So I'm a jerk.

[AnnieBananie]

*sigh*
Recap for anyone who isn't savvy. My neighbors have 3 large dogs (2 choc. labs and a german shepherd) that bark constantly and whose poop is never cleaned up.

Anyways, so the guy got laid off over a month ago... before that, the dogs were kept inside and I only had to deal with the incessant barking on off-hours. Yaaaay (/sarcasm). Yeah well now, it's all day. He lets them out at 7am and doesn't bring them back in until 4pm... then they're out again at 7 until after midnight. They bark at EVERYTHING.

My kids get woken up by the barking and DS is afraid to go out in our own backyard because they're all over the chain-link fence barking and going apeshit the entire time we're out there.

I've called them about it, they don't answer and don't return my calls or, apparently, listen to what I say in my messages... when I mention it in passing, all they say is "Oh they're just protective" Uh-huh.

Friday was the last straw... I couldn't hack it anymore, so I just did an anonymous online report to Animal Control... I assumed that they don't issue citations for anonymous complaints but apparently they do because the gal called me in tears about it.

So now I feel like I'm a jerk... I was just like "Oh yeah, that sucks" But seriously though... I couldn't take it anymore... I shouldn't have to listen to it all day and my kids certainly shouldn't have to feel like prisoners! It's bad enough that they "don't like to" clean up the dogs' poop so then I can't even open my windows without wanting to vomit... But still, I feel like a jerk.

Thanks for letting me vent *sigh*

[wildblueeyez]

tough situation but you and your kids don't need to live like that. You should be able to enjoy your own yard and be able to open your windows without having to smell dog poop!

I don't feel sorry for them, just the poor animals!

[pbumbaca]

I think you should feel relieved that maybe something will change now! No reason to feel bad Annie, they are the jerks!

[arenee]

You are NOT a jerk!
The owners of the dogs are the jerks.
Anyone that doesn't provide the proper care of their dogs is doing their
dogs a disservice.

You are standing up for what is right. And that in never being a jerk!!

Thanks for being brave enough to do what is right.

[newfiemountiewife]

What Pam said!

[Sharon Kay]

Oh well. They should be more courteous to their neighbors plain and simple. If he isn't working then he has the time to bring them back inside. I'll be curious whether he starts keeping them inside again. Do let us know. You are NOT a jerk...they are being that way. You told them numerous times and they didn't care.

I know in the summertime that we hear barking all night long from neighbor's dog...didn't know you could do anything about that! I get woken up all the time...but since we have allergies we rarely have the windows open...but it still wakes me up before 7am. It's the postman's dog...thinking nothing would get done about it anyway since he has done things like sell cars in his driveway (against city policy) for months and months on end...and they weren't private sellers...his brother or someone worked at a dealership...but he never got a ticket.

[AnnieBananie]

Aw thanks guys... I do feel bad for the dogs too... it's so obvious that they aren't cared about.

[ColleenSwerb]

Oh Annie, don't feel bad! Like I said, I'd totally call and complain (or, do it online cuz you said it's just as efficient). You can't just throw a dog outside and let it bark all day. And they obviously have fence aggression issues, which is not cool with your lil ones right there.

You did the right thing! If they care at all, they'll change their ways and it'll get better!

[crystalbella77]

oh sweetie! I don't think you are a jerk at all!!! Hopefully this will help them to take better care of the dogs. You totally didn't do anything wrong! HUGS!

[gonewiththewind]

Oh geez . . . we are having the same problem with our next door neighbor's dog. He's not huge, but he's a fence lunger and barks ferociously. He's lunged so hard he knocked a board off our privacy fence.
We haven't reached our breaking point, but when we do, we'll talk to the neighbor. If he does not respond appropriately, then we'll do the same thing you did: report it.

You should not feel like a jerk at all. THEY are the jerks for ignoring your polite request. You and your family should be able to enjoy the property YOU are paying for.

[Leah]

I would have called too! It's just too bad that the lady called you! LOL

[~Julie~]

{Hugs} Annie you are not a jerk.

Those people should not be leaving them out that.

[sannajeannine]

I wish I had your spunk, Annie! We have 1 dog like that next door. It harrasses us constantly in our own back yard with its barking and acting vicious at the fence. Its awful! And trying to teach Nathan who's not quite 2 yrs not to go near the fence because were afraid he will stick his little fingers through and get them bit off is another challenge. He doesn't get mean dog or bad dog yet! I am actually not looking forward to the nice weather because of that dog!

[jessica31876]

I would defenitely not call you a jerk for that!! I hate when people have their dogs out like that. We have that problem all around where I live. Some people have their dogs out 24/7 in the heat, rain, cold whatever it does not matter!!

