I am writing for your opinion and the opinion of your readers. I have a situation that has been going on for about three years, and I am at my wits' end.
My neighbor got remarried, and when he moved in, he brought hunting dogs, which have now turned into about 30. See, I live in the country and there are no leash laws, no noise ordinances.
Now, I was here before the dogs were. When I put up my greenhouses, I had to send a letter to all my neighbors so if there were any objections to it, they could come to the hearing. But yet they can house, breed and sell as many dogs as they want without any type of hearing.
I have tried to speak to the owners, the sheriff's department, dog catcher. Other neighbors have complained as well. These dogs run loose constantly.
I own 20 acres and their owners own somewhere around five.
We have show rabbits, and are now getting show pigs. I have an outside cat, dog (who does not run loose) and children.
These dogs bark nonstop. They are on my property at all times of the day and night. They chase my animals, they knock my daughter over when she is outside, and they growl and try to bite. I can't take the two 2-year-olds that I babysit for outside because the dogs come up to the house. They are on my front porch and eat my cat's food and chase her away. They get into the trash, they get into the barn, torment the rabbits, torment the pigs and go to the bathroom wherever they choose fit.
Now I am not allowed to shoot them with anything, BB gun, pellet gun etc. because I have no rights as a property owner. The owners leave for the weekend, and I never see anyone come to feed or water them, so their barking gets even worse. There have been dead dogs and puppies discarded over their fence by the railroad tracks and on my property.
When the owner is home and decides he has had enough of the constant barking, he proceeds to come outside and scream the following phrases: "Hey Knock it off, "Shut the ***k up," "You want me to beat you?" Now I hear this inside my house. You tell me if my children and the two 2-year-olds should have to hear this vulgar language.
My family and other neighbors can't even enjoy being outside because of the constant, loud barking. Many times during the night the neighborhood has been awakened by barking dogs.
He has no respect for his neighbors. He throws trash, tree limbs onto my property where there is a little wetland, he burns stuff on my property, not to mention their property is an eye sore now. I would appreciate any ideas as to how we can get this settled, before the weather begins to stay nice.
