Aggressive neighbor's dogs

[bigwheelzip]

Sorry to read about the loss of your pet.
On Long Island, the house across the street was rented to drug dealing miscreants for about a year.
The next door neighbor campaigned against them with police complaints followed by complaints at town hall.
After enough of a paper trail, the town ordered the owner to take possession and occupy the home, or it would be forcibly boarded up.
The owner reluctantly moved in, and the problems ended.
Good luck.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[Sarge9]

Sponge, gravy, freezer.
Crossbow

 

[turbo6]

Thanks for all the comments.

We'll likely try to hang in there until the end of the year and then evaluate listing the house. A taller privacy fence will likely go up over the summer as well.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Add an electric dog/horse wire to the top. It will definitely discourage the neighbors dog from climbing. Go on the offensive and set up some cameras to photograph the 'buyers'. Some that are obvious but fake and others that are clandestine. Hand the DA a bunch of videos. Start up a community watch and with a bunch of cameras pointing his way maybe he'll move. I do believe that I would have raised a stink to have his dog impounded and put down. Fences make good neighbors. Good luck.

 

[Flattop5]

First, dig the hole.

(Disclaimer: this is humor -- I would never advocate illegal actions)

Then toss the dog a special scooby snack...at 3:00 AM.

Or, do you know any tough bikers? Hire 6 of them to "have a chat" with your fine neighbor.



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[Valmet]

Thanks for all the comments.

We'll likely try to hang in there until the end of the year and then evaluate listing the house. A taller privacy fence will likely go up over the summer as well.

Privacy fence in the meantime and then move, no question. For me, the house itself is secondary, my primary concern is area/location.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Flattop5, you're a fun guy!!!

Where I live pets are considered personal property.

I believe that is the law everywhere. Americans buy and sell pets the same way they buy and sell everything except real estate. (Not counting paperwork in re vehicles or maybe firearms depending on your jurisdiction.)

 

[David.Hylton]

Shooting the offending dog in your yard may draw return fire from your neighbor so be prepared. Or, the neighbor may act against your dog in the future.

Be prepared for future escalation.

I recommend a high fence and repeated contact with police and city leaders. Contact other neighbors to see if theyhave the same issues.

 

[crstrode]

In most cases such as this, the cops are useless, ineffective, and unmotivated.

Stand your ground. Do not back down. Give no quarter. Fight back.

I got this advice directly from the man that waterboarded KSM and as a result eliminated OBL.

I applied this advice myself with an EXTREMELY demented and violent neighbor. I am still here, he is gone (for good).

 

[Grayfox]

As for moving, do you like the house and the neighborhood otherwise? That's the big question.
I like the hot wire added to the fence idea. But put it just below the top on your side where anything or anybody climbing over can't help but touch it. Go for the heavy duty horse and cow model.
The cops may not be doing much because they have bigger concerns with the neighbor than the dog. Building a strong case takes a very long time.
However, you'd be surprised t just how much power Animal Control has. They can make a bad dog owner's life pure hell. They can and will issue tickets that can be quite costly. Keep an eye on the dog. Any time it gets out, call Animal Control right away. Same thing if it starts barking a lot. Were charges filed when your dog was killed? If not, push hard for it. Animal Control can take it to court and have a dangerous dog ordered to be put down. I really think this is your best option.

 

[SMSgt]

Where I live pets are considered personal property. I've heard that's common. The most you'd be awarded in court is the "market" value of the dog. Unless it's an expensive pedigreed dog, that may not be much, if anything at all. Violation of animal control regs have stricter penalties.

You're not suing for the loss of the dog, you sue for emotional distress, which can be very profitable.

 

[turbo6]

As for moving, do you like the house and the neighborhood otherwise? That's the big question.

I like the hot wire added to the fence idea. But put it just below the top on your side where anything or anybody climbing over can't help but touch it. Go for the heavy duty horse and cow model.

The cops may not be doing much because they have bigger concerns with the neighbor than the dog. Building a strong case takes a very long time.

However, you'd be surprised t just how much power Animal Control has. They can make a bad dog owner's life pure hell. They can and will issue tickets that can be quite costly. Keep an eye on the dog. Any time it gets out, call Animal Control right away. Same thing if it starts barking a lot. Were charges filed when your dog was killed? If not, push hard for it. Animal Control can take it to court and have a dangerous dog ordered to be put down. I really think this is your best option.

The neighborhood is fine. But like the saying goes one bad apple spoils the bunch.

As far as police and animal control, we'll keep pressing the issue but I'm not sure how far we'll get. The dog in question has already previously attacked another neighbors dog and killed ours. Not sure what they are waiting for.

A few folks mentioned suing, which would be nice but I doubt there's anything to collect. I suppose if we got lucky maybe a judgment with a small lien on their house but that doesn't get us very far. Intensive vet care was expensive unfortunately.

