Tale as Old as Time: Shared Fenceline and Roaming Dogs

[Pico_Banana]

Ugh, I feel your pain because I have those neighbors, too. My attempt to reason with them went worse than yours did and concluded when I walked away after she started swearing at me and calling me names.

I ended up calling AC. They talked to the neighbors, who of course lied and said this was an isolated incident. Anyway, anytime I see the dog on my property I take a photo, email it to AC, and AC writes them a ticket with a fine. It hasn’t solved the problem completely because the neighbors just aren’t that disciplined, but it has improved it significantly.

The neighbors now completely ignore me, despite the fact that I allow their son to cut across my property to go see his friend that lives on the other side. (I’m not going to punish the kid for having asshat parents.) It’s not ideal but it’s better than their dog chasing and trying to attack my horses - which is what precipitated the conversation in the first place.

[enjoytheride]

Call animal control. Tell them he’s aggressive. Or take him to the shelter yourself.

[OverandOnward]

@Pico_Banana

I ended up calling AC. They talked to the neighbors, who of course lied and said this was an isolated incident. Anyway, anytime I see the dog on my property I take a photo, email it to AC, and AC writes them a ticket with a fine. It hasn’t solved the problem completely because the neighbors just aren’t that disciplined, but it has improved it significantly.

Just a random note re ‘I’m The Most Special’ type of human behavior of people who just don’t care about their place in a community. Some of them get a notice of fines or city action about - anything - and believe they can just ignore it. Roaming dogs, high un-mowed weeds, litter, abandoned car, etc. on their property, whatever.

Those unpaid fines accrue interest and maybe penalties as well. The amount can grow more quickly than people expect, depending on the jurisdiction. Within months they can end up owing an amount that is a bit shocking compared with the original charge.

A reason that involving AC and other city functions can help apply very strong pressure on someone who is denying or laughing away a problem.

Sometimes people are aware that their unpaid fine is growing larger, but sometimes they remain clueless about it.

If nothing is changing, I’d recommend a more in-depth conversation with AC about how their process works. One warning with some requirements on corrective action; two weeks later a follow-up; and then what happens if the problem still exists … Just gathering information that is good to know and may help with strategy.

[beowulf]

I agree with others, call ACO, document, and drop off at pound.
Here ACO and police will take loose dogs. It’s a kerfluffle and publicly embarrassing having your dog’s face all over FB, NextDoor, the local police FB page, etc.

And – I understand that now is the time of year Red Ryders go on sale… cheap, effective, and minimal risk of serious injury (at distance) if SSS is not an option - remember you don’t need to hit them to scare the crap out of them.

You are a good neighbor. You can’t make your trashy neighbors into something they’re not. Give the dogs a good reason to never want to revisit.

[clanter]

@beowulf

Here ACO and police

here animal control is a subdivision of the police department

[endlessclimb]

True here too, but AC is never available after hours or on weekends.

[Pico_Banana]

@endlessclimb

True here too, but AC is never available after hours or on weekends.

My AC officer told me to call 911 and they would reach him (he is also part of the police force). I have not been able to bring myself to do that. I just take the photos and email.

[Bicoastal]

Thank you all. I have told the landlord and will take up the suggestion to text neighbor AND landlord every time. Landlord seems pissed.

When I first returned Renter A’s hound, she asked if I had dog chained up because she’d been calling her for half an hour. What?!!

Previous convo with Renter B, she’s “not the kind of person to let her dog run amock.” ‍:dizzy:That’s literally what is happening!

She went on to say people have a stigma about pit bulls and her special snookums is a therapy-emotional-service dog. Sham alert!

You all are right. All of the deflection…don’t attempt to reason with unreasonable people. A picture is worth a thousand words. I’ll text photos to owners AND landlord every time.

I’ll get through the holidays then engage AC. Would they really come out for a dog at large? AC is a full time sheriff, part time AC. Dogs will be long gone after I call in a report, unless I open a gate then trap them on my property.

[OverandOnward]

You have done, and are doing, everything that you reasonably can. That’s going to help you with the administrative part of this.

Your first call to AC is not to report what is happening right now, but to get information about the situation you are encountering. This call can be made at your convenience, while comfortable seated at a table with a writing pad and pen for notes.

