# Troublesome neighbor...



## AnnaLynn87 (Jul 15, 2010)

For several years now my neighbor has tried every way possible for my family to get rid of our dogs.  He has contacted the sheriff and other people within the county trying to find a way for us to get rid of the dogs.  He has even resulted in killing at least 6 by either shooting them or lacing food with Timik and placing it in the woods near our property line and injuring others.  When we contacted officials within our county to try to pursue some form of punishment for him killing several harmless animals, nothing was done about this.  We even went as far as contacting state officials trying to get something done for someone killing our dogs, yet nothing was done.  
Well a few days ago we get home to find a letter from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Animal Protection Division posted on our mailbox post stating that they had a complaint, placed by our neighbor, that we were breeding and selling puppies without a license (which is completely untrue).  After calling the woman in charge of the claim, we tell her that the allegations are completely false that we just happen to have a large amount of dogs, many used for hog hunting and others that are rescue dogs. She then proceeds to tell us that we need a kennel license for the amount of dogs we have, in which we tell her that the county we live in does not have a limit on the amount of dogs that a person can have, and we aren’t breeding the dogs to sell the puppies, therefore there is no need for a kennel license.  Then we proceed to tell her (let me remind you that this woman is in charge of the Animal PROTECTION Division) about our neighbor killing and poisoning our dogs for no reason, and she stated that he had a right to protect his property.  Georgia state law states that you can only kill a dog if you own livestock and it is endangering it or if it is endangering your life, neither of these were the case he doesn’t own livestock and they weren’t harming him or his family being that they were on our property or on the property line when they were killed.  And as for the whole “breeding dogs to sell puppies” even if this were true (a) we live out in the middle of nowhere on the dead end of a dirt road with the road turning into our driveway (b) our neighbor can’t see our house or our dogs from his property so how would he know what we do at our house. 
Several of our dogs are rescue dogs, some we received because their owners could no longer care for them and some were taken from abusive situations. One of the dogs is a miniature boston-terrier who was at a local pet store; she got sick and was going to be thrown in a dumpster because they didn’t want to deal with the cost it would take to get her treatment. When we got her she weighed a pound and a half, she has now been with us a year and after plenty of TLC she is now a fifteen pound healthy little ball of joy. Another dog we received was a very timid 2 yr. old English Bull dog that the owners kept tied to a tree with a 2 ft. leash and was all skin and bones, we’ve now had her for about 2 years and she is now a chubby little thing and is spoiled rotten and these are only a few examples of the dogs we've rescued over the years.   
Yes we may have a large amount of dogs and I could understand filing a complaint if we were abusing or neglecting our dogs but every single one of them are as healthy as can be, they are well fed, well taken care of and each get plenty of TLC. Also how can someone who is supposed to be in charge of Animal Protection for the state of Georgia say its okay to kill a harmless animal, it’s not right. Well this is the end of my rant, I just wanted to see if there is anyone else out there who thinks that this whole ordeal is as ridiculous as I do.
(The Pics are just a few of our very healthy, happy babies)


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## j_seph (Jul 15, 2010)

Sounds like you should visit them and have one of those come to Jesus talks!


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## DYI hunting (Jul 15, 2010)

AnnaLynn87 said:


> Georgia state law states that you can only kill a dog if you own livestock and it is endangering it or if it is endangering your life, neither of these were the case he doesn’t own livestock and they weren’t harming him or his family



I believe that extends beyond just that and covers if the dog is damaging your property and endangering any of your animals (not just livestock).  

I hate to hear of someone killing dogs.  My grandfather's dogs were country dogs and liked to roam his pasture but never bothered anything.  Neighbor killed them both to "protect" his calves even though the dogs grew up around cows/calves and never bothered them.


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## JuliaH (Jul 15, 2010)

It's bad that the neighbor is killing dogs, but I expect this started long ago and at least somewhat differently.

