Animal cruelty laws for the state of California

[Speaking4Zoie]

My neighbor has issues with my dogs. I can't leave the house without taking them with me for fear that something might happen to them. I'm not an irresponsible dog owner. I clean up after them, don't let them bark excessively. They are rarely outside because of the numerous calls made by them to the animal control, police station. I have done everything to ensure my animals are not a nuisance.
The neighbor doesnt allow them to bark at all! If they do bark, he sets off his house alarm to scare them. He squirts water over the fence at them. I know this because one night I was sitting in the back yard and could see through the fence. Dogs were just outside, no barking. I saw the neighbor ,"lurking" as he bent over to grab the water hose. He didn't know i was outside and could see him. I spoke up and let him know that I was there and nothing needed to come over the fence. I was then drenched with the hose. Yes, I called the police. I was told I could report the incident. It was considered assault and battery. I should have filed the complaint. I came home the other day and my dog had been outside most of the day because i was unable to travel with her. The next morning she was scratching her ears to the point of bleeding. Took her to the vet and she had a ear infection caused by to much WATER OR MOISTURE in her ears. Would this not be animal cruelty? I plan on installing video surveillance to secure my home. Where can i position the cameras on my property without it being an invasion of the neighbors privacy?

Before answering please understand I have been dealing with this for 5 yrs. I have informed myself of what is considered a nuisance and in regards to animal noise. unless the owner provokes or antagonizes the barking it is considered a natural response for a dog to bark at other dogs, or people. Shock collars, not normal, water hoses, not normal. House alarms for no reason other than to make more noise then the dog...a Misdemeanor. For some reason California is a little more relaxed within the boundaries of, "THE LAW." In California you can ask someone," How'd you like to get shot?" Freedom of speech I'm told.....So what defense do my defenseless dogs have other than becoming aggressive? Any informative information would be better than a bullet to my head or water in my face. Thanks!

 

[army judge]

There is no way to stop others from annoying or harassing you, short of doing something that could cause you to lose your freedom, or moving. The law rarely cares in these situations UNTIL someone goes TOO far.

I'm sure you have seen that, lived it over the past five years.

The world is full of mean, cantankerous people. That said, there are many sides to every story. The police are rarely reluctant to act if a crime has been committed.

If a privacy fence doesn't help, it might be time to move. As I said, there's very little the law can do unless one of the parties goes to extremes.

 

[CdwJava]

Yes, you can picture cameras on YOUR property to conduct surveillance of your own backyard without any legal hassles.

And it will be a heck of a stretch to prove that your dog's ear infection was caused by the neighbor squirting the dog with a hose.

There are few laws that can be applied to affect a change in a neighbor's behavior towards you or your pets. Yes, he could be charged for battery for squirting YOU with a hose. It'd be a difficult sell to charge animal cruelty for spraying your dog, but, if you have some proof you can always try. But, such an incident might do nothing to mitigate the problems you are having, only exacerbate them.

Nothing in the law will buy you true peace of mind if you believe that the neighbor might stoop to causing physical harm to the dog. About all you can do is take reasonable steps to keep the dog from barking, and maybe even create an inner barrier of sorts that keeps the dogs from even getting to the shared fenceline. And, yes, he can keep calling to report the noise the dog makes even if nothing will come of it. Eventually the cops will get so torqued at haivng to keep coming out that the first chance they get SOMEONE will go to jail in order to put a stop to it.

There is no magic pill and every city in every state has residents that have to deal with what they believe are annoying and unreasonable neighbors. Sorry.

 

[disagreeable]

I have a solution for neighbors with noisy dogs they leave outside. Inform them I am installing an anti bark transmitter. If they lock their dogs up outside or chain them up outside THEY are the one tormenting them. I have better things to do with my life than put up with someone else's animals making noise. I have 3 cats, only one harasses my spouse by sleeping on her head.

 

[mightymoose]

Good fences make good neighbors. Build a better fence... and keep the dog away from it.