Anyone gone to court for their dogs running at large?

[french_fry]

I think your neighbors are trying to get rid of your dogs.

Since it sounds like you’ve purposely cultivated a pack of 6 large, antisocial dogs that you leave in your yard when you’re not home to scare everyone who passes by, I’m not 100% sure I blame them.

If my friendly beagle mix got loose once or twice in five years she would probably get brought home to me by a neighbor with some fresh-baked muffins. However, if your neighbors are already terrified of your dogs, once or twice is probably enough to make them be like “no more”…

[Simkie]

It sounds like keeping your dogs inside would go a loooooong way toward neighborhood relations and potential for getting loose.

[BUSY]

Giving an example. I am not a killerbut I have had ’ killer’ dogs come on my property

Just giving my example … I’m not a killer.
Only one bad dog neighbor in my area, rest are responsible dog owners.
Several of us have suffered the consequences of this one bad owner.
I am a dog lover but no longer allow loose dogs to terrorize and harm my people, and animals !!!

[QUOTE=_misty;8546649]
Whoa, killer…are you referring directly to the OP’s dogs or are you blaming your own neighborhood doggie-gang issues on all dog owners? Seems to be the latter.

Maybe you should lay off the exclamation point hysterics in order for your point to be taken more seriously. Just a thought.[/QUOTE]

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Simkie;8546681]
It sounds like keeping your dogs inside would go a loooooong way toward neighborhood relations and potential for getting loose.[/QUOTE]

But the OP lives in a community of older retired people that she wants to be scared of the dogs.

It seems that protecting her yard from these dangerous retirees is more important than her dogs’ lives.

[pezk]

I think OP you need to take your camera and start photographing other people’s yards and other dogs running loose. Then take photos of your yard and fences. That may help to sway the judge that it wasn’t your dogs. If there are other dogs running loose that look like yours then you need to photograph them. All that evidence is what you will need in court. Will your vet put in a good word for you that you take care of your dogs?
I would also talk in person to AC/police. See what they have to say about why they think it’s your dogs.
Yes I’m afraid it’s guilty until proven innocent. Just go read the thread about the blind man and pit bulls in Off Topic.

[Ready_To_Riot]

[QUOTE=red mares;8546661]
If your neighbors posted:

The advice would be to call animal control every time they saw a dog loose and document, document, document. Put yourself in their shoes for a minute. You are not the one who has to be convinced here; the judge or magistrate does.[/QUOTE]

I get how that would be an issue, but the only time my dogs bug people is when they come near my fence or on my property. My fence is set back 50’ off the property line on the side of the road so they won’t bother people walking on the road. People like to walk in my yard though, so yes. My dogs bark. Out of the fence, my dogs mind their ps and qs (on walks. We walk twice a day) and don’t bat an eye at anyone. Someone once complained to me that my dog was jumping at them trying to bite them. I asked where they were… They were walking on my fence line. I have no trespassing signs up for this reason as well as the beware of dog signs. I have made it clear I don’t want anyone on my property. That’s all

I don’t know how I’m supposed to prove they aren’t my dogs when they can’t prove they are… Which is also why I’m seeking advice

[Hulk]

I agree that a dog getting loose and running amok in the neighborhood once, is once too often. There are some people with an irrational or acquired fear of dogs. Like a lady I knew that was attacked pretty badly by her neighbors dogs as a kid. She now goes into a total melt down when she encounters any loose dog at all. She is in her 70s and still has an uncontrollable fear. Breed doesn’t matter, although a big hairy scary barking dog would up the ante. So I am not trying to jump on you OP but you really need to look at other perspectives besides your own.

[Ready_To_Riot]

[QUOTE=french fry;8546691]
But the OP lives in a community of older retired people that she wants to be scared of the dogs.

It seems that protecting her yard from these dangerous retirees is more important than her dogs’ lives.[/QUOTE]

My neighbors aren’t what I’m scared of. But that’s also not any of your business. My dogs are well taken care of

Thank you for the post about taking pictures of the other dogs. I can also pull off my Facebook group about the dogs that go missing in my area. I didn’t think of that

[EKLay]

I was actually just last year accused (by a neighbor) of letting one of my dogs run around the neighborhood loose. I have never had any of my animals escape the yard, and they are always leashed when in public, as the dog in question (sighthound) does not have a recall.

I explained to the neighbor that my dog has never been loose, and that if he sees a loose dog the best thing to do is to call animal control to come pick the dog up. He was a bit startled by this, and I think it did go a good way towards mollifying him, as he realized I wasn’t lying about my dogs not getting loose, I was serious.

In the end, we were able to figure out whose dog he’d seen loose and it turns out the only reason he thought my dog had been loose was because both dogs are chestnut and white. Nevermind that the loose dog was a medium haired, squat mix of some kind and that mine is a very short haired, tall sighthound.

