Updates on the last pages: Neighbor is threatening me and my chickens

[canne50]

A TALL fence!

 

[Smileybans]

I tried giving him eggs. On Saturday night his wife approached me and asked me to fix any holes in the fencing. That he was worried his dog would get through and kill them. So I did that. I even reinforced it so they couldn’t get around it. I blocked off my driveway. I did everything I was asked to do by them. But the thing is they had already called the town by then. This drunken A-hole got done yelling at me on Saturday and called the town right away. While he was drunk. Now no one from the town was probably there to answer. But the damage was done. I tried talking with him on Sunday and he told me the ordinance guys would be here. There’s no talking any sense into either of them because they’re drunk. All the time. I would have liked to of been given a warning before he freaked. But he just dove in head first.

The more I thought about it, because I can’t stop, the more I want to report him for having his dog off leash. The run for her leash, which is rarely used, is also right next to our driveway. So we cannot use that portion of the drive without her trying to jump on us. Most of the time succeeding because she’s loose. Yes it’s just jumping but when it’s a four foot tall kid against a four foot tall dog, the kid looses. This guy has also lived next to me for 30 years. In that time he’s had over 6 dogs. Is five years a short lifetime for a dog? I thought dogs could live to be like 10 on average.

 

[Smileybans]

I seriously think he sees kindness as weakness. He only associates with the drunks and drug addicts around here. Everyone else can’t stand him. At least that’s the impression I got from the mayors wife.

 

[Redhead_Gardener]

My neighbor all of a sudden has a problem with my chickens. He freaked out because I held 40 chicks overnight for a friend. The chicks were gone in the morning but he is still freaking out. He’s worried his dog will come into my yard and kill my chickens. But then he tells me he has trained his dog not to touch my chickens.

I live in upstate ny where the right to farm law is in effect. My village zoning laws say nothing about not being able to keep poultry. It actually says it’s okay to keep all kinds of livestock in any zone. There is also no limit on how many I can keep. The right to farm law covers most of the zoning law in my village.

I breed and sell my chickens. I sell the chicks and the eggs. This has quickly become part of my income since I cannot work outside of my home. I have four roosters and twenty hens. My neighbor is mad that I have named all of my chickens and that I don’t actually know how many I have. I know how many I have but don’t tell him because it isn’t his business.

I’m wondering if I’m in the wrong here at all. If he calls someone down will I get into trouble? Or can I flip the scrip because he lets his dog off leash in a town with leash laws? In the zoning laws for my village it says no animal shall run at large, except cats, unless fenced in properly. My chickens are fenced in but hes afraid his dog will bust through the fence or something. There is also no talking to this guy. He’s an old man stuck in his ways and refuses to listen to anyone who doesn’t tell him what he wants to hear.

Advice? Should I just let it be? My anxiety has me going crazy.

Winston Churchill said, if you wish to have the final say in an argument, just tell your opponent, "I suppose you're right."
Sounds like he's more concerned you'll sue him if his dog behaves like a dog. legally sounds as if you are in the right. I'd just tell the old duffer, "I suppose you're right." And walk off right then mid conversation.

 

[LaFleche]

I tried giving him eggs. On Saturday night his wife approached me and asked me to fix any holes in the fencing. That he was worried his dog would get through and kill them. So I did that. I even reinforced it so they couldn’t get around it. I blocked off my driveway. I did everything I was asked to do by them. But the thing is they had already called the town by then. This drunken A-hole got done yelling at me on Saturday and called the town right away. While he was drunk. Now no one from the town was probably there to answer. But the damage was done. I tried talking with him on Sunday and he told me the ordinance guys would be here. There’s no talking any sense into either of them because they’re drunk. All the time. I would have liked to of been given a warning before he freaked. But he just dove in head first.

The more I thought about it, because I can’t stop, the more I want to report him for having his dog off leash. The run for her leash, which is rarely used, is also right next to our driveway. So we cannot use that portion of the drive without her trying to jump on us. Most of the time succeeding because she’s loose. Yes it’s just jumping but when it’s a four foot tall kid against a four foot tall dog, the kid looses. This guy has also lived next to me for 30 years. In that time he’s had over 6 dogs. Is five years a short lifetime for a dog? I thought dogs could live to be like 10 on average.

Why would you let them bully you into taking preventative measures that THEY should take, as it is THEIR DOG that is running off leash, which is clearly against the ordinances?

Give him in writing that he has to keep the dog off your driveway and property and see to it, that the dog stops to be a threat and nuisance, jumping on you and your family, barking etc.
Send a copy to the ordinance guy and one to the mayor's office.
Next time or each and every time the dog is loose, call animal control.

 

[Tired old Rooster]

Get a pad, keep a careful record of every encounter with him, making sure to note the time of day. Humans are creatures of habit, even when they are drunks. How nasty or nice the drunk is, tends to depend on how many drinks they have had at that point.

By doing that, you can hopefully find that "sweet spot" in the day when he is all sweetness and light. Once you do that, be sure to engage him at those times to keep good relations and avoid him the rest of the time.

 

[Maggie13]

I live in New York State and I concur there IS a right to farm BUT that requires you to be zoned AG
You say you live in a "village" I would get my hands on a copy of those zoning laws. They can be more rigid than our state laws
My very rural township with a population of about 2,500 people has limits on farm animals in residential areas
Good luck!

 

[Smileybans]

Why would you let them bully you into taking preventative measures that THEY should take, as it is THEIR DOG that is running off leash, which is clearly against the ordinances?

Give him in writing that he has to keep the dog off your driveway and property and see to it, that the dog stops to be a threat and nuisance, jumping on you and your family, barking etc.
Send a copy to the ordinance guy and one to the mayor's office.
Next time or each and every time the dog is loose, call animal control.

Because I was trying to prevent all of this from happening. I did what they asked because I was trying to be a nice neighbor. None of it helped or worked. I lived next to neighbors on the other side that were worse than these people for 26 years, and I feel more threatened by the drunk.

 

[Chickenclaude]

I thought I wasn’t wrong. I have read over the zoning laws so many times and can’t see how I could be wrong. But he just keeps yelling at me. Now he’s telling me he did his homework and I can’t keep roosters or sell the animals or their products. Both are illegal. I asked him to show me where that was illegal. But he wouldn’t show me. I just don’t want to lose my flock because of some crotchety old man who won’t let it go.

LO

 

[Chickenclaude]

Sometimes you can’t fix things. So stop worrying about him and just make sure that you are following the law. You can contact animal control and ask for their help with this guy. His dog isn’t fenced, your chickens are. Relax and enjoy your chickens. File under, not your problem.