“This is what has been going on, what do you recommend I do to get these dog owners under control (and then hopefully the dogs)?” Let them know what you are already doing, and the lack of results. The lack of results from your current efforts is why you are calling, really.

You can acquaint them with the situation before they are asked to come out, and will get their advice. You are a step ahead, because you are already doing the thing they wish more people would try to do – act yourself first, talk to the dog owners, etc. AC will appreciate that you have already taken those steps.

Then AC will advise you how and when to get back in touch with them. If they are a fair-minded and responsible crew, having this info ahead of time, they will be even more ready when the call to action comes while a dog is attacking your fence.

[RHdobes563]

@Bicoastal

…She went on to say people have a stigma about pit bulls and her special snookums is a therapy-emotional-service dog. Sham alert!..

If that is true, the dog is incapable of performing that service while on the loose…

[atr]

I think my ex neighbors must have moved next door to you after their landlord evicted them, after one of their three therapy-dog-pitbulls-who-could-do-no-wrong jumped the fence and killed my cat.

I wish you luck. AC did what they could, but making life miserable for their landlord finally did the trick.

Next door is now strictly no dogs allowed (because the landlord is too cheap to fix the fence) and our new neighbors are nice people.

[lenapesadie]

@Bicoastal

Would they really come out for a dog at large? AC is a full time sheriff, part time AC. Dogs will be long gone after I call in a report, unless I open a gate then trap them on my property.

I think that what actions AC takes, the process etc., will depend on the local regulations.

While I live in a relatively rural area, we do have county ordinances regarding leash laws (and noise but that’s a tale for another time). That said, what loose dogs are doing may shape the response.

Examples:

Loose dogs harassing humans in an aggressive manner
Loose dogs tearing up people’s property (getting into trash)
Loose dogs harassing livestock

Since you mention you have some small stock, I’d be sure to relay that to AC when you call. Again your area likely has its own processes, but here I’ve seen AC do quite a bit to help people with dogs at large. My folks kept sheep for some years and had many issues with loose dogs breaching their fences and harassing and killing sheep. Law enforcement was very helpful.

Not a dog, but once I had a pony show up at my farm! We checked with neighboring farms, nobody was missing a pony. Nobody knew the pony or where he belonged! I called the non emergency police number and they sent an officer plus a city official with horse experience. Those gents canvassed the wider area and located the pony’s owner. The third time the pony got loose and came visiting the owner gave him to me. At any rate, the officials were as helpful as they could be.

[floppyammy]

@Bicoastal, you are a way, way nicer person than I am! You have given the owners more credit than they are due for far longer than I would have. I would not communicate with the neighbors or the landlord.

I would not wait until these loose dogs harm one of your animals. I go scorched earth protecting mine.
I don’t need to have good relationships with shitty neighbors. Hot wire, BB gun, Police reports, AC pickups. In no way would I attempt to handle these dogs and take them to the pound, even if they are nice. I would be ruthless in making sure these dogs are dealt with by the law, every time.

[beowulf]

In my locality (again, stressing this is where I live and not an assumption of how the rest of the world does it) people routinely drop off loose dogs at the Police Station.

That is how I handle loose dogs - but thankfully, have had very few.

My town’s police department’s FB page is somewhat of a riot. Whoever types up the “Is this your dog??” posts has a sense of humor.

My town’s ACO will come out to houses. I had her come to my house last year when I trapped the Feral Kitty that was pregnant. She scanned her for a microchip and had even given me all the tools I needed to trap the kitty in the first place. We have a great ACO team here. People have to remember that ACO’s hands are tied by the bureaucracy - there is a protocol and an order to animal enforcement and a good ACO follows those.

[Weezer]

I think the most effective solution to keeping the dog away from your property is to blast it with dog spray if it lunges at your fence. The dog may continue to run loose after that, but it won’t come back to your fence.

[Jarpur]

When we had a problem with a neighbor’s loose large dogs coming onto our property, we tried dealing with it neighbor to neighbor for a long time. When I found the dogs chasing our horses, I told my husband that next time I’m calling Animal Control, which I did (it was just a day or two later).