Yes, it was very irritating to be accused of something I hadn’t done, and it was not fun to take the time to politely work with the neighbor and help him figure out what dog he’d seen loose. However, by taking the time to help when I didn’t have to, it left him with a very positive, favorable impression of me and my dogs. Knowing that my dogs don’t get loose has hopefully shown him that not all dog owners are irresponsible, especially as I went out of my way to help him with his problem.

I think it is unfortunately on you to prove that your dogs weren’t loose, as most people are so bad about identifying dogs. However, if you have deliberately tried to make people afraid of you and/or your dogs, that might be a big part of the issue. Big dogs that bark are a deterrent - you don’t need to deliberately foster people thinking they are actually vicious.

Maybe get some cheap cameras to put on your yard for video proof that your dogs are not escaping?

[pezk]

[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8546702]
My neighbors aren’t what I’m scared of. But that’s also not any of your business. My dogs are well taken care of

Thank you for the post about taking pictures of the other dogs. I can also pull off my Facebook group about the dogs that go missing in my area. I didn’t think of that[/QUOTE]

You Need to jettison the attitude about what is other people’s business. You are the one that asked for help here. Some of us are trying to help you. Your neighbors may be your best friends in this situation. They were mine that day. Cultivate them.

[D_BaldStockings]

Go around your neighborhood and take pictures of every single dog.

If you have pictures of dogs you ‘brought in to return to their homes’ get those too. Bring in screenshots of your pet work and signed statements from your vet as to what you do for other people’s dogs.

If you have people you have returned loose dogs to, get written statements from them with a witness present that you returned their dog to them.

Take all that to court and make them pick your dogs out of a line-up, if they can.

I’d probably look up the weather on that day and go back through my calendar to see if there was any proof my dogs were not out or I was home all day that day, had visitors, etc.

If your dogs are well behaved on leash, I would video them walking, passing people on the sidewalks or street, etc. Bring that to court.

Finally, plant a hedge around the unfenced part of your yard to discourage trespassers so the dogs won’t be foaming at the fence and scaring neighbors.

If you need permission for the number of dogs or the number of foster dogs, I hope you have it.

And, of course fosters ARE your dogs while in your care and control; if they are the ones getting out.

Best

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8546702]
My neighbors aren’t what I’m scared of. But that’s also not any of your business. My dogs are well taken care of

Thank you for the post about taking pictures of the other dogs. I can also pull off my Facebook group about the dogs that go missing in my area. I didn’t think of that[/QUOTE]

Look, my post came off a little harsh but I (and probably most others on this thread) would hate to have you as a neighbor. Feeling terrorized in my own quiet retirement community because someone’s solution to feeling unsafe is having SIX large, antisocial dogs (plus random fosters) and leaving the entire pack of them out while they’re not home to menace me every time I walked by?

I would want those dogs gone yesterday.

I’m not saying that to be mean, it’s just that you seem to be very caught up in your own situation and haven’t stopped to consider how strongly your neighbors may (reasonably) be feeling about your situation.

Frankly, I’d start keeping the dogs inside if only for their own safety. It’s not unheard of to chuck a hunk of poisoned meat over a fence.

[Ready_To_Riot]

[QUOTE=EKLay;8546710]
I was actually just last year accused (by a neighbor) of letting one of my dogs run around the neighborhood loose. I have never had any of my animals escape the yard, and they are always leashed when in public, as the dog in question (sighthound) does not have a recall.

I explained to the neighbor that my dog has never been loose, and that if he sees a loose dog the best thing to do is to call animal control to come pick the dog up. He was a bit startled by this, and I think it did go a good way towards mollifying him, as he realized I wasn’t lying about my dogs not getting loose, I was serious.

In the end, we were able to figure out whose dog he’d seen loose and it turns out the only reason he thought my dog had been loose was because both dogs are chestnut and white. Nevermind that the loose dog was a medium haired, squat mix of some kind and that mine is a very short haired, tall sighthound.

Yes, it was very irritating to be accused of something I hadn’t done, and it was not fun to take the time to politely work with the neighbor and help him figure out what dog he’d seen loose. However, by taking the time to help when I didn’t have to, it left him with a very positive, favorable impression of me and my dogs. Knowing that my dogs don’t get loose has hopefully shown him that not all dog owners are irresponsible, especially as I went out of my way to help him with his problem.

I think it is unfortunately on you to prove that your dogs weren’t loose, as most people are so bad about identifying dogs. However, if you have deliberately tried to make people afraid of you and/or your dogs, that might be a big part of the issue. Big dogs that bark are a deterrent - you don’t need to deliberately foster people thinking they are actually vicious.

Maybe get some cheap cameras to put on your yard for video proof that your dogs are not escaping?[/QUOTE]

I guess I should clarify that any time anyone asks about my dogs, I do tell them they are friendly. I don’t come in contact with too many people during our walks though.

For other reasons, I’m not well liked in the neighborhood. Due to age mostly. And the fact that I am dating a man who works for the city. The neighbor who complains knows this and has brought it up several times in our conversations.

