ahh good ole Pat, I suspect it is even worse where you are. Having been where you are almost exactly I can tell you unless it's life or dea no good comes from trying to be reasonable and abide by the law. There are a few things like was the fence on the property boundary? If so then it means that in my state if both parties don't agree on the boundary line it's not legal. Here you can move your fence three feet into your property and file a statement with town or city clerk stating you have placed a fence three feet ont your property so you may maintain the three feet on other side. You may state what boundary indicators your are using. For us it turned into world war three and we walked away and let it go. The neighbors know what a skink we have for a neighbor. They too wrecked an expensive fence. The other piece of advice is to get rapid growing trees or bushes and plant them just inside your boundary. I would also check into the release of firearms within your town limits. Tha anonomous call from a scared ole lady gets the police moving to. Good luck.