Help! Some one Called Animal Control!!

[AngylBelle]

Ok, about an hour ago a neighbor came over and talked to my roommate saying she was going to call animal control because my dog got out of the backyard, tried to bite her and wouldn't let her in her house.

This is absolutely ridiculous, one, because the dog has been inside with me all day, two, I leave him inside when I go to work, and three, when I leave him outside when I run errands, he is tied to a tree in our backyard. Now, I have a six foot tall wooden security fence with a gate that opens inward, so it can't be pushed open from the inside. The lady stated that there was a green car outside at the time of the 'incident' meaning my boyfriend was over...thereby proving that the dog was inside because he was with me.

I called animal control myself and left a message...being that it is Sunday. I explained the situation and said how the lady said she was going to call and how I know she is lying. Is there anything else I should do? I am afraid this lady is looking for a lawsuit and I am also afraid that my proof isn't enough. I need some advice...

 

[Panther_Shadow83]

look at it this way.... does the lady have any bite marks? bruises? a picture of your dog outside the fence that can be proved to have been taken that day? no.

animal control also loves animals. they wont go for a case with no evidence.

no evidence + no proof = no case

no case + no lawsuit = happy AngyBelle






edit:
Heb 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see."

you hope there will be no lawsuit... well, be sure of it. you didnt see your dog outside the fence because you werent home.... be certain of it.

 

[AngylBelle]

you hope there will be no lawsuit... well, be sure of it. you didnt see your dog outside the fence because you werent home.... be certain of it.

I was home...that IS how I know. The dog was with me all day. That is why I am frustrated by this whole ordeal. And you are right, she has no proof, it is her word against mine, so I just hope she doesn't show up with some "wound" later and claim it was from my dog. I have witnesses that know for a fact the dog was inside with me or outside "with me" all day, so I am trying to not be too concerned. If she tries to pull something, I am well prepared to slap a harrassment/malice complaint against her. I won't go down without a fight!

 

[pgp_protector]

Do you have a lawyer that you know you can use IF it comes to this ?

If you have one, drop a dime & explain what is going on, Lots of times people give lawyers a bad name, but in cases like this, it's a good idea to have one handy just in case.

Also make shure there is no Record that is being created due to this "report"

 

[ChristianCandy]

Well...if your boyfriend was over, then he is a witness that the dog was inside. So I wouldn't worry about her because you have a witness that the dog wasn't outside, so it really isn't her word against yours, because you have proof....a witness.

Also, does this woman have any witnesses that also "saw" your dog outside? How does she know it was your dog and not somebody else's dog? She would have to prove that it was your dog somehow...not just by her word alone. That is not proof.

 

[AngylBelle]

Do you have a lawyer that you know you can use IF it comes to this ?

If you have one, drop a dime & explain what is going on, Lots of times people give lawyers a bad name, but in cases like this, it's a good idea to have one handy just in case.

Also make shure there is no Record that is being created due to this "report"

Ugh, I wish I did. I may ask one of my managers at work tomorrow if they know of someone I could 'borrow', lol.

As far as I know, there is no "record" as of yet. She couldn't file a complaint today because the Animal Control office was closed. I, however, called and left a message explaining the situation as a means of covering my behind. I hope that wasn't a mistake on my part.

 

[AngylBelle]

Well...if your boyfriend was over, then he is a witness that the dog was inside. So I wouldn't worry about her because you have a witness that the dog wasn't outside, so it really isn't her word against yours, because you have proof....a witness.

Also, does this woman have any witnesses that also "saw" your dog outside? How does she know it was your dog and not somebody else's dog? She would have to prove that it was your dog somehow...not just by her word alone. That is not proof.

As far as I know, she does not have a witness, at least at the moment. I have a problem when it comes to trusting people, and I have this gut feeling she could some how "come up with a witness" if needed. You are right about her not having proof that it was my dog, except that she could point and say that is him. Animal Control is "animal friendly" so I am hoping that if an investigation is pursued, having an encounter with my dog will prove he wouldn't hurt a fly. I am just worried because I have never been in this situation myself before and I know too many scumbags that are out trying to make a buck. Also, her kids have climbed on my fence before and taunted him causing him to bark, and I am thinking she may have concocted the story to remove my dog from the area. I can't help but be worried.