And if this person with all these dogs is indeed selling pups then the state is not incorrect to ask for them to be properly licensed. I am not a proponent of too much regulation, but with licensing kennels are inspected and kept to certain standards of care... 

The dogs in the pictures look fat and happy, but I don't think this problem is as one sided as it sounds... 

Julia


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## burnout (Jul 15, 2010)

How many dogs u got?


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## Backcountry (Jul 15, 2010)

burnout said:


> How many dogs u got?


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## lee hanson (Jul 15, 2010)

j_seph said:


> Sounds like you should visit them and have one of those come to Jesus talks!



x2  from the look of your pics you have none of your dogs even look bred or like a breeding pair  thier are  some law grops that will help i will try to find the links......i know you can have 1 or maybe 2 litters a year and not be required to have a lincens


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## gadeerwoman (Jul 15, 2010)

Based on the number of animals you may have (you don't say how many) it could be problems with odors or barking even though he can not "see" your property. If he has been shooting the dogs, then sounds likely that the dogs are not properly contained on your property but are roaming his property. Can't say as I would want many hog dog breeds coming on my property either...or any other breed for that matter. If they come onto his property he has a valid complaint regardless of your living in the country.
With a large number of dogs and your selling puppies, as you have  on here, it could well be considered more than a family pet dog situation and more of a breeding operation . Operation of a shelter will fall under the secretary of state and be licensed as a shelter. Any more animals than what might be considered 'reasonable family pets' may well get looked upon closely as an unlicensed breeding facility.


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## TheTurkeySlayer (Jul 15, 2010)

nice dogs!


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## shawnkayden2006 (Jul 15, 2010)

Actually this is a one sided problem.  The person whom posted this is someone me and my family hunt with.  There was not a reason for anyone to be called - this family takes each and every dog and not only provides them with shelter and food but shows each and every animal love and attention.   Now about livestock, as mentioned above these dogs are hog dogs not cow dogs - we hunt around livestock and none of our hunting groups dogs run cows, goats, horses, donkeys, and etc.  as well as get along with other dogs, adults, and most important children.


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## erniesp (Jul 15, 2010)

Seems your story is a little off base since you were selling puppies on here in May. I think they have a legitimate case against you.


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## lee hanson (Jul 15, 2010)

did the people  that came out  give you in statue numbers  i had a problem  like that with the state before  code enforcement came  out telling me the laws turn out he didn't know what he was talking about when we looked the code  up they had nothing to even do with dog one was  about building a fence to close to the road we  the code  officer inned  up  looking like a fool  in front of the judge  he was  made to apologize to in front of every one so dont  just take what they say look it up for your self


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## JuliaH (Jul 15, 2010)

With the conversation turning toward legality, I went and looked it up... here is what I found... Also went and got the definitions and the link for anyone interested. 

I personally raise only 1 or 2 litters a year and I am licensed, just for the record...





> *Pet Dealers:* anyone who sells, offers to sell, or exchanges, or offers for adoption dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, or other animals customarily obtained as pets in this state.
> *Kennel:* any establishment, other than an animal shelter, where dogs or cats are maintained for boarding, holding, training, or similar purposes for a fee or compensation.
> *Animal Shelter:* any facility operated by or under contract for the state, a county, a municipal corporation, or any other political subdivision of the state for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless abandoned, or unwanted dogs, cats and other animals; any veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians which operates for such purpose in addition to its customary purposes; and any facility operated, owned, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, or other nonprofit organization for the purpose of providing for and promoting the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals.


 
and

http://agr.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/AP_GA_Animal_Protection_Act_6-24-04.pdf



> 4-11-2. Definitions. As used in this article, the term:
> (1) "Adequate food and water" means food and water which is sufficient in amount and appropriate for the particular type of animal to prevent starvation, dehydration, or a significant risk to the animal's health from a lack of food or water.
> 
> (2) "Animal shelter" means any facility operated by or under contract for the state, a county, a municipal corporation, or any other political subdivision of the state for the purpose of
> ...