I called on my neighbor and here you cannot do it anonymously. So he I guess went and got the records on who called and he then called here and told me that "You cannot possibly watch your children all the time" (I took that basically to mean if he had the chance he would hurt my kids because I called on his dog being aggressive) A few weeks later he was arrested after holding his wife and kid hostage in their home at gunpoint!!

[schock77]

Well it's not like you haven't tried talking to them about it. And if you hear it, they do too. I have two dogs and they are only out when we are. If they start barking, they come in. Its about being a responsible pet owner.

I'm about to call on my neighbor (the before-mentioned sex offender) because he has 6 dogs- our HOA says 3 and the city I live in says 4 adult animals period. I've put it off for quite sometime, but I'm doing it.

[Paula]

I don't think you're a jerk. You've tried to handle it with the neighbors. If they aren't going to work out a compromise, then you did the right thing!!

[emmasmommy]

You're so not a jerk at all! We were put in a similar situation. Our neighbors have a dog, that is NOT cared for at all. They will put the poor thing outside, not chained up, and it chases after every car and the kids that walk by. Needless to say, I called in an anonymous call to Animal Control. My children should not feel threatened in their own yard. Needless to say, the dog isn't let outside without a chain anymore. Good for you for sticking up not only for the dogs, but for your family too

[Nonnie917]

Check your city ordinances. There is an ordinance about barking dogs distrubing the peaceful enjoyment of a person domain. Been there done that. I wrote the people involved with our problem and gave them a copy of the ordinance and these people had already been to court once over their barking dog by the previous owners of our house. Their is probably an ordinace governing the ordor of the poop. Probably a hazard to the enjoyment of your own property. Check it out and DON'T feel guilty. They need to be turned in for being rotten neighbors.

[Nonnie917]

Originally Posted by Sharon Kay

Oh well. They should be more courteous to their neighbors plain and simple. If he isn't working then he has the time to bring them back inside. I'll be curious whether he starts keeping them inside again. Do let us know. You are NOT a jerk...they are being that way. You told them numerous times and they didn't care.

I know in the summertime that we hear barking all night long from neighbor's dog...didn't know you could do anything about that! I get woken up all the time...but since we have allergies we rarely have the windows open...but it still wakes me up before 7am. It's the postman's dog...thinking nothing would get done about it anyway since he has done things like sell cars in his driveway (against city policy) for months and months on end...and they weren't private sellers...his brother or someone worked at a dealership...but he never got a ticket.

You should report these people to the police and the city attorney. It's his job to enforce all laws concerning the city. You can remain anonymous.

[scrapperjade]

First off, you're NOT a jerk, even if you feel that way. You have the RIGHT to be able to enjoy your backyard or fresh air, and if they are making that impossible, something needed to be done.

For a long time we had a neighbor across the back alley that had 3 dogs (a newfie which was super quiet until the other 2 got going, and 2 smaller dogs). The 2 smaller would bark all freaking day if they were outside. I timed them once, they barked over 4 hours without letting up ONCE. Talk about annoying. And my goodness, if I went in my backyard, they went BALLISTIC. Jumping at the fence, barking, peeing themselves because they went into a frenzy. The STUPIDEST dogs I've ever seen.

One night, it was like 30 below, I was hugely pregnant and trying to sleep. They were outside and barking and it was 1 am! Finally DH walked over and the woman was like "Oh, I'm sorry, we have such good insulation in this house, we really can't hear them out there." BS. But at least they were good about bringing the dogs in after that. It started getting bad again through the winter, and then their house burned down (which was scary and tragic... the couple was very nice, had 3 kids), and now the dogs live out in the country with her parents. The neighborhood is quiet once again!

[my3hens]

I am so sorry that you have to deal with that Annie. You aren't a jerk in the slightest! Please dont feel the need to beat yourself up!

[ColleenSwerb]

Originally Posted by emmasmommy

You're so not a jerk at all! We were put in a similar situation. Our neighbors have a dog, that is NOT cared for at all. They will put the poor thing outside, not chained up, and it chases after every car and the kids that walk by. Needless to say, I called in an anonymous call to Animal Control. My children should not feel threatened in their own yard. Needless to say, the dog isn't let outside without a chain anymore. Good for you for sticking up not only for the dogs, but for your family too

Laura, you can report any loose dog to Animal Control. Any dog outside without an owner and not tied up, or on someone else's property is deemed "at large" and they can and most likely WILL be fined, or have the dog removed from their ownership.

Loose dogs are NOT ok.