I’m not sure when he decided he didn’t like me. When I first moved in, I met him because I was accidentally backing into his yard every time I backed out of my drive way. I had no idea he is one of the types who takes pride in his yard and my half a foot in his yard bugged him. I understand and he came to me about it very nicely. We solved the problem nonissue. Then out of no where, he started complaining about everything! From the dogs, to the fact that I didn’t park my car in the garage, as well as the fact that I have a horse trailer in my drive way. (I don’t live in an HOA so my car can be in the drive way. My horse trailer is under my car port. Idk why he flipped a switch or what I did, but I never bothered asking him.

[Ready_To_Riot]

[QUOTE=french fry;8546731]
Look, my post came off a little harsh but I (and probably most others on this thread) would hate to have you as a neighbor. Feeling terrorized in my own quiet retirement community because someone’s solution to feeling unsafe is having SIX large, antisocial dogs (plus random fosters) and leaving the entire pack of them out while they’re not home to menace me every time I walked by?

I would want those dogs gone yesterday.

I’m not saying that to be mean, it’s just that you seem to be very caught up in your own situation and haven’t stopped to consider how strongly your neighbors may (reasonably) be feeling about your situation.

Frankly, I’d start keeping the dogs inside if only for their own safety. It’s not unheard of to chuck a hunk of poisoned meat over a fence.[/QUOTE]

They only bother people who walk in my yard. If they would stop walking in my yard, they wouldn’t be bothered at all.

But it’s been winter and cold and snowy, so the dogs have been inside for a couple of months now. If I can figure out which days it snowed here last year, I can argue that the dogs were inside then as well as I don’t leave them out when it snows.

[EKLay]

I read once (I think a Malcom Gladwell book) that doctors who are unliked are much more likely to be sued for malpractice than those who have a pleasant bedside manner. The point was essentially that people are more likely to overlook issues (real or perceived) if the other person is pleasant. If you can reasonably improve your neighbors opinion of you, this may help with future complaints?

Otherwise, I completely agree that the more facts you can assemble to show that you are responsible, do not let your dogs loose, immediately address problems like holes in the fence, etc are much more likely to be helpful.

You could also possibly talk with your neighbor? Maybe say something like you have noticed that you seem to have offended him and would like to do what you reasonably can to address the problems? If he is unreasonable or you can’t reasonably fix anything that’s one thing, but at least you’d have tried. Long term, having a neighbor be out to get you is not a fun way to live.

[french_fry]

[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8546775]
They only bother people who walk in my yard. If they would stop walking in my yard, they wouldn’t be bothered at all.

But it’s been winter and cold and snowy, so the dogs have been inside for a couple of months now. If I can figure out which days it snowed here last year, I can argue that the dogs were inside then as well as I don’t leave them out when it snows.[/QUOTE]

It’s not right for people to walk in your yard when you have asked (and told, and warned) them not to.

However, you have acknowledged in your past posts that for various reasons you are the odd (wo)man out in this neighborhood. If the rest of the neighbors don’t see anything wrong with cutting through each other’s yards or picking up trash that blew through or whatever they’re doing while walking through your yard, you’re going to be seen as “Ready to Riot with the vicious dogs that try to attack me every time I walk by minding my own business.”

That’s just a fact. You said in your second post that you want people to be afraid of your dogs. Well, they are, and now you have trouble.

I don’t know how to get you out of your current trouble, though others have made good suggestions, but as general life advice - this was bound to blow up in your face sooner or later. If you want to keep living in this neighborhood without constantly being harassed by neighbors/police/animal control/the city/etc. you are going to need to change your management style with these dogs. It’s just a fact that you contributed to this problem and now it has escalated to a point where there are serious implications.

[Nezzy]

if your dogs have not gotten out, then neighbors cannot provide proof that the dogs in Question belong to you. Therefore, you cannot be held responsible. If no one can prove otherwise, i don’t see how you could get into any trouble.

[Ready_To_Riot]

I want one person afraid of the dogs. What others think about them isn’t my business nor should it effect me.

There should be no trouble and I was looking for advice on how to end this harassment. I’m not leaving the neighborhood. I own the home and there is nothing that says I can’t have them. I don’t bother anyone and I do so much in the community… I just want to be left alone. Those of you who have given advice, thank you. Maybe I’ll write my neighbor a letter… He yells when we are face to face.

[Ready_To_Riot]

[QUOTE=Nezzy;8546819]
if your dogs have not gotten out, then neighbors cannot provide proof that the dogs in Question belong to you. Therefore, you cannot be held responsible. If no one can prove otherwise, i don’t see how you could get into any trouble.[/QUOTE]

That’s what I thought, but it seems that you and I are the only one that think that way

[Larksmom]

I was going to offer some advice, as I have an escape artist, and have dealt with the city. Not pretty, or cheap. But since even though you have asked for advice, you seem to discount all of it, and call us out as mean and stupid, I decided against it.