I managed to contain one dog and, when AC came out, the officer told me 1) it never works to try to handle these situations directly with the neighbor, instead, call AC first, and 2) the presence of the dog on my property proved that the dog had been loose and chasing livestock. Here, chasing livestock is a big deal, so I second telling AC that you have livestock. That particular dog was euthanized.

Some time later, the other large dog belonging to that neighbor, which had also chased our horses (but which I hadn’t caught) kept my husband at bay when he was walking our Shih Tzu around the neighborhood. Husband called to tell me – I went outside and saw him standing down the street, holding our dog in his arms. When the loose dog noticed me, it came onto our property, running aggressively towards me to the point that I retreated into our house, at which time it went back to the street. I went outside again, and snapped a few photos of the dog in the street, and then of it on our property (as it came back to chase me again). I called AC, and the officer who came out told me that each photo was worth a $500 fine to the owner (so thousands of dollars in total). That dog has never been loose again. I second the recommendation to take photos to prove that the dog is on your property. Hit the owners in their wallet.

Recently, there were two large, aggressive dogs loose in our neighborhood, chasing and attacking cars (did obvious damage to one’s bumper). Multiple people called AC, and I myself spoke to one officer who came out. I stressed that we and our next door neighbor have horses, that the people across the street have an assortment of poultry (and that I’d seen the dogs in that yard), and that there are older people in our neighborhood who can’t walk safely down the street with those dogs loose. Haven’t seen them since. With this latest incident, the first person who called was informed that AC needed more than one report. I suggest trying to encourage your other neighbors to also pick up the phone and call AC, which will assist in making a paper trail.

[OverandOnward]

The paper trail can become very important. Get things on the record.

If an AC officer comes out and is far too casual and doesn’t appear to have filed a report, call the office and find out. Complain if the officer isn’t doing their job.

It’s not fun to go hardball, but the harder you go, the sooner results start to happen. And hopefully a more complete result.

[OverandOnward]

What are your local laws and ordinances regarding a) loose animals and b) fencing yards with pets?

If the landlord has tenants with pets in an area that requires that yards with animals to be fenced, the landlord is out of compliance AND has an expensive fix to make. Either add fencing, get other tenants with no pets.

In some markets this is a time when vacancies will fill much more quickly by allowing pets. Some no-pets landlords have backed off this policy to keep their properties occupied. They don’t always add whatever is required locally to manage animals, leaving it to the tenants to control their animals.

Calling attention to violations of laws or ordinances is another strong pressure point from another department of the city separate from AC. The landlord will be getting notices from two separate processes.

One more idea … So this is one of the hardest hardballs to throw, just something to keep in mind, if there are no laws or ordinances for your area that require owner control of outside animals. The next step is the city council. And whatever they are doing for a city manager / city planner role (not every municipality has that title, but they have somebody). That’s a political move. But depending on the annoyance level of the local population about nuisance animals, it might be worth exploring to get such ordinances in place. Not a quick fix, of course. It could take years. But it could help prevent future issues.

[JanM]

I’m voting for the end of thinking of the landlord or tenants as ‘neighbors’, they’re going to ignore the dogs roaming until animal control forces them to do something. And the landlords demand about the hot wire? It’s not her property, and do whatever you want to. I suggest that when you open your outside gate, you have wasp spray, or a cattle prod available. The second that dog comes on your property, show it why it’s not coming back.

[TheJenners]

@endlessclimb

I have no doubt that the renter’s dog is pussycat if there’s no fenceline. My mutt dog is like that. World’s biggest WIMP, but if you put a fence or a window between her and whatever-it-is, she acts like a FOOL

My neighbors’ two large GSDs are like this. They entice my boys over to “play” by barking, and by going onto the other neighbor’s place, which is closer to mine, to bark bark bark. My younger dog runs that way, they scoot back to their property and then 10 minutes of running the fence and barking commences. But the few times I’ve caught my boys actually IN with the GSDs on the second neighbor’s property, the closer one, they basically pack up and are fine with each other. Put that fence between them and bark bark bark run run run. It’s actually kind of funny. And since their place isn’t near my place, my boys aren’t at fault. So until they complain… I appreciate the free exercise