Who has bad neighbors?

I live right behind my city's animal control and public works. They are the reason I want to move so bad, and that I can't have a rooster. They have mocked me through the fence (when I was talking to my chickens), they are there at wierd hours, day and night. Even though there is a six foot tall privacy fence up, along with those tall reeds that look like bamboo, I feel like I don't have any privacy.

Not only that, my husband works at a utility trailer sales business and talked to the city works manager, because they wanted to buy a trailer. They were really nice to him over the phone because they didn't know who he was, but when they showed up the the store, my husband said they recognized him and weren't so friendly afterwards. We have done nothing to these people except fight to keep our hens when they complained about our rooster. Not my neighbors, the city public works & animal control. But yet, I have to put up with howling, barking, lights and noise from the big trucks they have at all hours of the day and night. Not to mention, the one guy that mocked me. I'm a nice person, so I didn't say anything, but if it were a few years ago, I would have gotten up in our kids fort that overlooks the fence and flipped him the bird. Not the chicken type either.

Horsegeek, shoot the dogs, and let the chips fall where they may. If you don't, it will get worse. She had dogs like that in her neighborhood. Animal control cited the owners 15 times. Then they came into her yard, attacked her cat and turned on her. She may never have full use of her hands again. If it had been her grandson in the yard, he would be dead. I'd shoot the dog and put her notice that, if anything happened in retaliation, I could be way meaner and scarier than her.

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If the location of the house is an issue, report it to the county for the code violation.


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If you weren't in violation, why were you fined?

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Is it possible that your dogs have harrassed the chickens when you didn't see it? Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. If a dog bothered my chickens, I might shoot him too (even if he was just sitting in the driveway when I took my shot. It's a dog owner's responsibility to keep their dogs in their own yard. It's not the neighbor's responsibility to keep them out. Her choice of fencing keeps her animals in. She has met her responsibility.

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She was within her rights. Your dog shouldn't have been there. You might want to reconsider who the problem neighbor is. Read through some of the predator posts regarding dogs. No matter the size, loose dogs are trouble around poultry. If a dog even bothered my chickens once and came back, a BB gun would be the least of its worries. It wouldn't matter if the dog was 2 pounds or 200, especially if the owner had been made aware that it was not welcome on my property.

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Legally (and morally), any damage your animal does to her fence is your responsibility. Again it's her responsibility to fence in her animals, not fence yours out. Nobody should be expected to take into consideration what types of animals a new neighbor might bring in and build their fence to accommodate them. If one of my neighbor's animals damaged my fence or any other property, you can bet that I would want them to fix it.

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That's probably a good idea. You may want to do the neighborly thing and fence your dogs in and repair the damage that your horses did too. Sorry if I sound harsh. JMHO

Glad you said it, cause I was gonna.

I am new to my neighborhood, which is way out in the woods. So far I already have two chicken/neighbor stories:

1. A GRAPE Neighbor: One neighbor told me that another neighbor was complaining because the first neighbors chickens kept wandering into his yard and eating his grapes. Then the disgruntled neighbor with the grapes started catching the chickens and KEEPING them in a shed! He apparently took care of them and fed them, but when the first neighbors inquired about his "missing chickens" and the "sudden acquisition" of his neighbors' new chickens, the neighbor pretty much said "Tough, prove it". First the guy is mad at the wandering chickens, then he STEALS them! Talk about nerve!

2. Ol' Grumpy Up the Road: When I first moved in, an older man from up the road wandered by and we struck up a chat. I mentioned wanting to keep chickens "someday" now that I owned property and he mentioned that he kept chickens. Then he said "When you're ready for chickens, come on up, I have plenty to spare". I thanked him for the generous offer and went about my business. About two DAYS later he showed up in a pickup truck and knocked on my door. "I got your chickens" he said. (?!?!?) Shocked, I explained that I was planning on chickens in the future, but that at that time I didn't even have a coop and wasn't at all prepared for chickens. He said, "You don't need no G** Da**ed coop, they'll just fly up in the trees at night!". I tried several times to explain that I thought of chickens as pets, as couldn't accept them in good conscience until I had a proper home for them. After what practically turned into a DEBATE, he left, very angry that I "refused his chickens". One would think he would have been pleased at my responsibility, but noooo, he was offended that I wouldn't take the chickens (without so much as food or shelter).

A "PS" to the last story is that now (several months later) I've ordered chicks and a chicken coop which are due to arrive soon. I know he will see the coop and chickens and this will probably offend him even more. The truth is, I simply decided to start with chicks, plus I decided I wanted Bantams, but I doubt this will matter to Ol' Grumpy up the road.

Horsejody,

Thanks so much, I just looked at your BYC page and that really lays a process out for me. How awesome, you have made my year. I don't know if I will shoot the dogs though, I'm scared to death of the lady, my husband is gone, most of the time, sleeping the rest of the time usually.

But I may write her letters, and cc people. after researching all the laws of course. I'll do something, and you have certainly made it easier. I am so grateful, you have no idea!

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Not sure how useful it would be to get a partial survey done. 2K isn't bad for all those acres.I think I paid about $500 plus another 100 something for extra markers before putting a fence up on a 1 acre lot.I am glad to REALLY know where the property ends.Sure the neighbors don't agree with it,but legally I am covered.

I had neighbors 3 doors down that just put up a line of fencing between them and a home that is rented.Current renters are horrid.Renter kids still run around the fence and tresspass,so if I were them I would enclose that fence some more,but everyone has their priorities and money issues!

I would probably mace the dogs if not outright kill them if they attacked.Our renters have a pit and I keep mace handy when I am in the front yard(not fenced).

My nieghbors feel that if they are wronged by someone they can take it out on us, apparently because people have been calling on them(they are crack dealers and have a puppy mill and doesn't watch her kids!), they have not only called the city,humane society but now children's services, many times! they called 8 times in the fall and now many other calls have came in, this time from a female alis, we know it was her because weirdly enough we have no close female nieghbors, that and the caller claimed they heard yelling through my walls. GRR I almost had a nervous breakdown tears and all this week, honestly, how much more can I take! I hope they move it has been 3 years of crap but they rent so hopefully they will move.I was talking to her new drug dealer botfriend who claimefd the last boyfriend was the one who called on us, just like they amitted breaking in to my home, what can I do nothing ! researching getting an order made but the calls aren't seen as illegal!

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Behold the power of fire.

we moved the compost to her side of my yard, thinking of bee keeping we are getting a privacy fence next month, thinking of building a grape arbor to give even more privacy. Got a big dog , he's growing fast that should keep the kids out of our yard, they let thier kids trash are yard, it peeves me off so much as I basically do everything around the house ,like I need work i didn't ask for! I honestly as tired, never have I dispised someone so much in my life! And I have decided today instead of rehoming my roo, I'm keeping him he's quiet and he's mine! they can't victomise us anymore. Fire is just one of my bad ideas.....

I would like to announce I just received a noise complaint letter from the city! I was told that they have to send the letter for every complaint but the person complaining has to actually sue me with proof, I would like to know what proof that they have, my rooster is asleep until after 8 and nas never been outside before 12! the also said he was living out side, total BS I know the by-law and I stay well in it IDK what to do with them anymore!