[wisewoman]

Where do I start? It was supposed to be a good day. Money, paying off bills, getting a reliable used car.

I started the day with a telephone hearing with Unemployment. After that I went down stairs and found a copious amount of dog vomit with raw meat. I woke my son up as there is nowhere the dogs can get meat. Something made me save it in a plastic bag and I told my son if any of the dogs appeared ill or acting odd to get them to the vet asap. I suspected poisoning. I went to my local bank who would not cash my cashier's check without a 5 day hold so I drove 40 miles to my credit union and did the pay offs. I got a call from my son that his bearded collie was very sick, poor motor functioning etc. He rushed her and the vomit to the vet and the suspected antifreeze and were correct. I went with my friend and got the car that he had just put a new clutch in. Meanwhile we are calling state police and everyone about the dog poisoning. My son told me that he thought another of the dogs looked odd AND I should check on her. I tried to hurry home and called a neighbor on the way to ask him to meet me and bring a gun because this dog is quite old and I was expecting the worse. 1.5 miles downhill from my house the clutch on the car went and asthmatic me is walking trying to get home as fast as possible. My neighbor actually met me on the road as he was leaving. I opened the door to vomit everywhere and he carried the dog out and put her into the van and I rushed her to the vet having a dandy asthma attack on the way and wetting myself. I took all of the dogs just in case.

Turns out that my sociopath of a neighbor marinated deer meat in antifreeze and put it just on his side of the fence. A fence we put up so the animals would be safe, and he ruined by stacking marble etc against it. My spouse was going through vomit that the kids had cleaned up and showed it to our friends who came to check out the car and they recognized it as deer meat.

State police have been useless, everyone passing the buck. Finally a friend who is a game warden called back and helped reassure me and know what to tell my son in terms of us being able to empower him so he didn't pull a dumb trick and try retaliation. Both dogs are sedated (drunk) son's dog is doing some better, old dog of spouse is probably going to die. One of the little guys looking punky so they tested him and he is fine.

We are going to speak with aspca, humane society, game wardens, state police, PETA, and anyone else we can and do a civil suit for the vet costs and the pain and suffering. I want jail time for him. We saw the prints in the snow but it rained before we could get pictures. I tried to get someone out here all day to go to his property to check for the bait. I am angry and frustrated and I am ill.

It is late and my son just went out again, 80 miles round trip to the animal hospital to see his dog. This is a dog I got for me and she adopted him. She is a six year old bearded collie.

I am beside myself. Nothing can ever be one thing at a time. I have this cloud. I want revenge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sick sick man.

My home was filled with vomit. They must have gotten the bait at 7:00 when my spouse let them out.

When will it ever end?

[wisewoman]

Know what? I am a very angry woman right now. I am begging for help from the Humane society and law enforcement and the dogs lives lay in the balance. The older one looks like she will die. Hey, I know I have been out lately but this is big stuff and I am really feeling like maybe I shoulda learned firearms.

[kimthecatlover]

Do you have an SPCA in your area? This horrible neighbor you have really has a problem if he's poisoning your pets...Recently I happened to overhear a conversation where someone was saying they had pit bulls and were using them to engage in dog fighting...I had managed to get enough information about where this person lived and their dogs' names, I called my county SPCA. I could not let this go or it would have bothered me. Anyone who is cruel to animals, I have a problem with 'em. I hope you get justice for you and your pets. And I hope your dogs turn out okay.

[katheryn]

i agree there are several horible ppl out there hope you get justice for wat your neighbour has done,
hope you and your family dont take the law into your own hands even if thats how u r feeling ,there is no room for evil ppl like your neighbour in this world good luck my thoughts are with u take care of you and yours

[hillbunnyb]

Good grief, I'm so sorry for your pets. Horrible sick neighbor.
Wish you success with finding support through the humane society and such folks to bring his *** to justice. Sick sick sick.

[Myzen]

Wise,

That is one very heavy situation for you. Besides the actual harm done by your neighbour, you have the knowledge that the person living next door to you has criminal intentions.