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## AnnaLynn87 (Jul 15, 2010)

The dogs that were killed we on our property not there's, there was no harm done to the neighbors or their property and they have no livestock or animals for them to harm at the time (they now have a dog of their own which is in a pen on the other side of their property)...

As for the dogs roaming, all of our dogs are either in pens or on runs expect for the 3 dogs that are house dogs and they are never outside unless a member of the family is out there with them....

Yes, we did try to sell a litter of puppies, but it was the first and only time we have done so, and in the end we ended up keeping the puppies for ourselves, and the state of GA allows that you can breed and sell one litter a year without the need for a kennel license...

As for the neighbor not being able to "see" our property and the odor, there is quite a bit of distance from the neighbors house and our dogs so odor or noise isn't a problem....

And as was previously stated when we hunt hogs, we hunt in areas where the dogs are in pastures with horses, cows, goats, and donkeys and in all the years we have been hunting we have NEVER had a dog that would run the livestock, they only run the hogs which is what they have been trained to do...

As for the codes, when we decided to adopt more dogs we checked with the state and our county on the provisions on what we would need for having a several dogs. The state of GA has no law on the number of dogs a person can have but several counties do, we contacted our county code office and they thought we were joking when we asked if there was a limit on the number of dogs a person can have, they told us there was no limit in our county and that they didn't see a problem with having them if they were cared for properly in which they are, and as for the comment about having a shelter no we don't have a shelter we just adopt the dogs, we checked and made sure that we didn't need a special license for the caring for the dogs...

As for there being more to the story, we have done nothing to the neighbor, our animals have done no harm to them or their property, its just the type of person he is. He is the last person to move into our community and he has been troublesome to several neighbors since then, not only us. In one instance, a fellow neighbor's daughter was learning to drive so they were driving up and down the PUBLIC road which we live on, turning around at our house(which was perfectly fine with us being that the road ends at our drive way and they weren't bothering us), while the daughter was learning to drive, the troublesome neighbor sees the man and his daughter driving down the road and proceeds to stop them and tell them that they can't drive up and down the PUBLIC road. I can understand if they were up to no good, but they had every reason to be on the road as he did. This neighbor believes that his way is the right way, period, even when he doesn't have a leg to stand on...


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## AnnaLynn87 (Jul 15, 2010)

We've also looked up these exact laws previously, and found that we weren't in violation of any of them. All the dogs are fed and watered everyday, if they are in a pen they get their pens cleaned out everyday if needed. 

We previously looked at obtaining a kennel license but we aren't boarding other people's dogs, we aren't holding or training other people's dogs and we collect no fee so we decided that it would be a waste of money to get one...


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## JuliaH (Jul 15, 2010)

Well, good luck    It is hard to have groups of animals when there is such problems, and I (probably along with others here) wish you well. The kennel license idea MIGHT get you some real support when you need it... 

I have a good lady who comes here to inspect and see records twice a year. She is friendly, interested, and helpful. And I have good neighbors... that makes a huge difference too. 

We have 8 dogs here, all in adequate kennels and most on cement floors. The one that is not, is floored with horse stall mats.  Hope this information has been some help to you...

Julia


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## K9SAR (Jul 15, 2010)

Perhaps you should obtain a copy of the Georgia Animal Protection Act posted by the Georgia Department of Agriculture: Animal Protection Division.  Then, go through it with a fine tooth comb to show you are not training others' dogs, you are not boarding, and you are not breeding/selling your dogs (and if you were, it was no more than one litter per year.)  

Write out every little detail pertaining to every little section on it, and then make an appointment with the Ga Dept of Ag agent that has been assigned to you, and go over the documents with her.  

Did you ever file a police report for someone poisoning your dogs? How do you know it was a particular poison? Did you get a necropsy performed on your deceased dogs? If you did file a police report (EACH time,) and you have Veterinary necropsy proof showing the dogs died due to "this" poison, bring that with you as well to your meeting. 

