My Visit from the Sheriff's Deputy...

Seems to me like it's time for you to get a new hobby Bill, you know, something to take their minds off your dogs.

If you are not into Heavy Metal Rock Bands then might I suggest.....Fly one of these babies around your backyard and the "non-restricted airspace" over your next door neighbours house.....

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Bill Mattocks said:
Yes, we are looking for a new place. I really do not want to move at this time, but I may have no choice. It's unfortunate. I agree that the neighbor is over-reacting; in fact, I think he's got some kind of issue with dogs. The cop? Well, I would have been just fine with "Keep your dogs on a leash or you will be visited by Animal Control and you won't like it." I did not need the threats to shoot them, nor the basic presumption that I am a liar - my dogs large, dangerous breed mix, and they invaded the neighbor's yard. Why did he ask if he had no interest in my answer? If he didn't care, you'd think he wouldn't have asked, rather than ask and then disregard my statements and refuse to look with his own eyes. I find that irritating.

However, I also don't think it's worth filing a beef with his supervisor over. The one thing I do not need is to have a file with the local SO, for any reason. I have been off the radar all my life, never in trouble, never any reason for anyone to keep my name on a list. I like it that way. I'm just ticked off; when people make my wife scared and nearly in tears, it gets my blood up.
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Bill -- you can talk to a supervisor without filing a complaint. "Hey, Deputy Dog came to my house today. I don't want to file a formal complaint... but is this how you want the guy talking to people?" That way, you're leaving it in the supervisor's hands to handle with anything from a "Hey, man... watch what you say" to the deputy all the way up to "Thank you, sir, that guy's been a problem for years, and we just haven't been able to do anything. We'd LIKE you to file a formal complaint..."
 
How about this for why the cop was pissy:

The Sheriff Dept's angle: the Sheriff's Deputy plays the bad cop come down hard on Bill to insure the Deputy never has to deal with that call again. Domestic calls like this situations are too much drama for his liking. Prior to showing up at Bill's the Deputy has made up his mind to resolve the situation by being a real ***. His game is from past lessons learned and probably other things, the Deputy doesn't want to show up as the nice cop, all touchy feely. If he did it would mean he has to treat the situation as if he was the parent having to bickering adults acting like kids try and have them work things out. He would be putting effort and time in having both parties come to a fair and admirable solutions, deescalating the situation to he could mediate communication, determine the truth, and come up with a solution. As well as to avoid both parties turning their anger and drama on him. Making him the common enemy while yelling and screaming at each other. By no means is this cop going to get caught in the middle of that dog poop. He wants to avoid that and get his butt out of there quickly, and not have to come back. The Deputy's strategy is to throw the hammer down on Bill. Intimidating Bill into complacence, is the simplest solution for the cop. IF Bill complies, taking the cop's barking to heart, Bill will never let his dog's out again into the yard. Problem solved, he never has to come back and avoids mediating the problem. And most of all the insurance of Bill's compliance will stop the incessant annoying whiner calls the Sheriff's dept. get's from Bill's neighbor about Bill's barking dogs.

Or


Bill, pissed the cop off when the cop got to the house and the cop was making Bill pay for it. The cop may have not liked Bill's political views here on MT. Or didn't like Bill's first impression at all. Am just saying it could be a possibly.

If that cop has to come out to Bill's house again over the same issue you can bet he will really make Bill's life hard.
 
Just my 2c

Best thing to have done at some point was to get an extendable lead, one that can give the dogs a lot of freedom/length to move and yet remain in contol of the owner.
At the point of the dogs leaving your yard, to enter the area behind, not in control of owner (unleashed=uncontroled) thats where you are putting your dogs at risk.

Frankly speaking, Its easy to become impatient when owners attempt to state that the dogs are harmless or are fine off the lead. The important information the officer established/worked with, is that the dogs exited your property off a leash. Verbal command/obedience is not control.

Sounds like you have some wonderful dogs there Mr Mattocks. They need your protection just as much as they serve you with. Best to never give them access to the public domain unrestrained.
 
In the short term, hie thee to a dog trainer! Even if they don't actually need it, it would be very helpful to have some documentation from a pro that you're making a concerted effort, and that the dogs actually aren't aggressive or otherwise problematic.

As for the cameras focused on your driveway, wouldn't that fall under some kind of stalking or peeping-tom law?

Whatever you do, best of luck. Bad neighbors suck and can sap all the quality out of one's life. Get out of there. They're just going to escalate on the dog issue because they can.
 
Yeah... time to move. I'm a dog person. I would take a dog over about 95% of the population today.

