Big dog'on problems!!

[Kdennis09]

We have a neighbor that toor us to court for our dogs barking and roaming. We paid a huge fine and have since gotten rid of one of our dogs and moved the other one inside the majority of the time, unless we are outside with him. Yesterday, less than a month later, I received another citation in the mail. I spoke with the animal control officer and he said she claimed my husband yelled at her (he didnt) and that our dog is going over there in the middle of the night barking (hes not) and that he is constantly on her property and that she has pictures (possible, but not menacing, hes a little dog, and not roaming, just barely crossing over our property lines which butt up to one another in the country). I have talked to our other neighbors who originally took us to court as well and they said our dog has NOT been an issue or roaming on their property and will give be a written testimony to this. Our neighbor is lying, harassing, and just being nitpicky about stupid things. I want to plead Not Guilty to the Public Nuisance charge but am afraid that the pictures she has of him crossing the line (again, barely) will make the judge turn on me. I have tried talking to her and she is not reasonable and not friendly. Totally at a loss here and need help!!!!

 

[mightymoose]

Good fences make good neighbors.

 

[Kdennis09]

Like I said, we live in the country and we own over 5 acres and our neighbors a little over 11. It would cost thousands of dollars to fence in our property. If our dog was really roaming or aggressive I would entertain the idea of a fence, but he walks the property line and has maybe TWO times crossed over 'the line' to chase a bird or sniff something. Not in their lawn, on their deck, or even near their house... just on the far outlying property line about 50 yds from their driveway.

 

[Tfloyd]

Basically if he's off your property unrestrained, he's running at large. I have written many of these citations myself. I do not know the codes there, but his being a nice dog and his not being on the neighbors porch is irrelevant. If your dog is off your property you're subject to being charged, regardless of the circumstances.

 

[mightymoose]

You can look in to building a good size kennel rather than fencing the property. You can also install a dog run cable that keeps the dog on a leash within the limits of the property.
For what its worth, this most recent citation sounds bogus and is worth fighting, but it seems you are going to have to do something to keep the dogs in your yard.

 

[Tfloyd]

You may be better off installing underground fencing on that one side of the yard.