Aggressive neighbor's dogs

[turbo6]

Last year I bought a new home with a fenced in yard so my two dogs could finally roam free. Seemed like a quiet neighborhood. However, I've come to realize our neighbors on one side seem to be degenerates.

Long story short, I was at work recently. My wife was home alone and showering, getting ready to run to the store. Our dogs were outside in the backyard when the neighbors large dog climbed/jumped our fence and attacked our smaller dog, killing it.

This wasn't the first time it happened with their dog, but it was the first time when our dogs happened to be outside as well.

Police and animal control responded but for whatever reason did not seize the dog. They have several dogs, many of which look similar.

It's been about a month now and police and animal control haven't done a thing. They say they are reviewing the case etc. Dogs have gotten loose a few times after as well.

From what I understand a guy and his girlfriend live there. Girlfriends mom owns the house but lives elsewhere. Uncle or some other older relative lives across the street.

I feel their dog is dangerous and would likely harm our surviving dog. Shooting it on our property is legal if its aggressive to us or our animals.

However, from what I gather these people are possibly drug dealers. Our cameras catch a good deal of "come and go" traffic all day along at their residence. Could be Noon, could be 2 am, could be 5 am. Seems pretty obvious what's happening here.

Based on the circumstances - shoot next time on property acting aggressive or push for police to deal with it?

 

[moralem]

Move.....things will never get better if the authorities have done nothing. Do you honestly think it will come to them as a surprise that it is a drug house.....they know what it is they obviously don’t feel compelled to act......life is to short to tolerate a bad neighbor.....sorry for the death of your pet.

 

[Protected One]

The sad reality is that the police are unlikely to deal with it...unless you end up shooting the dog. They have any number of "reasons" why there is little they can do, and that's what they do - little.

I had trouble with a neighbors grown (30 something) son who was living with her. Mom AND son were low-lifes. Over the course of a year I had the police out 9 times! They talked to him but did nothing else, and their "talks" did nothing to stop the situation. Finally, in an effort to avoid me getting into a physical fight with him or perhaps even shooting him, my wife convinced me we should just move out and rent out our condo. We did. Even still, he was the cause of several of our renters moving out as well. We eventually ended up just selling the unit.

Personally, I couldn't stay in an area where there is known or suspected drug activity. The police do little to shut it down, and if YOU find yourself in fear for your life and respond accordingly you might be tagged as the bad guy. It's just sad that situations like this put good people at the mercy of bad people, but it's all too often the reality.

 

[murphydog]

I agree that ultimately you'll probably have to move. You could try to put up a higher fence but if that involves getting the approval of your "neighbor", good luck trying to discuss that with them. (When you do move, I'd send a thank you note to the realtor (if you used one) for finding you the house in the first place. )

In the meantime, I would be tempted to practice with and carry a large can of "bear spray" at all times while in your back yard. Your "neighbor" may be just as enraged with you spraying their trespassing dogs, but at least you will have tried something short of lethal force.

 

[challer61]

Use the courts and the local hardware store

 

[Ziggy2525]

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.

 

[SAFireman]

Why not just record the comings & goings and hand it over to the DA's investigators?

 

[Old_Cop]

First, dig the hole.

 

[Doug44]

You should take them to court. Make them pay for the loss of your dog. Sorry for you loss.

 

[Bekeart]

No Bear Spray - Use Spray Paint

(snipped here) In the meantime, I would be tempted to practice with and carry a large can of "bear spray" at all times while in your back yard. Your "neighbor" may be just as enraged with you spraying their trespassing dogs, but at least you will have tried something short of lethal force.

No Bear Spray - Use Spray Paint
POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION of the dog.
Longer Lasting.

Bekeart

 

[germansheperd]

No Bear Spray - Use Spray Paint
POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION of the dog.
Longer Lasting.

Bekeart

seriously? Leaving marks or proof? Be smarter than the crackhead neighbor.
Let a picture of that painted dog get around and you will be paying fines and the crackhead restitution.

 

[Old cop]

I went through a similar situation several years ago, and I was a working cop at the time. We wound up moving, but the reality is restrictive laws don’t allow police to do much. Getting a search warrant for a suspected drug house normally requires at least two controlled buys by an undercover agent, and the dealers know the system. I really feel bad for you but moving, IMHO, is your best bet.

 

[Ziggy2525]

You should take them to court. Make them pay for the loss of your dog. Sorry for you loss.

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.

 

[dockmurgw]

Sometimes its harder to take the high road, and I think that's the situation the OP is faced with. If it was me I think I would be a thorn in the PD's side, calling daily until they do one of two things: deal with your neighbor or warn you to stop calling...or get a new dog bigger than theirs!

 

[Rich Richardson]

Get another dog

Get the meanest biggest dog and let him roam your yard. It’ll keep out the neighbor’s dog and he can chew on some drug dealers that might wander into your yard.
Many years ago we had a burglury problem in my neighborhood. I purchased a large trained shepherd guard dog. The dog turned out to be very dangerous to trespassers but protective and loving to family members.
Slept well and knew the house was safe when I was at work.

 

[blues7]

Get the meanest biggest dog and let him roam your yard. It’ll keep out the neighbor’s dog and he can chew on some drug dealers that might wander into your yard.
Many years ago we had a burglury problem in my neighborhood. I purchased a large trained shepherd guard dog. The dog turned out to be very dangerous to trespassers but protective and loving to family members.
Slept well and knew the house was safe when I was at work.

Unfortunately, even strong, tough dogs are not difficult to kill for those miscreants so inclined.

One has to decide where there line in the sand is...and which hill i is worth dying on, to use a couple of well worn platitudes.

Consider all the options. In the end, moving may be the best and least costly choice if other reasonable options cannot be employed.

 

[hoosierone]

Move, it will never get better. Just carefully check out the next neighborhood you choose to live in.

We once lived in an apartment where two gays lived across the hall. They fought a lot but never bothered us. They moved and a couple of hippies moved in and were selling pot big time. The hallway was full of smoke from the pot. They left us alone and as we were moving into our first home shortly so I let it go.

 

[AManWearingAHat]

shame where we're ending up that our law enforcement's hands are so tied that "move" sounds like the best option. Not criticizing anyone here, I can empathize with a situation like this that seems hopeless. More lamenting at the fact that we're kept on the back foot by the criminal element and one bad neighbor can force someone out of their home. Sad...

 

[Doug M.]

A fence of 6' is minimal.

 

[Justin T]

No matter what you decide to do, it should happen on your property.

But there will be consequences, no matter who is determined to be right/wrong. Trash is trash, and there will be some sort of attempted retribution if you try to “manage” his dog.