First let me say I know the state of Tennessee has state wide leash laws, § 44-8-413. We reside in the county so animal control is run by the sheriff's department.
But, we have neighbors who could care less. They allow their dogs to run free day and night. It doesn't matter how many time we and the neighbors have asked them to keep their dogs home they just refuse to contain the dogs. A couple neighbors have taken shots at the dogs. One guy dragged one of the dogs home by the scruff of the neck. These dogs have chased young children and anybody who dares to walk down the road. Us, right along with the other neighbors have repeatedly have called animal control and nothing is done because they say "we have to see the dogs running ourselves, just shoot them if you're scared of them and they are in your yard". We have various pictures of these dogs in our yard and they weren't interested in looking at them. These dogs have tried to bite me in my own yard and tore my jacket. They have been in my yard and tried to kill our cats that are on our porch. Yet, animal control claims they can't do anything. Last week I walked out my front door to their dog growling at me in my yard. I didn't call animal control directly I called the sheriff's department and was told they are supposed to pick the dogs up and sent animal control who did nothing again. The animal control officer told me if he cites the neighbors for their dogs he will cite us for letting a peacock (they consider livestock) for walking down the street. The bird is not ours. The bird flew into my neighbor's yard almost 4 years ago. He stayed in a tree in our backyard for a short time and decided he liked the neighbor's yard better. For years (long before the peacock) My husband and I put bird food in the feeder up front and a container out back. Because the peacock will eat from it animal control is saying it makes us responsible for the bird. They are saying this because the neighbor's that let the dogs run loose are saying there wouldn't be a problem with their dogs if the bird wasn't allowed to run free. Can I be cited for a bird that I do not own? What recourse do I have?
Thank you,
Sharon
But, we have neighbors who could care less. They allow their dogs to run free day and night. It doesn't matter how many time we and the neighbors have asked them to keep their dogs home they just refuse to contain the dogs. A couple neighbors have taken shots at the dogs. One guy dragged one of the dogs home by the scruff of the neck. These dogs have chased young children and anybody who dares to walk down the road. Us, right along with the other neighbors have repeatedly have called animal control and nothing is done because they say "we have to see the dogs running ourselves, just shoot them if you're scared of them and they are in your yard". We have various pictures of these dogs in our yard and they weren't interested in looking at them. These dogs have tried to bite me in my own yard and tore my jacket. They have been in my yard and tried to kill our cats that are on our porch. Yet, animal control claims they can't do anything. Last week I walked out my front door to their dog growling at me in my yard. I didn't call animal control directly I called the sheriff's department and was told they are supposed to pick the dogs up and sent animal control who did nothing again. The animal control officer told me if he cites the neighbors for their dogs he will cite us for letting a peacock (they consider livestock) for walking down the street. The bird is not ours. The bird flew into my neighbor's yard almost 4 years ago. He stayed in a tree in our backyard for a short time and decided he liked the neighbor's yard better. For years (long before the peacock) My husband and I put bird food in the feeder up front and a container out back. Because the peacock will eat from it animal control is saying it makes us responsible for the bird. They are saying this because the neighbor's that let the dogs run loose are saying there wouldn't be a problem with their dogs if the bird wasn't allowed to run free. Can I be cited for a bird that I do not own? What recourse do I have?
Thank you,
Sharon