 

[TheTruthinFiction]

Ugh, I wish I did. I may ask one of my managers at work tomorrow if they know of someone I could 'borrow', lol.

As far as I know, there is no "record" as of yet. She couldn't file a complaint today because the Animal Control office was closed. I, however, called and left a message explainint the situation as a means of covering my behind. I hope that wasn't a mistake on my part.

Having worked with lawyers the last few years, I could tell you not to call them but you have done it already, not to worry though, sounds more like someone just running their mouth. The reason for not calling would be to make it look less important, it would make the woman look like she is blowing everything out of proportion. It's best in these situations not to offer any information until the person has reported the problem.

Even so, I still don't think you have anything to worry about. Animal control at the most will ask you to keep a closer eye on your dog, when they do don't say, "but my dog didn't do anything". Just say ok and let it blow over. I had a Chow-Chow when I was a teenager that bit someone but they had jumped our fence. Animal control came out, stuck a sign on my fence that the dog was in quarentine not to mess with him, then laughed about it. Like someone else said, animal control loves animals. One last tip, if animal control does come over, try to be as calm as possible before they get there or your dog will sense it and may become aggressive when they arrive. Just don't worry about it, it will be okay.

 

[AngylBelle]

Just don't worry about it, it will be okay.

Thanks for the advice and support.

 

[Billnew]

If the neighbor is trying to cause trouble for you, she will watch for a time you are not home and claim the dog was running wild then.
Make sure to document anytime she talks to you about your dog.
Each time tell her it's not my dog because my dog was ___.

You might want to lock the gate to your dog, unless it won't let anyone near enough to let it loose. You tie it out properly, she comes over and lets it loose and leaves the gate open.

Neighbors that target an animal are unpredictable. Are they taking the dislike for you or your boyfreind, and focusing on the dog? Does the neighbor hate animals? How far will a neighbor go to be rid of the dog?

We could never prove it but our neighbors hated or Chahuaha. Our chahuaha died suspiciously at the age of 6. (when I was 9) Pinky (I did not name her) would chase packs of dogs out of our yard.
So be very careful when dealing with the neighbor.

 

[AngylBelle]

If the neighbor is trying to cause trouble for you, she will watch for a time you are not home and claim the dog was running wild then.
Make sure to document anytime she talks to you about your dog.
Each time tell her it's not my dog because my dog was ___.

I agree...this is exactly the impression that I am receiving.

You might want to lock the gate to your dog, unless it won't let anyone near enough to let it loose. You tie it out properly, she comes over and lets it loose and leaves the gate open.

With my next paycheck I plan to get a lock for the gate in order to prevent her from attempting this. Good idea!

Neighbors that target an animal are unpredictable. Are they taking the dislike for you or your boyfreind, and focusing on the dog? Does the neighbor hate animals? How far will a neighbor go to be rid of the dog?

I really do not see how she could be upset at me or my boyfriend. For one thing, I have never even spoke with her...and neither has my boyfriend. In fact, I could not even point her out to you in a crowd because I have seen her maybe twice.

The only thing that I can think of is that about two months ago her kids were climbing atop my 6.5ft wooden privacy fence and taunting my dog causing him to bark (which is also the only time to my knowledge that they have even seen him). If one of the kids got scared, perhaps this is the cause, but why not confront me about it then instead of going to my roommate now? Ahhh, I know! Because she wouldn't have had a valid argument being that her kids were in the wrong, so concocting a story would be much easier!

What really makes me angry is that being that I have a secure fence my dog should not even have to be tied up in the first place, but yet I do it to protect myself from situations like this. Once I get the lock on the gate, would it be ok to let him roam the yard unsupervised? My fence was put in for privacy so that no one can peer into the back yard or get in with ease. The fence also starts on the side of the house and goes back, meaning the front yard is not enclosed. To even get to the fence/gate, you have to be on my property...so if he is locked in the backyard, and some one mysteriously gets bit (completely hypothetical...my dog doesn't bite), would I still be to blame even though they were trespassing? There must be a law to protect animal owners from nosy neighbors...

