Neighbor/Dog Issues Vent

[NCMom]

Uugh.  I feel like I screwed up.

 

Backstory - We live on 6 acres; can't see any neighbors, most of whom have properties 2 to 10 times larger. Two properties over, some people moved in a few years ago that have a dog grooming business. They also apparently kennel dogs there - I know this because TWICE this past summer people have come my driveway looking for dogs the neighbors were supposed to be kenneling, but lost, lol.  These people have 11 dogs that are put outside every morning and left out all day/night, at least in the summer. They have an electric fence that fails more than one might like.

 

Three weeks ago, a boxer mix came from that direction and barked at my cats/dogs in our fence. It happened over and over for a week. Like 10 times a day or more. The dog ran if he saw a person, though. I finally realized it was their dog - it had on no electric fence collar or any other collar, but it brought their Jack Russel over (she was wearing the electric fence collar). I have returned her multiple times so I recognized her.  I hauled the Jack back up their driveway in my car (with the other 10 dogs snapping and snarling and jumping on my car :glare: ) and waited until the guy came out, gave him his dog and asked him to please keep the boxer from coming over. I was super nice. He was like - oh I will get him a collar soon. ??

 

So it stopped for maybe 3 days, then resumed - maybe 1 to 3 times a day for the last three weeks. I never saw the dog much, just heard him bark in the forest outside the house on that side. Then my dogs would bark, run outside and bark some more and he would take off. Ugh, the barking!!

 

Today a dog showed up and menaced our cats on our front porch. It chased one up an old 2 story chicken coop and was jumping 9 FEET in the air trying to get her! I thought it was a different dog - it was literally starving to death. Skin and bones. It would not let me approach at first but it went into a fenced area and I shut it in and called animal control. I found out it was the same dog when the neighbor came booking up our driveway just as the animal control officer and I were getting it in his truck. It had taken us 25 minutes and food to get it on a leash; it was sooo wary of humans. But it was sooo hungry.

 

The AC officer saw the shock on my face when I realized it was the same dog. He asked the owner why it was so thin and how long it had been missing. He said it wasn't missing, he just let it out to run this morning. He said he doesn't understand why it is so thin?????  and I quote "although they are running low on food".

 

And he said had ordered batteries for the collar so it could not run again. Yet it still was not wearing a collar. Sigh.  I declined to fill out the nuisance dog form (we have no leash law in this county) but told him that it must be contained because if it gets into my chickens or goats or hurts a cat it's all over. The neighbors one property over would have already dispatched it, so he is lucky it came to our house instead.

 

So why do I feel guilty about calling the sheriff on the neighbors, lol? I can't decide what I should have done.

 

 

This is why I don't live in a neighborhood. :glare:

Georgia

 

 

 

 

[skimomma]

 

This is why I don't live in a neighborhood. :glare:

 

 

Not that is helps at all but I do think this particular problem occurs more in the country than in neighborhoods.  We have lived in a neighborhood for 10 years and have never had a dog issue.  A few times a loose dog has wandered into our yard but has never caused trouble and has almost always had someone looking for it.  We lived out on 40 acres WAAAAAY out in the sticks before that and had to deal with loose and not-friendly dogs frequently.  So much so that it was a factor in our decision to move.   And we had no recourse.  There were no laws regarding loose dogs and I would have gotten laughed at had I tried calling the police.

 

Although I will agree that there are lots of other problems that those living in neighborhoods get to enjoy.

[Lara in Colo]

You did fine--- for one thing you didn't know it was the same dog and even if you did--- you returned the dog the first time--- after that, all bets are off in my opinion

 

[zoobie]

That's animal neglect and cruelty. I would call the department of agriculture or whomever licenses kennels in your state. Immediately. That poor baby! :(

[Guest]

That poor dog!!! You did the right thing; I wouldn't hesitate to even call animal control on family if the animal was in such bad condition.

[Tammyla]

Dog abuse and neglect should be reported imo. 

[NCMom]

That's animal neglect and cruelty. I would call the department of agriculture or whomever licenses kennels in your state. Immediately. That poor baby! :(

 

They kennel animals, but they do not have a "kennel" per se, if that makes sense. So I am guessing they get around all regulations that way. According to their Facebook page though they have ceased "kenneling" animals though, as of Oct 15th of this year. Wonder if word of the lost dogs got around... :glare: 

 

As far as the abuse goes - in this state/county not much is done.

 

I will say though that even though the owner tried the "oh I work with so and so, do you know him" card with the responding officer, the AC officer would not give him the dog and made him drive back to his house and prove that the dog was his. I think he wanted to see the other ten dogs also. That and the pointed questions he asked the owner actually surprised me because there is very much a good old boy network here and little is done in animal cruelty/neglect cases.