As far as the LEO... I personally think he was out of line. Professionally out of line. I'm not questioning his job or handling of the job, but his mannerism & temperment leave a lot to be desired of a LEO. In talking with LEO's I know personally & have known for years, the job is as much a PR job as a LE job. Personally I'd call the ASPCA & PETA on him & the department as I move. I'd also pay a visit to his supervisor as well as mentioned.

Your neighbor... think about how miserable that sap's life is. Anybody that miserable looks for any excuse to doff some of their misery on anybody at the slightest provocation & instance. You could've had no dogs, but birds & this guy could've decided the wifey was a victim of a mad parakeet attack once to rival a Hitchcock story & you'd have the same thing happen.

Best thing for everybody, your dogs included, is to remove them to a location where they aren't walking around in their yard & space with a literal target on their backs. Leave the miserable bastard next door to wallow in his life as he calls it.
 
I hope your neighbor is out driving drunk and runs over that deputy.

I know, I know, that's a childish, drastic response from me. But I do not care and hey, I can dream, can't I?
 
UPDATE: Just got a visit from Animal Control. She was a nice lady. Apparently, the neighbor was not happy that the Sheriff's Deputy did not issue us a citation and take the dogs, so he called Animal Control this morning - the dogs have only been out on a leash with us holding the other end of the leash since yesterday's visit from the SO. The neighbor apparently told her that he had to defend himself from our dogs which invaded his property and attacked him viciously; when questioned, he admitted he had 'probably' not been bitten, but he could not be sure. The Animal Control lady told him if there was a bite, she'd take the dogs; if not, then no, she would not take them. He backed down. She gave us our one and only warning; if he complains again, founded or unfounded, she takes the dogs. I'm wearing a huge happy hat now. What a great day.
 
Indeed that's a good thing, but based on her statement if that miserable waste of skin gets a boil on his ***, your dogs could be made to suffer for it.

At this point, since an *** whipping is out of the question for such a manly man that he is, I'd consider legal action of some kind.
 
Bill you got to train your dogs not to bark at him, but instead pee on him. One quick shot is all it takes. :)
 
This is infuriating. I think tons of good advice has already been shared. I can only empathize, Bill. I have had big, lovable, friendly dogs all my life and I just don't know how I'd react. I think that being careful around dogs is just being responsible, particularly if you don't know the dogs and with a new born in the house. I don't think my two dogs (both around 110 lbs) would ever snap or hurt my 3 year old, but I also never leave them alone in a room together.

At the same time, this guy's actions are irrational and sound unjustified. It sounds like there's history that predates you and you're just the unlucky recipient of the fallout.

Is the guy completely unreceptive to talking this out like adults?

Also, are electric/invisible fences any kind of an option for you? They don't work for some dogs. Also, can you look into a simple dog run? If your dogs are like mine, they're inside dogs that spend most of their time with you guys, and really only go out to take care of business. If that's true, can you get away with a small, portable dog run? They're not too expensive, and could come in handy whether you stay in this house or move.

Another thing that occurred to me is that this guy seems suspicious. I would wonder why he's got cameras on your house, and is trying to neutralize your alarm system (aka your dogs). Is he staking you guys out for some reason?
 
Bill Mattocks said:
if he complains again, founded or unfounded, she takes the dogs. I'm wearing a huge happy hat now. What a great day.
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Thats BS and sounds like another "advisement" to me. On what grounds? Especially after she already found that the guy lied the first time. If your dogs are licensed and have their shots you would have grounds to sue if they took and destroyed your property (which in the eyes of the law pets are).


PS-
Apparently, the neighbor was not happy that the Sheriff's Deputy did not issue us a citation and take the dogs, so he called Animal Control this morning
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It sounds like this deputy didn't make either side happy. :)
 
Buka said:
I hope your neighbor is out driving drunk and runs over that deputy.

I know, I know, that's a childish, drastic response from me. But I do not care and hey, I can dream, can't I?
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I don't know whats worse..your post or that someone "liked" it.
 
stevebjj said:
Is the guy completely unreceptive to talking this out like adults?
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I have only spoken to him once, through our hedges, without seeing him, and it was mainly him screaming obscenities at us through them until I gave up and walked away. So I'm going to go with 'yes, he is unreceptive.'

Also, are electric/invisible fences any kind of an option for you? They don't work for some dogs. Also, can you look into a simple dog run? If your dogs are like mine, they're inside dogs that spend most of their time with you guys, and really only go out to take care of business. If that's true, can you get away with a small, portable dog run? They're not too expensive, and could come in handy whether you stay in this house or move.
Click to expand...

