dog hating neighbors

[jasperoglen]

Fellow dog owners and I walk our dogs, on leash, several times a week for exercise and socialization (dogs and humans). We enjoy these times and find them a good way to de-stress after our busy days and our dogs love it. There are usually 3 dogs and 5 humans.
However, whenever we pass a certain lady's house, she comes out and harasses us: her complaints are that we are killing her tree with the dogs urine, and that we our not in our own neighborhood (we are). She has taken to standing and looking out for us in her house then comes out and watches us or makes ridiculous statements about the number of dogs who pee on her tree.
The tree she mentions is actually on the strip of land by the curb, which is separated from her lawn by the town owned sidewalk. One of my friends believes these strips of land are also town owned. The fact that she may take care of it and perhaps planted the tree doesn't make that land hers.
We have taken to walking in the road. We walk several routes around the neighborhood. The lady's objection to us is unreasonable. We are responsible dog owners...we not only pick up after our own dogs but others also. I think we are all careful not to give dog owners a bad reputation, which makes this all the more annoying. I know we could avoid her street, but that would give her the impression that she is correct in her belief. While we don't provoke her outbursts 'out of spite', we refuse to alter our routine.
As for the tree, there are many, many poor trees & plants here and other parts of Massachusetts: there is a fungus and bug problem known to horticultural experts. Well established healthy trees do not die from dog urine ( besides, by the time we get to the street in question, the dogs are usually dry).
What legal recourse do we have? Harassment, as I understand it does not apply to this situation. I know there is no law for complaining or being crazy in general. Recently, she hasn't been loud enough to be a noise nuisance.

 

[Green_Hornet]

The lady is a jerk but cant you walk on the other side of the street? I mean if your walking your dog to de-stress why add unnecessary stress from some pain in the ass?

 

[CdwJava]

The tree she mentions is actually on the strip of land by the curb, which is separated from her lawn by the town owned sidewalk. One of my friends believes these strips of land are also town owned. The fact that she may take care of it and perhaps planted the tree doesn't make that land hers.

If the laws are the same where you live as they are where I live in CA, then the easement might be given over to some additional control by the city, the tree and the property are still hers and her responsibility. If she can articulate damage to the property as a result of the actions of your dogs, she could theoretically have a civil claim against any or all of you - and maybe (with a real stretch and proof of intent - such as letting the dogs stop there each day) she might have a case for vandalism ... again, provided she can show that there are actual damages - which would be very difficult.

I know we could avoid her street, but that would give her the impression that she is correct in her belief. While we don't provoke her outbursts 'out of spite', we refuse to alter our routine.

Then your actions serve only to exacerbate the problem. If it were me, I would prefer to avoid a stressful encounter and just walk on the street or on the opposite side of the street on that block. Why poke the bear unless you and your friends get some peculiar pleasure in doing so?

What legal recourse do we have?

Avoid her street ... go around her yard ... ignore her as you keep your dogs leashed in close and pass by the front of her house ... there are a number of options. No, you cannot get a court order preventing her from expressing concerns about dogs on her property.

Recently, she hasn't been loud enough to be a noise nuisance.

I doubt that her raising her voice expressing concerns for her property would ever come close to violating a noise ordinance.

- Carl

 

[jasperoglen]

Thank you Carl. Helpful advice.
A fellow dog owner in our neighborhood reports that she sits and waits for hours every evening. I now realize that she may be mentally unbalanced, rather than a mean person. It seems sad and she probably warrents our sympathy.

 

[CdwJava]

It could be that this conflict is her only source of interaction with people so she looks forward to it in some odd, twisted way.

- Carl

 

[feslen]

neighbor harrassment over my dog problems

I can sympathize with your problems .

I have a question,
my dog barks on occasion and my neighbor acts like it's murder. he's even accused me of such. I am disabled and this is my self-trained service dog. my neighbor cannot stand the noise of barking in general; and picked on me moving to this town on day 1.

I live alone 90% of the time and he has threatened to shoot my dog and hurt me. What can I do?

I tried to make peace with him and explained my energies away why my dog barks...he even had a dog once (supposedly) and said he understood.
yet, he blows off the handle at least 2-6 times a year and drives up to my property unnaounced--goes ape on me and demands I move or get rid of my service dog!!! Thank God I switched phone numbers and at least he doesn't call me every single day about my poor doggie's barking.

my family walks my dog when they visit me, but being disabled and in a medical scooter I walk him as much as I can. he has a huge yard to run around in for a reason; he will bark at wild animals--admittedly he is loud (my service dog is a former racing greyhound/coonhound mix)--I already trained him to a point where he doesn't bark the way he used to. He comes in after 2-5 minutes.

But even at this point,
my neighbor insists he doesn't bark at all. he tells me "do you know how often your dog barks? he barks 12 times a day!" (actually, he usually doesn't anymore...and at one point when all seemed right, my neighbor actually in his own way apologized and thanked me for trying).

for some reason...this month he has yelled at me twice.
I called the cops on this guy and they hopefully told him to stop...he already has a file there on harrassing other dog owners too.

any advice? We are currently seeking legal council, as my poor heart doesn't need his stuff.

thank you kindly!

 

[feslen]

I agree with you.. I think she loves/likes conflict. I have a neighbor who is the exact same way

 

[CdwJava]

Feslen, it is best to start your own thread if you have a question.

In short, you appear to have been doing what you can do. It might be a crime in your locale to have a dog that barks and annoys the neighbors, so you may want to speak with your local animal control authorities to find out what the laws are. If you are a renter, it might be possible that the barking dog could violate the lease in some way. If the neighbor wants to make life rough for you, he probably can. Likewise, he should no have to be annoyed by a yapping dog. If he is barking a lot, then you should do something to reign the dog in.

- Carl