 

 

Georgia

 

 

[NCMom]

Not that is helps at all but I do think this particular problem occurs more in the country than in neighborhoods. We have lived in a neighborhood for 10 years and have never had a dog issue. A few times a loose dog has wandered into our yard but has never caused trouble and has almost always had someone looking for it. We lived out on 40 acres WAAAAAY out in the sticks before that and had to deal with loose and not-friendly dogs frequently. So much so that it was a factor in our decision to move. And we had no recourse. There were no laws regarding loose dogs and I would have gotten laughed at had I tried calling the police.

 

Although I will agree that there are lots of other problems that those living in neighborhoods get to enjoy.

The dog thing I can live with. It was the neighbor showing up that was not fun, lol.

 

Yeah I do think it is easier to starve/abuse/let your dog run loose in the country than in a neighborhood. Peer pressure at it's best.

 

Next time, if the dog is still underweight, I'm taking the dog straight to the pound. Let the rescue ladies there deal with the moron (our kill shelter is partially staffed by a rescue group). I have a feeling they would not be so nice...

 

Georgia

[Lolly]

Not that is helps at all but I do think this particular problem occurs more in the country than in neighborhoods.  We have lived in a neighborhood for 10 years and have never had a dog issue.  A few times a loose dog has wandered into our yard but has never caused trouble and has almost always had someone looking for it.  We lived out on 40 acres WAAAAAY out in the sticks before that and had to deal with loose and not-friendly dogs frequently.  So much so that it was a factor in our decision to move.   And we had no recourse.  There were no laws regarding loose dogs and I would have gotten laughed at had I tried calling the police.

 

Although I will agree that there are lots of other problems that those living in neighborhoods get to enjoy.

 

While we do not have issues with people who are supposedly kenneling dogs, I have to carry a can of bear repellent with me when I walk my dog. Several neighbors have invisible fences, every single one of which I have had a dog go through coming for me barking, snarling, with fur raised. Many others have their precious fur babies out in their yard (while they are with them) unleashed. I am told that the dog won't leave their yard as the barking, snarling dog rushes across the road at me. I had one lady whose dog bit mine tell me that it didn't happen because my dog was so big... I did restrain my dog after it was bitten in the hind leg to keep it from eating hers. If I had it to do over again, I would probably allow mine to tear hers to bits. So, now, I just let loose a stream of bear spray. While they sit and watch. The ones leaving their fences, they find their dogs in great distress when/if they ever check on them. Then, their is the neighbor directly behind me whose dog attacked me in my yard right next to my house. Seems he though it was his to protect. This one, I managed to make friends with by visiting it with my neighbor and feeding it treats. It ran the fence every day for over two weeks. I started just taking it in every time. THen, they got angry because I was "stealing their dog"...and it liked me more than it did them. I would have to force it to return home. In just a few days, I had it trained to where it would heal without a leash (they can't walk it because it drags them down the road), sit, shake, come, stay for 5 minutes, down. Smart, sweet dog. But, left alone (with its buddy who didn't run the fence). Now, they have managed to fix whatever problem they were having with the fence. For now. So, I get to listen to the two dogs barking incessantly for most of the day.

 

You are lucky you don't have dog issues in your neighborhood. OP, it #$#$%$#s. Vent heard. and, added to...

[Jean in Newcastle]

I don't understand why you feel badly.  You've repeated told the neighbor of a problem.  He's done nothing to fix it.  He is not being a responsible animal owner and is neglecting his dog.  I feel badly for the animals.  And for his neighbors, including you.  If it happens again, I hope you call Animal control immediately so they can document the problem.  

[Tanaqui]

That poor animal!

 

If your neighbor was letting his starving kid go out and about in ragged, dirty conditions then you wouldn't feel one little bit guilty about calling the cops, would you?

 

Well, this isn't really any different. Like children, domestic animals can't really care for themselves. They rely on humans, and that man is failing in his duty towards his pet dog.

[Plink]

Why do you feel bad? Because doing the right thing sometimes means enduring conflict. The person in the wrong does not like getting caught and will blame you, despite the fact that they were the ones who created the situation.

 

Don't let that uncomfortable feeling trick you into thinking that you acted incorrectly. Helping a hurting creature is never wrong.

[Saddlemomma]

We just had to deal with this too.  Don't feel guilty.  You did what you had to do.

