Neighbor threatening to "take out my roosters"

[ChickiesInUtah]

You must be so relieved having had [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SCRAPS come out and validate what you already knew to be true (that you take really good care of your animals). [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif](P.S. I went to WSU, go Cougs!) [/FONT]

 

[aoxa]

I might have put this topic in Predators and pests lol

Seems like you are doing everything right. I went back and read a lot of the posts. I could not stay that calm. I have a hot head for injustice and threats.

 

[dretd]

What do you guys think that I should do??

I am new to your thread but did look through the 21 pages--this sort of thing makes me freaking nuts

. Holy Crap, you have the patience of a saint!

Most states have Right to Farm Legislation so I Googled WA and lookie what I found-Washington Right to Farm Enabling Statute--http://ww.farmlandinfo.org/farmland...dex.cfm?function=article_view&articleID=28963

This applies to you: "Agricultural activity" means a condition or activity which occurs on a farm in connection with the commercial production of farm products and includes, but is not limited to, marketed produce at roadside stands or farm markets; noise; odors; dust; fumes; operation of machinery and irrigation pumps;..." I hope you sell eggs at your farmer's market as well as produce.

Importantly:
"A state or local agency required to investigate a complaint alleging agricultural activity on a farm is in violation of specified laws, rules, or ordinances and where such activity is not found to be in violation of such specified laws, rules, or ordinances may recover its full investigative costs and expenses if a court determines that the complaint was initiated maliciously and without probable cause. " So according to this, the Humane Society (who really has no jurisdiction because these are not pet animals but agricultural animals, IMHO) could take Mr Crabby-Pants to court to try to recover their investigation costs.

I would be inclined to call back the HS Officer and state that the 'gentleman' next to you threatened to kill your roosters and has been harrassing you. You are now worried becasue someone, you are presuming him, is calling out agencies in violation of the right to farm statute. I would then point her to the statute and ask her to comment.

I might even engage a lawyer to write your neighbor a letter describing your right to farm and asking him to cease and desist his malicious complaints.

I recall about 20 years ago there was a case where neighbors complained about a guy's home business where he sold hand-tied flies out of his garage. They got a cease and desist for his business so he looked up what was allowed and it didn't say anything about Hog Farming so guess what his new occupation was? A guys gotta make a living after all.

Good luck to you!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

so....

SCRAPS (local humane society) came out on Saturday. The woman was REALLY nice. She said that there was a report of "Severe Neglect." Seriously??!! After looking at the chickens, she shook her head and said I had the cleanest coop she had ever seen. Wanted to know if I would give lessons on proper ways to keep chickens. hehe. I asked her to make sure and have a good look at all the animals (horses and dogs) She looked around and told me everything looked great and it was a very healthy environment. I got a copy of the report to keep for my records. She said that she would let the neighbor know that everything checked out. Even though she couldn't tell me which neighbor called. hmmm I wonder who it was...?

The only odd thing that she said was about my mare that is about to foal. She asked when I planned to get her off the pasture? Now, I grew up on a ranch and all of our horses foaled on pasture with no help. I still do it that way and so does the rest of the family. We have never had a problem. Horses can take care of themselves. I do go out and imprint the foal the next day, and check everything out. She looked at me like I was crazy! She must be a person that keeps horses in a stall or something. Not that there is anything wrong with that! My horses just aren't kept that way. They prefer to break the ice in the creek in the winter to drinking out of the trough for goodness sakes.

Mail a copy of the report to your neighbor and include a "Sorry for Your Recent Loss" card or a "Get Well Soon" card....No don't do that...do this instead:

Now if you have been documenting your encounters with this person, you are ready to take a little action. Simply meet with an attourney and pay a retainer fee. Have your attourney acquire a copy of this person's complaint that he filed aginst you with the human society. With the copy of the complaint and a copy of the humane society report of your conditions, coupled with your documentation of the history of the contact that you have had with your neighbor...File a Harrassment Report with the local Sheriffs Department.

If you are serious about your rights, here is the chain of events that you will be able to prove, and don't forget to stress that you are a single woman living alone in the country; he is a big threatening meany; he has tried to BULLY you; and he has on several occasions contacted you on your property and presented a very threatening demeaner...

(1) he has tried to bully you, per your documentation...

(2) he has made false claims against you; per the visit by humane society and the clean report that you were given...If you take advantage of the timing, the law is now on your side.