The sad part is, there are several puppy mills and backyard breeders housing animals in unsanitary conditions throughout the state and within reasonable driving distance to metro Atlanta. Several complaints (formal) have been filed against them by various persons, and they still remain in operation.  I wish the Ga Dept of Ag would invest more time and effort into closing those operations down.


ETA: Links to documents provided by the State of Georgia governing pets and other animals in this State:

http://agr.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/AP_GA_Animal_Protection_Act_6-24-04.pdf

http://www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/Mandatory Notification & License Information.pdf

http://www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/License Fees 7-1-10.pdf

http://www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/Georgia Animal Protection Rules.pdf


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## lee hanson (Jul 15, 2010)

AnnaLynn87 said:


> We've also looked up these exact laws previously, and found that we weren't in violation of any of them. All the dogs are fed and watered everyday, if they are in a pen they get their pens cleaned out everyday if needed.
> 
> We previously looked at obtaining a kennel license but we aren't boarding other people's dogs, we aren't holding or training other people's dogs and we collect no fee so we decided that it would be a waste of money to get one...



i would call foxs five about them killing my  and  take out a warrant on them for cruelty it  only cost  10 bucks to take  warrant  i would also file a civil suit that cost a bout 75 then i would get a restraining Oder on them  for harassment but one thing i would do is allow them to win and make  me get rid of my dogs its your land the animals are  in good condition so they need to mind their own biz's if they dont want to live next to dog theyshould move to the city wich one of yall was there firs


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## AnnaLynn87 (Jul 15, 2010)

We know that the neighbor poisoned and shot them because when we contacted the sheriff about it the neighbor told the deputy and us that he was the person that was responsible  yet the sheriff dept. didn't do anything about it when we tried several times to do something about it...

And thanks K9SAR for the links, I'll keep that in mind....

And I could understand if we were running a puppy mill but we aren't.  we try to prevent our dogs from having puppies by  keep the females a way from the males when they're in heat to keep them from having puppies but we had a male climb out of his pen when a female was in heat earlier this year which resulted in four pit/ catahula puppies.


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## K9SAR (Jul 15, 2010)

I did not say you were running a puppy mill.  I was merely speaking as to placed where the Georgia Department of Agriculture need to invest their time.  

When you told the Sheriff, etc. did you file a police report?  The Sheriff isn't going to do a darn thing unless a report is filed.  It doesn't matter if the guy says, "yeah I killed them" because OF that law that says if a person feels threatened or their livestock feels threatened, etc.  According to you, neither of those events were the case.


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## lee hanson (Jul 15, 2010)

AnnaLynn87 said:


> We know that the neighbor poisoned and shot them because when we contacted the sheriff about it the neighbor told the deputy and us that he was the person that was responsible  yet the sheriff dept. didn't do anything about it when we tried several times to do something about it...
> 
> And thanks K9SAR for the links, I'll keep that in mind....
> 
> And I could understand if we were running a puppy mill but we aren't.  we try to prevent our dogs from having puppies by  keep the females a way from the males when they're in heat to keep them from having puppies but we had a male climb out of his pen when a female was in heat earlier this year which resulted in four pit/ catahula puppies.



did you get  a copy of that police report  even if you dint get one then go get it now  and file charges


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## Jetjockey (Jul 16, 2010)

He admitted to killing the dogs on your property and you didn't take him to court?  If he admited it to you, and the police, I would have him in court in a heartbeat, and have him thrown in jail for animal cruelty.  How many dogs do you have?


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## lee hanson (Jul 16, 2010)

Jetjockey said:


> He admitted to killing the dogs on your property and you didn't take him to court?  If he admited it to you, and the police, I would have him in court in a heartbeat, and have him thrown in jail for animal cruelty.  How many dogs do you have?



that what i said .somthng not being told here. ther is more to this


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## maker4life (Jul 16, 2010)

If your dogs are contained on your property it sounds like you just have a jerk for a neighbor . Good luck in whatever happens .


