Inconsiderate Neighbors - HELP!!!!!

[Beth]

I am wondering if anyone else has the unfortunate experience of having ignorant, inconsiderate neighbors that tease their dogs and throw things over the fence into their yard?

We are at our witts end with our neighbors and I need to vent to other dog lovers.

Our dogs, and I am not being bias, are great dogs they only bark for the normal stuff they hear someone on the other side of the fence, animals on the other side of the fence, etc. Our other neighbors in the neighborhood have actually asked us how we keep our dogs so quiet and well behaved. We also don't just let the dogs bark and bark in the yard we let them in to calm down before they can go back out.

So when we find apples in our yard with ants on them (when there are no apples trees to be found anywhere), and BIC lighters in our yard when neither one of us are smokers, and see the kids next door waving hockey sticks and toys over the top of the fence teasing our dogs we just don't know what to do. Yesterday it was firecrackers at the back of our fence it was driving the dogs mad so I took them inside and they settled some but still heard the firing of fire crakcers and they could not get completely settled. I was home yesterday from work too with a sick infant.

I want to talk to the neighbors but we are afraid they will not be approachable, and that a feud will ensue and we all have to live on the same street and we'll be even more miserable.

They have 3 dogs that they let roam the neighborhood and pee and poop on everyone's lawns. We have a leash law in our town and no one else allows their pets to roam around unleashed. Other neighbors walk past our house to use the woods (our street is a dead end that has state protected woods) and walk their dogs and the neighbors dogs will come running out and annoy the people walking their dogs, not to mention not all dogs are dog friendly, and we all know how scarey it is to have an unleashed dog come running up at you when you are walking your dog.

Their dogs have sprayed on our bushes and my husband caught one in our garage spraying some boxes that we had sitting on the floor. Our garage door was open and we can let our dogs out there and they won't run out the garage but imagine if we had let them out at the exact moment their dog was in our garage spraying?

I mean we have a fun loving female pitbull/lab mix who is a big baby - but we wonder sometimes rub her the wrong way and then what? Especailly now that she has been exposed to the teasing. Don't get me wrong she is by no means aggressive we have toddlers in our family that can put a cookie in their mouths and she will genlty take it out. Our other dog is a jack russel terrior mix and he's not as dog friendly or people friendly as our older dog. He is more of the barker and these kids make him crazy. And he's a puppy still so it's not helping our cause of trying to get him socialized.

We just don't know what to do these people are irresponsible animal owners they have wild cats, wild dogs, and wild kids and I am begging for suggestions on what to do.

Any suggestions? Any great wisdom out there?

[stacy]

How aweful. We live in the country but none the less we have neighbors that have dogs 1 neighbor has a kennel and when all her dogs bark we call them no matter what time it is and they take care of it. Another neighbor has 1 dog ands it's sad because he got the dog from the lady that has a kennel because his girls wanted one but the girls are grown and now the dog is outside on a long leash that has shelter, food, & water and once in awhile we'll hear that dog bark non stop but I can tell by the bark that she(the dog snickers) just wants attention so badly. I've been over there before and I brought her a treat and she looked right past that treat as if it wasn't there as all she wanted was attention. And that poor dog was in much need of a bath as she smelled worse than a pair of stinky socks. Sorry I went off track here a bit. The 3rd neighbor lives directly accross the road from us and last summer we had trouble with his 2 dogs barking late at night as my husband has to get up at 3:30am for work so we called them countless times w/ no answer , my husband would go over the next day when he got home from work and knocked on the door when their vehicles were home but no one came to the door, and after doing these 2 methods for about a week my husband started to call the police and they would come out and go over to the guys house and he would get no one answering the door. So this guy got I believe 3 warnings from the cop and then they started issuing citations and the dog owner ended up with 3 citations of $125.00 each and the guy fought it and took my husband to court, my husband won & then talked to the guy after court and we have never heard those dogs bark since.