 

We live on 50 acres.  Our neighbors live up the road a ways.  In the past, we have watched their Shiba Inu/pitt mix--great dog; very friendly.  Well, last winter they got a GSD puppy.  I was dismayed at this because the mutt isn't treated that well to begin with - no training and either tied in the yard or in a kennel in the house.  Anyway, not my call, so I didn't say anything.

 

Well, this summer both dogs were getting out continuously, and the mutt would come straight to our farm and try to kill us with kisses; flopping down at our feet and exposing her belly for copious rubs (she remembered us). Unfortunately, the GSD would come with her.  Now, keep in mind this GSD is not a year old yet, however, he would snarl and bark at us, foaming at the mouth.  We couldn't get near him.  He would keep his ears pinned back and was terrified and acted on that fear. This is a dog that I know is never walked, socialized, or being trained.  Eventually the two older kids would come over and take about 20 minutes to try and catch the dogs.  Usually we would have the small one on a leash by the time the kids arrived because all she wanted was some loving from us. It would take longer for them to catch the GSD who was running around madly barking and snarling.

 

It all came to a head when, while trying to help the dd get control of the dogs, the GSD snuck in and bit me, tearing a hole in my pants. I told her the dog bit me, but she just laughed.  I didn't think it was very funny.  I knew it was serious. Thankfully he just pinched me and mostly just got the pants.  

 

I have a lot of experience with GSDs.  This dog is terrified of being out and is acting out of fear of the unknown.  Not only that, he is full of pent up energy.  The dog is never walked (owner confirmed this with me) and only goes in a small, metal backyard kennel. The owner also told me, laughingly, that this GSD also goes into a barking frenzy and acts afraid whenever their dd changes shoes, hats, or her appearance in any way.  THIS IS A MAJOR RED FLAG. They have a barking collar on him as well as a shock collar.  Neither works very well.  It's an explosive situation for a working breed do who's penned up 90% of the time.

 

I finally called the mother (I know her and we are friendly) and explained that her GSD bit me. I told her that I wasn't going to make an issue of it because he didn't break the skin, but she needed to keep her dogs in her yard; that the GSD was not welcome on our property.  I also advised her that he needed socializing and regular walks/exercise to release some of that energy.  I cautioned her that if he bit anyone else, she could be facing a lawsuit.  I kept it friendly, and she was totally in agreement.  She knows that we personally train all our dogs (GSDs included) and that's why she has asked us to watch her mutt in the past.

 

Last weekend was the straw that broke the camel's back.  Both dogs came visiting again.  This time they both went for our chickens. The kids just watched while their dogs tried to get into our fence to eat our chickens.  I finally had to tell them to get their dogs, or I was going to get the shotgun!  Once they heard that they scrambled after the dogs.  I immediately called the mother (can never get the father).  I explained the situation and told her that if my dh had been home the dogs would be dead.  He doesn't put up with that stuff.  She actually told me she understands and maybe if we shot them she'd have less stress!  I couldn't believe this.  Then she tells me that the dogs had just killed one of her neighbor's chickens when it got into her yard, and now she's afraid they have the taste for chickens.  In a round-about way she suggested I get better fencing for my chickens!

 

Enough is enough.  This is the same woman who thought it was just kids playing around when her dd notched an arrow in her bow (not a play bow & arrow set, but an actual youth bow for hunting or sport) and pointed it at my dd when she was upset my dd was paying more attention to her brother while playing at their house.  My dd had to talk her down, and then immediately called me to come and get her. As far as I was concerned she pointed a loaded weapon at my dd. After confronting her mom about that and getting the brush off, I restricted dd's access to them.  Therefore, since they don't seem capable of taking anything seriously, dh called AC on them.

 

Our fear is that the GSD will get out again and, at some point, bite someone else out of fear, seriously hurting them.  We know there is a problem and feel obligated to report it.  It's in the interest of the dog and the owners.  If the owners are forced to take this more seriously, then the dog will be more protected even if he is living in an unsuitable household.

 

Now we have been unfriended on Facebook and getting the cold shoulder, and that's fine by me.  We feel like we did the responsible thing and the AC people reinforced those feelings. They stated that they take cases like ours very seriously and only wish we had called sooner. He also stated that we would be within our rights to do whatever necessary to protect ourselves and our livestock.  We don't want to be faced with that, but it's good to know that if push came to shove, we could take those measures.  I know dh would shoot over their heads first to dissuade them.

 

Some people just can't take responsibility for their actions or are unwilling to do so.  When that lack of responsibility is pointed out to them, they would rather blame it on someone or something else and distance themselves from those who point it out.  That is not your fault or my fault.  However, if we know there is a dangerous/abusive situation that could potentially do harm, it is our responsibility to point it out to the proper authorities.  We both did that.