I do like the electric fence idea, however. [emoji106]

 

[Ziggy2525]

You're not suing for the loss of the dog, you sue for emotional distress, which can be very profitable.

Do you have an example where someone actually won a financial settlement for emotional distress due to the loss of a pet?

Again, at least where I'm at, I'm pretty sure you can't sue (successfully anyway) for the emotional distress from the loss of personal property. For example, you if your car was totaled, you can't sue for emotional distress from the loss of your car. You can only sue for the market value of the personal property that was lost. Pet's are personal property.

In the same kind of way, you can't use deadly force (including brandishing) against a person to protect your pet. You can't use deadly force to protect personal property.

 

[fatcat3]

My dogs now both gone where like my children, just better behaved. Draw your own conclusions. If animal control and the local constabulary did nothing, they could vary well end up next on my list.

 

[terry_tr6]

careful with an electric fence. it may not be legal unless you are in a rural zoning.

 

[jeffrefrig]

An attorney will cost you and money you probably can't recoup. Don't get violent; you will lose. I had a situation back in the '80s where my new girlfriend's ex kept coming around causing problems. I got the police involved several times but they did nothing. Finally he got me at the wrong time and followed us out of the bar. He took one swing, missed, then I broke his jaw and two ribs. It cost me his salary for two weeks and his insurance co-pay to get the charges dropped. I learned.
Maybe plant some rose bushes inside your fence or some other jagger bushes. Don't let the police off easy, and make the mayor aware what is going on. Find out where the police drink and buy them a few beers. Watch a couple old Charles Bronson movies!!

 

[Mainsail]

Some concertina wire along the top of the fence is completely passive, and will "catch" anything trying to come over the top.

 

[hsguy]

We had a similar situation quite a few years ago. We lived in a quiet area until a couple moved in across the street and things went downhill quickly. The husband's father was a well known wealthy businessman had purchased the home to get his drug addled son and wife out of his hair. Almost immediately the drug dealing and violent behavior started. The PD was called several times per week to deal with various problems. We met with the father to no avail. After about a year of this we and our neighbors hired an attorney, he did his due diligence and and was able to document about 100 PD responses to the property in the previous 6 months. We, and our attorney went to to the city council meeting and presented the information, they were astonished. The PD Chief and city attorney were present at the meeting and instructed to prepare a report about the problem. At the next council meeting the property was declared a public nuisance and the residents evicted. End of problem.

Our collective attorney fees were quite reasonable as all the information was readily available and was money well spent.

 

[Cal44]

I'm not in the move camp. OK, say you move. And then you find yourself next to another sociopath. Do you move again? And again?

If the whole neighboorhood is gone (say high crime), moving makes sense. For one bad neighbor? They're everywhere. When does the moving stop?

I think you need to figure out a way to protect yourself and coexist.

Replace your deceased dog with another dog.

Bigger. Much bigger.

Say a Great Pyrenees.

They are bred to protect whole herds of sheep. Take on Coyotes and make short work of them, etc.

Then when the Neighbor's dog comes over and gets aggressive, it will be the last time.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Whatever you decide to do, please DO NOT place an empty 2-liter plastic Pepsi bottle over the muzzle of your .22 rifle, DO NOT duct tape the plastic bottle firmly in place, DO NOT chamber a round of ammunition, DO NOT point the rifle through the fence in the dog's face, DO NOT pull the trigger. Also, DO NOT discuss such thoughts, plans, or deeds with anyone, ever, and DO NOT keep used plastic pop bottles, duct tape, or empty cartridge cases.

Other things that should never be done include buying rat poison anywhere near your home or where you might be recognized, and certainly do not use a credit card or check for such purchases. Never keep your rat poison inside hot dogs or ground beef.

Unusual levels of traffic to and from a residence at odd hours does not constitute probable cause for a search warrant. Reporting such activity to police or prosecutors is a fine idea, especially with videos, license plates, descriptions, etc, but these only provide input for intelligence purposes pending the possibilities of further investigation that may or may not take place, depending on staffing, budgets, and other enforcement activities of varying priorities. Suspicion is never sufficient for search & seizure, detention, or arrest, no matter how many neighbors report the same suspicious activities.

Smart cops will take your information in confidence, then focus patrols on interdicting transactions in hopes of getting dopers to throw down their stash or give permission for a search of their cars, then present the cases in court as nothing more than a sharp patrolman acting on suspicious activity.

Worst case would be a cop citing neighbor reports as probable cause, then being forced to reveal the specifics in court proceedings, likely including the informant's name, address, and possible motivations for making the reports. A problem with the neighbor's dog is one thing, but a problem with a neighbor facing prosecution and possible prison time for dope dealing is a different sort of peeing contest.