And after you file a complaint of harrassment it will be in the legal records...Anytime that HE calls law-enforcment at anytime in the future this harrassment report will pop up...he had better have his ducks in a row (hehehe)..

If you have a documented history that he is harrassing you....Oh Baby...he is in for a rude awakening.

It has gone from conversations at the fence; to veiled threats; to false reporting...you are now in a cycle of escallation...make it painful for him...make it very painful for him.

 

[jamesbwood]

Get a copy to the police.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I am new to your thread but did look through the 21 pages--this sort of thing makes me freaking nuts

. Holy Crap, you have the patience of a saint!

Most states have Right to Farm Legislation so I Googled WA and lookie what I found-Washington Right to Farm Enabling Statute--http://ww.farmlandinfo.org/farmland...dex.cfm?function=article_view&articleID=28963

This applies to you: "Agricultural activity" means a condition or activity which occurs on a farm in connection with the commercial production of farm products and includes, but is not limited to, marketed produce at roadside stands or farm markets; noise; odors; dust; fumes; operation of machinery and irrigation pumps;..." I hope you sell eggs at your farmer's market as well as produce.

Importantly:
"A state or local agency required to investigate a complaint alleging agricultural activity on a farm is in violation of specified laws, rules, or ordinances and where such activity is not found to be in violation of such specified laws, rules, or ordinances may recover its full investigative costs and expenses if a court determines that the complaint was initiated maliciously and without probable cause. " So according to this, the Humane Society (who really has no jurisdiction because these are not pet animals but agricultural animals, IMHO) could take Mr Crabby-Pants to court to try to recover their investigation costs.

I would be inclined to call back the HS Officer and state that the 'gentleman' next to you threatened to kill your roosters and has been harrassing you. You are now worried becasue someone, you are presuming him, is calling out agencies in violation of the right to farm statute. I would then point her to the statute and ask her to comment.

I might even engage a lawyer to write your neighbor a letter describing your right to farm and asking him to cease and desist his malicious complaints.

I recall about 20 years ago there was a case where neighbors complained about a guy's home business where he sold hand-tied flies out of his garage. They got a cease and desist for his business so he looked up what was allowed and it didn't say anything about Hog Farming so guess what his new occupation was? A guys gotta make a living after all.

Good luck to you!

YES...Abso-fricken-lutely

 

[Mattemma]

<<<<
It has gone from conversations at the fence; to veiled threats; to false reporting...you are now in a cycle of escallation...make it painful for him...make it very painful for him.>>>>>>

Yes,get a lawyer and file charges.Show him he can't keep messing with you,and HE will face charges and fines! You going at him full force might make the neighbor back down. Hope the foal will be ok. I would be more worried about the neighbor doing something than any birthing issue.

 

[GrandmaChickie]

Although I agree with an earlier post about not giving the neighbor anything to "swing" at, I absolutely would not invite him onto my place for any reason. In fact, if he ever stepped foot on my property again, I would politely but firmly tell him to get his behind on his own side of the line before I'm forced to call the law in. I guess I would post "no trespassing" signs prior to this. However, the reason for my thinking on this is, if you show him what an ordinary person would know was kindness, this blowhard, flapjacked headed, son of a biscuit will take it as weakness. He will think you are sucking up to him because he has succeeded in intimidating you. I would not go to the property line to speak to him any more, and if he approached me and began speaking, I'd get up and walk away without acknowledging his presence. Yes, some will say, well he wins then, because he chased you away from your own yard. But I guarantee you that if he's not getting any response from you, he will stop. If he escalates to yelling or threatening, I would proceed with the aforementioned plan of asking him if he'd like to get the law involved since you've already brought them up to date on his prior activities. It will be hard. My voice starts shaking when confronted with a bully, and they think I'm scared of them, but it's really that I'm so mad! If you find yourself in a situation where you're losing control, just walk away. Tell him his pathetic bullying is boring you. It's a lie, but he doesn't have to know that!

 

[Moonkit]

How about that if he wants to mow your grass and make it look "pretty".. then he will need to be purchasing round bales of hay for you and have them delivered. The current price of hay might cut down that idea quick.

 

[dretd]

How about that if he wants to mow your grass and make it look "pretty".. then he will need to be purchasing round bales of hay for you and have them delivered. The current price of hay might cut down that idea quick.

Great idea, but I would ask for small square myself because they are easier to move around, although the price per ton may be a bit higher he might go for it because the price per bale is so much less, being a city-boy and all