[Glenda178]

I just went thru a malicious killing of a little dog yesterday in which i jeard him shot and he too died while i was comforting him, which was a matter of mins. A very little male dog who was a Jack Russell and possibly a Beagle mix(?). This little guy was hanging around my house all day. I have a Lab Chow mix who looks mostly Lab and is 10 years old and a little Feist. My older dog doesn't like males in particular, but they are in a 1/2 acre dog lot. Anyway, this cute little guy hung around all day and very sweet. I had workers building a big out building and the little feller didn't bother them. In fact, he would dart away if you moved fast. Anyway, my grown son was working in the yard and the little guy followed him everywhere. Will started calling him "Buddy". We decided to put an igloo type dog house next to the house under some bushes and gave him food and water, for which he was extremely happy about. I live at the end of a dead end rd and end up with strays all the time. I usually see if someone claims them and if not, I take them to the shelter. Not 20 mins later, this little guy was playing in the drive way and then started running around at the top as if he were on the scent of something......possibly home or his owner. The next thing I heard was the Pit Bull above me carrying on like he does when he gets in fights and the little guy yapping. Then I heard a gun shot from a 410 and one final yap. I knew right away what had happened and I ran out the door yelling at the boys on the hill, and was asking where he was and why they shot him. The boy who actually shot him didn't say a wrod and one of his friends was comming back down their driveway yelling and cussing me saying they didn't shoot no dog. We went back and forth and I demanded to know which way he went incase he was only wounded. Finally, much to my surprise, the smart mouth pointed at the road about 10 feet to my left and said "right there he lays". We didn't see him at firts as he blended in with the leaves where he came to rest. He had been shot in the side and it broke his spine.........he drug himself about 3 feet before he gave up and then died. A couple of my neighbors heard the shot and me yelling and came out to see what had happened. They let their dog roam at will and he has attacked other dog that were confined to a chain while out and we have complained and nothing has ever been done. I called the law and was told if I din't calm down I would be arrested. When the officer talked to the boys, they of course said the "little" dog had jumped on their Pit Bull. Wrong! He was afraid of my girls when they moved fast and there was a fence between them. The other boys were throwing rocks at the little guy to try and run him off, but claimed he wouldn't. I know better. The boy who shot him admitted it. The officer told him that if the little dog was attacking their dog, that is when he should of shot him, but that he could also hit his dog. The liitle feller was "RUNNING AWAY" when he was shot and was shot in the road above my house. So far, nothing has been done. The officer said he is going to check the GA code and that he may yet take out a warrant on him. At the very least, he better come back with a warrant and at least chrage him for shooting down hill towards homes. The officer also has Pitt Bulls and told the boys that even if the little guy grabbed their dog by the leg.........one grab from the Pitt Bull and it would have been all over for the little guy anyway. He wasn't buying their story, but like everything else, if I don't keep on this, they will not persue it either. We have no animal control here. I am trying to get the ASPCA involved as this was out and out malicious. Does anyone know how I can get some attention from them for this???? Oh, the best part of all.......the dog they shot belonged to someone they knew and were friends with and they knew it. Can you say sociopath in the making. He did it just showing out for his friends. He turns 18 in 3 more days and I told them from now on, I won't be pussy footing around them anymore......if anything happens to any of my animals or the wild critters that frequent my house, I would not only file a complaint, but would go after them fo everything and anything I could and that including other illegal activities I may catch them at. Oh.......did I mention that after the law left, their dog was roaming the neighborhood!!!!!!!

[John Hansen]

Hi Beth my wife and I has an inconsiderate neighbor & abusive. In the summer or winter he would maybe feed & water his 2 dogs about every 2-3 months. In the winter if you go out the poor dogs would be licking on ice and no food. In the summer time they would not have any water or food. Theres been plenty of times that my wife would go out and give the poor things food & water. The one dog died back last summer and the other one some time this winter. The one that died this passed winter had his coat all matted together and you could not even till what kind of dog he was. We reported him to the humane society and you think that they showed up? I think that alone is shameful to even consider them humane society. If I knew who to report them to I think no I know I would report them because I believe if they showed up they could of saved the poor dogs life he would be in a better home and this no good neighbor would be behind bars now for abuse and what ever other charges could be. I wish all humane societys were all like the A.S.P.C.A. There would be a lot of happier animals these days. But I wish someone could tell me what to do about if there is any one I could report the humane society to to try to get them more like the A.S.P.C.A. Thank-you for the time and your wonderful site to be able to express our opions. John