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## squirreldoghunter (Jul 16, 2010)

You say your neighbor put out Temik "in the woods near our property line" and then later you say "The dogs that were killed we on our property not there's (sic)"... and "As for the dogs roaming, all of our dogs are either in pens or on runs expect for the 3 dogs that are house dogs and they are never outside unless a member of the family is out there with them..." I don't quite understand that. How'd they get to the poison? 
Also Temik is a restricted use pesticide and can only be sold to and used by certified applicators and there are regulations governing its application. Something sounds fishy since you say your neighbor admitted to putting it out in food in the woods, where any animal that happened to be wandering by could come in contact with it, and the Dept. of Agriculture/EPD wasn't all over that like a fly on excrement. 
Not trying to jump on you, just pointing out some inconsistencies. The guy may indeed be a total jerk and in need of a serious attitude adjustment.


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## BulldogsNBama (Jul 16, 2010)

After pondering over this a bit, I'm thinking that your neighbor obviously has a problem with what you do  (mainly the hog hunting w/ your dogs and possibly due to the type dogs they are) and is hellbent on causing you problems any way he can.

It's sad, but the truth is, the anti-hunting & anti-animal crowd is growing and growing thanks to the well funded animal crazy groups like PETA & HSUS, who continuously spout their ridiculous propaganda.

I respectfully disagree with trying to "talk to this man".  As soon as you step foot on his property, he's going to be dialing up the sherriff's dept to have you arrested for trespassing, harassment or will start the process of having a restraining order taken out on YOU.  

The only way you can deal with a guy like this is through the proper channels, by letting the law handle it and I understand they have been less than forthcoming or accomodating to you.

If I were you, I would start by getting checking out a few good law books.  Defend yourself by going on the offensive.  Document, document, document everything as it happens with dates, times etc. and keep it at your fingertips.  Not only that, but keep a file for your dogs if you don't already, with their health records, shot dates etc.  If any of your dogs have been temperment tested or have CGC's that would certainly be a plus as well.  Just keep all your documentation handy for if/when it's needed.

Forget word of mouth, when you do something, always do it via filing affidavits.  Give them so many days to reply and make them start answering to you.   I don't know about Georgia lawbooks, but I own a copy of the Alabama Rules of Court and some other very helpful law books pertaining to my state.

If the other neighbors in your area are in support of you, get a signed petition or something in writing from them showing their support of you.  At least you can hand it to the sherriff the next time they are called out.  You might be surprised at how much weight it might have, esp when they can see a whole lot of signatures besides just yours.

Lastly... if there are any Property Rights Groups in your area, I'd certainly entertain joining one.  You might run into other folks who are in or have been in a similar situation.  Most of these groups have a lot of experience when it comes to your rights and are great at pooling resources and support when needed.

Goodluck and Godbless!  If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a nosy and troublemaking neighbor!


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## BulldogsNBama (Jul 16, 2010)

Oh and btw..  nice looking dogs!


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## bertdawg (Jul 16, 2010)




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## BulldogsNBama (Jul 17, 2010)

also calls for a lil Montgomery Gentry...    

What Do Ya Think About That

I heard it through the grapevine
My new neighbor don't like my big red barn
A '47 Ford, bullet holes in the door
Broke down motor in the front yard
I got half a mind to paint a plywood sign
And nail it up on a knotty pine tree
Saying I was here first
This is my piece of dirt
And your rambling don't rattle me

Some people care about what other people think
Worry about what they say
Let a little gossip
Coming from a loose lip ruin a perfect day
Say, blah, blah, blah, just a jacking their jaws
Gotta let it roll off of my back
I don't give a dern what other people think
What do ya think about that


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## bearpugh (Jul 17, 2010)

sounds fishy. i can't believe that he would admit to law enforcement and nothing is done. maybe he convinced them somehow he felt threatened. dunno


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## StikR (Jul 18, 2010)

Build a kennel?