We have the electric fence. We ran it around the open area behind our house to give our dogs more room to roam. We have since been informed that this is an 'iffy' legal area. The zone we're talking about is not 'public' since no one can get to it except through my backyard or my neighbor's backyard; it technically belongs to the shopping center behind our house, but they cannot access it from their side, it's behind a huge berm. So it's someone else's property but the person who owns it can't use it. Both my landlord and my neighbor have established compost piles out there behind our own property lines, basically doing what is called a 'taking' of the land, which is legal (law of adverse possession). Eventually, the landlord or my neighbor could file for legal ownership of the land, since they have 'taken it' and are using it.

Another thing that occurred to me is that this guy seems suspicious. I would wonder why he's got cameras on your house, and is trying to neutralize your alarm system (aka your dogs). Is he staking you guys out for some reason?
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I do not know. I am told he is 'odd'. He's an electronics engineer, who didn't leave his parents house or marry until he was 40, and then he went overseas for a month and came back with a Chinese bride. They just had a child, and the landlord said he's so overprotective of the child that when the came over to visit the landlord with the child, he refused to put the child down on the carpet, concerned for dirt and diseases. This is just what I've been told.
 
Bill sorry to hear about the troubles with the nighbors (had dogs most of my life 3 of them now).
I'd be pissed about the whole thing as well.
Just one question does the whole area not allow fences or just this paticular HOA?

Good fences make good neighbors (IMHO). Might be something to keep in mind if/when you move.
 
MaxiMe said:
Bill sorry to hear about the troubles with the nighbors (had dogs most of my life 3 of them now).
I'd be pissed about the whole thing as well.
Just one question does the whole area not allow fences or just this paticular HOA?

Good fences make good neighbors (IMHO). Might be something to keep in mind if/when you move.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's just this HOA that doesn't allow fences. We had a fence when we lived in NC, and when we leave this house, we'll definitely make sure it has a fence around the backyard or we can put one up. I'm a little afraid now, though; it appears that this county is pretty strict about dogs. We were asked if we had current rabies shots and dog registration tags; we do. We had to produce the paperwork instantly when the Animal Control lady was here; if we hadn't had them, the dogs would have been taken just for that (fortunately, we obey the law, and yes, we're up to date, we agree with and support such measures to keep dogs vaccinated and registered). It's a good thing my wife had the paperwork handy and could produce it instantly. We were told that if the dogs get off our property, we lose them. If we have a fence and they jump or tunnel out, we lose them. If they bite anyone of course we lose them (as I would expect). If they frighten people with their barking, we lose them if it is a repeated incident. If people come on our property and the dogs bite them but the people are not charged with home invasion (for example, if they are just trespassers) we lose them. If the dogs are a 'dangerous breed' we lose them (and we questioned the lady, she did agree that our dogs do not look like a dangerous breed mix to her, but she said in some cases, that's up to a court to decide). In short, if the dogs offend anyone, we could have them taken away. I really did not know that when we moved here. Lots of people have dogs on our block. There is a 'bark park' just up the road that is 16 acres of fenced parkland where you're allowed to let the dogs roam free with other dogs if you have a permit (we do) and it's very popular, but she told us that if our dogs bite a person there or attack other dogs, they can be taken from us for that, too.

In short, the county appears to be somewhat anti-dog. That's really unfortunate.
 
Bill Mattocks said:
Yeah, it's just this HOA that doesn't allow fences. We had a fence when we lived in NC, and when we leave this house, we'll definitely make sure it has a fence around the backyard or we can put one up. I'm a little afraid now, though; it appears that this county is pretty strict about dogs. We were asked if we had current rabies shots and dog registration tags; we do. We had to produce the paperwork instantly when the Animal Control lady was here; if we hadn't had them, the dogs would have been taken just for that (fortunately, we obey the law, and yes, we're up to date, we agree with and support such measures to keep dogs vaccinated and registered). It's a good thing my wife had the paperwork handy and could produce it instantly. We were told that if the dogs get off our property, we lose them. If we have a fence and they jump or tunnel out, we lose them. If they bite anyone of course we lose them (as I would expect). If they frighten people with their barking, we lose them if it is a repeated incident. If people come on our property and the dogs bite them but the people are not charged with home invasion (for example, if they are just trespassers) we lose them. If the dogs are a 'dangerous breed' we lose them (and we questioned the lady, she did agree that our dogs do not look like a dangerous breed mix to her, but she said in some cases, that's up to a court to decide). In short, if the dogs offend anyone, we could have them taken away. I really did not know that when we moved here. Lots of people have dogs on our block. There is a 'bark park' just up the road that is 16 acres of fenced parkland where you're allowed to let the dogs roam free with other dogs if you have a permit (we do) and it's very popular, but she told us that if our dogs bite a person there or attack other dogs, they can be taken from us for that, too.

In short, the county appears to be somewhat anti-dog. That's really unfortunate.
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And what county is that if ya don't mind me asking. I think I'll avoid it whith my dogs especially the one that barks the most, all 17# of her :)
 
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