nice man telling a kid that eh? Anywho, I guess this doesn't have anything to do with anything, but it shows some people are just rude. Your neighbor is probably just lonely, and I'm sure you'll work it all out let us know

[mugsy]

Karen, Thanks for the idea, but been there done that and he turned around and walked away from us. He's not lonely, he's married and has kids who have kids and they are ALWAYS there. The grandkids run at the fence teasing our dogs and then he gets POed when the dogs bark. Nuf said there. Animal Care and Control said that if we can get it on video tape when the kids tease them that they will come out and watch the video tape and then cite the guy and it's something like a $500 fine.

I was not at my best today, I blew up when I saw him taking pictures and then I (OOPS) flipped him off and his response was..."Where's your mother?" I had to giggle at that one, being that I am 40 years old, soon to be 41!! lol

I hate it when I let people get the best of me. I think that may have made me as mad as him taking the pictures. The guy behind us apologized for Sadie getting out and said he would let us know if the police went to him.

Mike is going to go by this business (and I have no idea what kind of business it is) on his way home and they put out fence panels by the side of the road that we can take for free, which will suffice until we can afford a "real" fence.

Thanks for listening to me blither AGAIN! And thanks for the suggestions.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

OUCH....
I can not believe that guy... if that would have been me I probably would have gotten so mad I would have been out there taking pictures of him taking pictures of my dogs
Sorry I don't have any advice.... Good Luck though... I know how frustrating a seemingly hopeless situation can be **hugs to you**

[ramanth]

Luckily I've never had any neighbor problems.

There there, Molly. *HUGS* Please don't let him get to you. From the sounds of it, Animal Control is on your side. Especially since they never find anything wrong and are now thinking of requiring that other neighbors have to complain too.

Please don't worry about losing your pooches.

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Molly,

First of all, let me tell you how upset I am that you are upset. That miserable neighbor of yours needs to mind his own *#@$% business!

I don't know if you remember, but when I first joined Pet Talk I posted about a GSD and Malamute that lived next door to me that had been left out tied to a tree and Andrew and I would go and feed them give them water, and put a shelter over their heads when it rained. I finally called Animal Control and they told me the following:

As long as the dogs are cared for: Fed, Given water, and have shelter, they can not be taken away from you. In addition to that, as long as your dogs are on a leash or runner and remain on YOUR property, they can not be taken away from you. As long as they haven't hurt anyone who has complained, there is nothing that animal control can really do.

Molly, you have nothing to worry about! Animal Control's rules may be a bit different from state to state, but I am sure the basics are similar. Call your local Animal Control office and inquire about their rules and be sure to tell them what your nosey neighbor has been up to. Animal Control doesn't want to take anyone's dogs unless the dogs are in jeopardy. They know that dogs will be dogs and bark and eachother or when teased.

You and the rest of your klan will be in my thoughts.

Love, Souraya

[mugsy]

Oh I'm sure that Animal Control isn't going to do anything, I was just really upset. So upset, that Mike went over to this fencing place that puts out used fence pieces that people can just take for free and put them up along our fence on his side of the yard. It looks like crap, but, that's part of the fun!! When someone says something, Mike will make them secure. I think we're going to buy a couple of panels at a time and put them up to replace the old tired ones. If you haven't noticed by now, I have an evil streak in me.

I appreciate you guys listening to me and giving me ideas. Souraya, you're right, our Animal Control is very similar. As long as the animal has food, water, and shelter (no matter how lame it may be), they are not being abused. The last time Animal Control was here, the guy complimented us on how healthy and happy the dogs looked. They are definitely of the opinion that this guy needs to get a life.

[ramanth]

Woohoo!! You go girl! Put up the ugliest fence in the world.

That'll teach him. *GRINS*

[Heather Wallace]

I am a dog sitter and I am very responsible. When we take the dogs out we have them on leads, we also have a 6ft fence so they can't get over that anyway. And also we have only had about 5 dogs stay in the last year.

Our neighbours called our local council/authorities and complained that the dogs where trying to bite their kids which is a total lie. Just because they are not animal lovers doesn't mean to say we have to be the same way.

[mugsy]

Yeppers....my philosophy is...I don't get mad, I don't get even, I ESCALATE!

[mruffruff]

Yes, Mugsy. I have had the same sort of problems recently.

My next door neighbors have rented for the last 9 years. I have had dogs for 11 years. Until early last summer, they were OK with it. I even fostered a lot of dogs and they liked the idea.

Our yards are separated by a 4 ft chin link fence that her grandkids liked to stick their fingers though. Grandma was afraid they would get bit or catch some awful disease. so now I have my yard seperated into two parts with chain link, creating a buffer zone of about 12 feet between their yard and the dog's part of the yard. So now I have a small yard the dogs don't destroy.

I guess that wasn't enough. In January, I got a notice from Animal Control that my dogs were barking constantly!

I immediately called the officer. I found that our city law says that if your dog barks for 10 minutes at a time, it is considered a disturbance and you can be fined.

I explained that the person is agorophobic with no life outside of her house and family and she is going through the Change. She admitted to me that she was having hot flashes. Since I've been there, done that, I figure she's super sensitive. But I also told him that she once said, quote: "They don't bother me. It's what dogs do."

I was so ticked off, I built a 6 foot high fence of treated wood. I charged about 800 bucks worth of wood to my Visa card and spent two weeks of evenings and week ends screwing every board up myself. (65 feet)

I love the silence

I haven't heard a word since it's been up. And it'll last a long time. I can even have dinner outside without comments about how good it smells, looks, etc.

If you don't have any laws regulating fences, do what ever you have to --- ugly or not. It's sure made my life easier!

Mary