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## MoonPie (Jul 18, 2010)

(My Two Cents)

They's two  sides to every story.

Appreciate what yur doin. Also appreciate your neighbors feelins.  I hunt a spot about 1/2 mi from somebody that has maybe 8 or so dogs.  The deer don't seem to care, but they bark all day.  If I lived on this huntin spot, it be a bad situation.  Country is not for total peace and comfort but a lot a people want that when their there.


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## BulldogsNBama (Jul 18, 2010)

And if I was the folks with the 8 dogs or so, I probably wouldn't take too kindly to some fellow deer hunting a 1/2 mile from my house with a high-powered rifle (not saying you are and no offense to you Moonpie, as I'm just making a point), but see how silly this all gets.

They could probably just as easily find something to complain on you for.  People need to try to practice a little tolerance and worry about their own, instead of trying to police their neighbors.

Forget 8 dogs, I live less than 1/2 mile from a cousin, who has 17 labs that are barking all the time!  I just ignore them and go about my own business.  I don't even hear them if I'm inside anyway.

On the other hand, they don't particularly like my American Bulldogs, simply because they are scared of bully breeds.  Several of their dogs ran loose up til a few months ago, when they finally built a fence.  Mine were already fenced in, so everything is a lot better now.

I also have chicken houses less than 1/2 mile from me on the other side and sometimes the ammonia smell really starts bothering my asthma, but again, I tolerate it and just go on with my own business.  I certainly don't want to complain and shut the guy's chicken farm down!

When my other cousin hauls off a load of calves, his cows grieve and bawl all day and night for about a week.  Yes, it can be a little annoying, but that's just part of living in the country, next to a cow pasture.

There's something that's always going to bother or be a nuisance to someone else (most of the time it's just petty/silly stuff).  You can't please everyone.  The key is not to try.  Live and let live and leave each other alone!  (Unless it's something causing a major health hazzard etc.) 

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.. I must be turning Libertarian


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## MoonPie (Jul 18, 2010)

MoonPie said:


> (My Two Cents)
> 
> They's two  sides to every story.
> 
> Appreciate what yur doin. Also appreciate your neighbors feelins.  I hunt a spot about 1/2 mi from somebody that has maybe 8 or so dogs.  The deer don't seem to care, but they bark all day.  If I lived on this huntin spot, it be a bad situation.  Country is not for total peace and comfort but a lot a people want that when their there.





BulldogsNBama said:


> And if I was the folks with the 8 dogs or so, I probably wouldn't take too kindly to some fellow deer hunting a 1/2 mile from my house with a high-powered rifle (not saying you are and no offense to you Moonpie, as I'm just making a point), but see how silly this all gets.
> 
> Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.. I must be turning Libertarian



Glad too give ya the opportunity to get it off your chest, and no offense taken BulldogsNBama, but whatever in my post would lead you to the assumption that I was hunting with a high-powered rifle. I'M A BOWHUNTER!!!!!!


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## BulldogsNBama (Jul 18, 2010)

I wasn't trying to make an assumption on you personally Moonpie, as I don't even know you.  That's why I also said "not saying you are".   I guess you could say I was playing devil's advocate there and the point I was trying to show was how easily neighbor is pitted against neighbor and how silly it gets.  Was not trying to be disrespectful to you.  Besides, if you like Moonpies and RC Cola's, you're probably an ok kinda guy.


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## lee hanson (Jul 18, 2010)

MoonPie said:


> Glad too give ya the opportunity to get it off your chest, and no offense taken BulldogsNBama, but whatever in my post would lead you to the assumption that I was hunting with a high-powered rifle. I'M A BOWHUNTER!!!!!!



some people may have a problem with you  growing food plots for deer. teaching them it ok to eat there then one  day you murder them in that same food plot.....i know that sounds stupid but  i had  a lady tell me that when i told her that i hunt.....


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