unfriendly neighbor

[Tink]

Sorry to hear about your nutty neighbor. The best offense sometimes is a great defense. Try to learn ALL the laws in your area, state and local ordinances. Just to be able to state them if you are confronted by anyone. The neighbor or police. Speaking to her obviously would not do any good, seems she's dug her heels in and won't budge. But stock your "war chest", in case it gets ugly. Have printed copies of all laws, have a copy of the plot plan of your house, showing that "her" fence is on your property, try to video several mornings in a row of your dogs outside, just to show how they behave, and how long they are out. Keep detailed records of everything. Everything she says to you, date time etc, if police come.. That way, if it does come to any action, you can feel confident that you are ready and not trying to recall things, especially in the heat of the moment. You can be cool and calm. I bet if she doesn't get a rise out of you it will just kill her!
Seems she's the type who thrives on chaos and friction, and you being the new guys... you're the new target.
Keep your head high and it'll work out. Eventually.
Good Luck.

 

[Doggy]

Thank you so much for this valuable information and suggestions. I immediately went to the web site posted by Sandy and printed the dog legislation report..
I will take all this to heart. It is too bad she has to be this way, at least I have some ideas to protect my rights and my dogs. Thanks again everyone. :D

 

[Nek'sMom]

I have a neighbor from hell too, so i can definetly sympathize! Although it is the neighbor I can't stand! He owns two rotties and leaves them out all day and sometimes late into the night without water, toys or anything. His yard is absolutley disgusting, the smell actually comes into my house! YUCK!!:eek:
I have done all I could about it, reading what my rights are, contacting the "proper authorities", and they do nothing! This woman sounds like a goober who's mad your pups are prettier and better behaved!:D I would do exactly what everyone suggests, arm yourself with knowledge, that's the best weapon with people like that! Good Luck

 

[kgf73]

One other important thing....

document, document, document...everything the woman says, or does!

 

[myrocky]

Originally posted by Doggy
We purchased a home in April. We have a terrier mix and a boxer. Our new neighbor has a dalmation. She 1st asked us to pick up "messes" in our yard after our dogs were done with thier business, as she found this unpleasant. I obliged, I usually clean our yard every couple days.

WHAT?!! This person has no business telling you to pick up after your dog in *your* yard. Its your yard and your responsibilty not hers. Ugh! That enough would make me nutso, someone telling me to pick up after my dog in my own yard.

If she is still giving you problems and her fence is indeed on your property take it up with the proper authorties. That is not allowed unless she wants to buy that strip of property off of you. If she doesn't want to buy it then she must move her fence at her own cost. If she dosen't move it then tell her that your lawyer will be contacting her shortly ::

Andie

 

[Scrapper's Mom]

If the fence is over on your side, definitely take steps to have it moved immediately, but I'd contact a lawyer and let him deal with her. Of course, this will antagonize her more, but you really have no choice or like Snork said, you could lose your right to that property.

If she is complaining that your dog barks when it's outside, I would get a video camera and tape the dog the entire time when it's outside for a couple of weeks. Save the tapes, document the days, use this for evidence. Yes, it will cost you for some tapes but you will be able to show that her complaints are groundless. On the other hand, when you hear HER dog barking, tape that, if you can, or at the very least, write down the date and times and length of the barking, and where your dog was at the time.

Do all this stuff right at the time it happens, not later, because you need to be able to say your records were made at the time of the incidents. If she continues to bother you, you might want to have that lawyer file a restraining order against her for harassment, she is preventing you from using your property and interfering with your rights as a landowner. There may even be damages you can get. I don't know the law in Wisconsin, but there must be some steps you can take to get her to pipe down. Check with a lawyer who knows real estate law on all of this, he can advise you more appropriately on how to document all this and what your rights are. Sorry you have to deal with the crabby old biddy. My sympathies.

BTW, even though this doesn't apply to you, just in general, though a neighbor can't make you clean up after your dog, if a person lets the stuff accumulate to the point it draws flies, smells and becomes a nuisance, well, that's another matter.

 

[Doggy]

I am so glad I posted this concern! I am waiting for my fiance to get off work so I can tell him about the land/fence issue, and the steps we need to take to protect ourselves and our pets.
I really dont know what her problem with us is though. We would never keep our yard filthy, boxers tend to have big messes, and with children wanting to play in the yard, you can not leave that yuck in the yard. She has phobias, the first time she visited us to complain, I tried to introduce myself and shake her hand and she said no thank you. She wears huge sunglasses when she is outside and gloves to protect her hands. That is fine, but I am not like that. I will sit right on the ground and play with my dog, no big deal. Maybe she is unnerved by our household, but I cant help that. I want to be able to go outside and enjoy my yard, and when we get our yard fenced in, we only moved in two weeks ago and already she has had at least 5 complaints to us, I want our dogs to be able to run and play when we are off of work, as you all know boxers need exercise, they love to run and play.
:D

 

[HRCant]

Your nieghbor is being way unreasonable. I have a friend who is a cop and I asked him about this. He started to laugh and siad that if a call is made to the police regarding the dogs, they will come out to your house and talk to you and meet the dogs, but they will not get involved in a dispute between 2 nieghbors especially becuase the dogs are on your property.

If youwere letting them run wild it would be a different story, but since they are on your property you can let them out whenever you want to. My husband and I just moved into a new home in October thanfully all of our nieghbors have dogs, we have to walk our dog in the am and we don't have any extra time to spare either, Evander goes fast in the am! Anyway good luck!

Tell her to worry about her own dog!

 

[Sack]

If the fence is over your property line and was erected before you bought the home, you probably cannot do anything about it at this point.

If you bought the house under general warranty deed, and knew about the fence's encroachment on your line, you've almost certainly waived your right to object to its location.

If you want to do something about the fence, don't talk to a lawyer, talk to the company that you bought your title insurance from. Their whole existence is for the purpose of dealing with things like this.

 

[Doggy]

Yes, the fence was up before we bought the house but no, we did not know it was on our land. I dont know what will happen regarding that issue, yet it is not fair that it is our property, our house payment and our property taxes paying for her enjoyment. If she was nice and not so unrealistic in her expectations of our pets, I would not blink twice at the thought of the location of the fence. I did send an email to our city police department questioning our rights, and what will happen if she does start her allegations and contacting them. Just to make them aware of it.
I will keep you updated as to what happens...