[JKB]

Some people are just unbelievable, huh. I somewhat feel the same pain. I got an anonymous note at my house today, out of the blue, about my dogs "barking too much" but I was unaware this was going on "24/7" as they put it, especially since someone is usually around most of the day off and on, and the dogs come in and out all day and are in for good at dinner and watch lost with us and then go to bed on their doggie beds. Anyway, they threatened in the note to call "the police and the ASPCA!!!" Now I don't want to bug my neighbors with barking...we are reasonable and approachable...but my husband and I do keep an eye on the dogs. and monitor as best we can. But I do let them outside alot when its pretty out, they like to lay in the sun and nap. What is wrong with that? Sometimes kids throw things over and taunt them and I stop them, but I can't be watching all the time. Sometimes gardeners come and mow, and my cattle dog goes bezerk but hey, if someone would work with me I would plan to make sure she is in when the grass is cut. What gets me is no one bothered to come talk to me, but sent an anonymous threatening note instead. Hey, my dogs are rescued (NSAL) and were abused as puppies before I adopted them and I make sure they are very well cared for, always! Moobie was in a crate no bigger than she was when she was rescued and she had been like that for her whole life, at the time that was 8 months!!! She didn't even know what the outside was until I introduced it to her the day I brought her home. She is so happy all the time that she just bounces and yep, she barks when she plays or when I come home. I want to go door to door and say hey, everyone, talk to me. I want to work this out, I am not intentionally trying to bug you if my dogs are, but jeez, just tell me there was a problem before you call the police and ASPCA and accuse me of abuse! That is just over the top and irrational, not to mention completely false. OK I sense I am rambling but the note was so upsetting to me on so many levels. Communication is key I guess is the bottom line but if you have neighbors who aren't communicating, or willing to listen, you're pretty much stuck. That is how I feel. You don't want even more angry neighbors, or heaven forbid vindictive neighbors...but thesedays you can never tell it seems. Right now I'm afraid to let my dogs out.

[John Hansen]

Hi J.K.B. Dont mark my word but your neighbors can leave you nasty letters but if they did call A.S.P.C.A. there is no evidents of abuse to your dogs so they wont take them and as for the police if they have never been out to your house before all they will do is give you a warning to try to keep the dogs quiet. So I dont think you have any thing to worry about. So I hope that puts a little piece to your mind and I hope that help you out a bit. Good luck with your neighbors and dont be afraid to let your dogs out.

[jasmine]

iknow someone who os treatin dogs bad ab they are animal horders tell me how i can help because hwre i live thier is not a aspca close to where i live.

[John Hansen]

Hi Jasmine I really dont know what to say but try to put a complaint to your local humane society and see if they will do any thing and if not try the local police and see if they can help with the situation. Good Luck.

[jasmine]

well see that's the problem the people i know live in gorman and we have calle dht epolice before but they won't do anything about it and i have no idea where the closest humane society is around me.

[John Hansen]

Hi Jasmine Well the only other thing that I can tell you now is Officer Ann Marie Lucas is going to be on chat live Tuesday 12:00-2:00 and maybe she can be some help to you cause I am out of suggestions now if you dont have a humane society near you or the police wont help. Just as I said maybe Officer Lucas can give you some suggestions. Sorry.

[jasmine]

think you so much mabye i can get help to these animals that are being abused mabye i can get through to her that i can't do anything but just complain and have done so many times but the problem just keeps getting worse so thanks a lot bye.

[Sarah]

no great wisdom for you because you don't have a real problem! grow some balls, talk to the neighbors and for the greater good stop having kids. i love the added pit bull mix emphasis. you're right she'll probably be aggressive now being that she grew up with the family!! you are clueless. by the way..... DOGS.....they BARK!!!

[jasmine]

look i have dogs no shit i know tey bark my dogs do all the time but these people are not my naeighbors for ur fyi i don't shit talkin from u.