We could never prove it but our neighbors hated or Chahuaha. Our chahuaha died suspiciously at the age of 6. (when I was 9) Pinky (I did not name her) would chase packs of dogs out of our yard.
So be very careful when dealing with the neighbor.

How terrible! I am trying to go about this with as much caution as I possibly can without seeming intimidated by her threats and caging my dog unneccessarily. Fortunately, I have heard nothing from her since she approached my roommate. And, I have heard nothing from the P.D. or Animal Control. So I am hoping nothing more will come of this.

If anyone knows whether or not my dog is allowed to roam in the yard unsupervised if the gate is locked, let me know. Keep in mind you must be on my property to get to the fence and that the fence and gate are wooden and 6.5 ft tall...so you can't see the dog unless peering through the cracks or climbing over it.

 

[country woman]

I will pray for your situation to work out. I don't this this woman has a case but talk to a lawyer to be safe.

 

[halifaxhoney]

I hope that your situation becomes better. Prayers and hugs!

 

[lovestrav]

I am praying that everything goes well. If you're in Wisconsin and you have any questions about some of the legal aspects of dog ownership, look me up.

 

[AngylBelle]

I am praying that everything goes well. If you're in Wisconsin and you have any questions about some of the legal aspects of dog ownership, look me up.

I appreciate your offer but I live in Florida now going to school. Thanks anyway!

 

[lovestrav]

I appreciate your offer but I live in Florida now going to school. Thanks anyway!

You are welcome.

 

[pupkrazy15]

I will pray for you that everything works out.


pupkrazy15

 

[whatseekye]

The best protection is to be a good dog owner. Walk your dog daily on a leash. Never...I repeat never, let your dog off the leash outside unless you are inside your backyard with a good fence, or in a dog park...and that only if your dog is well trained, well socialized and is proven to be dog friendly. Remember that you are legally responsible for anything your dog does, and it's always your fault if your dog bites or misbehaves. Keep your dog inside as much as possible. It's probably not a good idea to tie your dog to a tree and leave him unattended. Also, for any large dog breed, you really should take him to dog training classes. You also supplement that with making sure your dog is well socialized, by bringing him out on walks and making him behave himself around other people. He will get used to being around other people (i.e. well socialized). All of this shows that you are a responsible dog owner. If you do all these things, then if you are ever questioned, animal control officers will love you and will be on your side because you can show them that your dog is well behaved and that you actually own a leash, you have a certificate of the dog training, etc. Plus you should keep your dog up on vacinnations just in case.

p.s. Also carry little plastic bags with you on walks so that you can pick up your dog's poop. It's against the law to leave it laying on the ground. Your neighbor might be a crazy old lady but it is still up to you to show responsibility and take care of your dog 100% so he never gets in trouble. Of course if she was trespassing, then it's not your fault. But still, you need to put a lock on the gate and try to keep an eye on your pet when he's outside. Dogs sometimes dig under fences or even are known to be able to jump high or climb over fences. Please don't misunderstand what I am saying. I only say all these things because the hard truth is that animal control will never take your dog if he is reasonably behaved, you can control him, and you can show in demonstrable ways that you provide the care that a large dog needs.

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I was home...that IS how I know. The dog was with me all day. That is why I am frustrated by this whole ordeal. And you are right, she has no proof, it is her word against mine, so I just hope she doesn't show up with some "wound" later and claim it was from my dog. I have witnesses that know for a fact the dog was inside with me or outside "with me" all day, so I am trying to not be too concerned. If she tries to pull something, I am well prepared to slap a harrassment/malice complaint against her. I won't go down without a fight!

Good

 

[alwayz_remember_Calvery]

I agree with the person who said to be very careful with crazy neighbors like that. My 6 year old German Shepherd died of rat poison a few years ago, we keep our rat poison in a metal shed that is locked 24/7 (my dad's motorcycle is in there and it's the only building that the cats can't get to and kill the mice). The next spring my new puppy started acting really weird and we found out it was rat poison, once again. that dog survived, but was on vitamin K from mid May until August. And, the horse was on vitamin K for a long time because we believed she had probably gotten to the rat poison too. (she had a small cut on her leg that bled and bled and bled, this was few days after the dog was put on the vitamin K). Crazy neigbors are a pain in the rear to deal with. Be careful.
T