IMHO the most important thing is to get legal help and not try to confront this person yourself. This is time for damage limitation I think, as these 'neighbour from hell' situations can get very ugly.

I think you have done everything right so far, in contacting all the agencies etc. You have had a horrible time though, and that's a fact.

Peaceful thoughts, M

[Gemstone]

How awful. I hope your doggies make it through this.

I sure hope you can find some organization to help you do something about it too.

The same thing (meat soaked in anti freeze over the fence) happened in my town last year. The guy was a teacher and he lost his job, got some jail time, had to pay the owners of the dogs vet bills and "pain and suffering", and he had to donate $10,000 to the Humane society. He still wasnt punished enough for what he did in my opinion. What happened in this case is the community really got involved. Petiitions were circulated to get him fired. Lots of people wrote editorials, protested, etc. Eventually law enforcement had to do something about it. I forgot to mention his home owners association voted and forced him to move from the community.

I can't believe the sickos that are out there. How can someone harm an animal like that. Its truly awful.

I am sending positive vibes to your doggies and your family.

[wisewoman]

Thank you everyone. I spoke with a fence company just now and am having a pretty small enclosure built for a lot of money as he has ruined the fence we put up to AVOID this thing. For you country people you can understand that his family has been in this town for generations. People have open knowledge that he is mentally ill, as is his father and some of his brothers. Police and community know that they have run people off the road etc. They are not right in the head and I don't mean like the rest of us. So, if I don't get an agency to take it and push the procecution as far as possible it will be a very difficult thing for us to do as individuals. That is why I was up until 3:30 or so this morning emailing EVERYONE I could think of.

His family have been bullies for generations and they have been allowed to get away with it. It has been hell since the day he bought the house next door.

No. we will not take the law into our own hands. We will however push hard for others to get restitution. He's a bum. His wife works 24x7. He is a heavy smoker and drinker. I hope it does him in early.

[Rhapsody]

((((((( HUGS ))))))) ((((((( HUGS )))))))

As one animal lover to another - I am so SORRY!! - I would not know what to do without my 4 babies (dogs).

My pets lift me up when no other can touch my soul...

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Maven]

I'm furious and sickened by all this. Before I address the important issue--the dogs--I do want to tell you, if you can get proof about the fence, you can sue him for the cost of replacing or repairing it. You'd get the value of the fence at the time it was damaged, anyway.

I hate people who would do this sort of thing to animals. I truly hope all of your dogs recover fully, and will keep them in my thoughts. I don't give a rat's patootie that he has mental problems; if he's dangerous--including to animals--he belongs off the streets. I just read about a case in the UK where a family known to bully and threaten neighbors actually got kicked out of their home for a period of time (they're put up at some government facility), to give the neighbors a break. It's a law there, done as a last resort. Too bad you can't do that, or even better, get him kicked out permanently. You'll need to keep a close eye on your dogs at all times, and I know that's not easy to do.

I have a lot of links for animal welfare organizations and general animal and pet sites, if you want some more. Just let me know here, or PM, or email me.

[Lexicon78]

I am so sorry for your hellish day. That neighbor should be arrested or something...I'd probably go after him or sue him or something. I just don't understand how people can be like that.

I hope you hang in there. Give lots of love to your dogs for me. This just breaks my heart.

[LMo]

omg - this is awful. I just read it. I'm so sorry. Thinking positive thoughts for you and the dog...

[lenjan]

good grief lady, it's just one thing after another for you, isn't it? I wish the best for the dogs and hope you can get something done about your incredibly sick and dangerous neighbor. What a horrible, awful thing to have done to someone's beloved pets.



Candy

[wisewoman]

Got a call at 8:00 after I had called to check on critters. Both are gone. Kidney failure. Law enforcement is a joke. Friends coming tomorrow to put kennel on opposite side of my property to keep dogs safe. Have to move sheep and goats away from fence line as he has threatened. I am being cautioned to be careful of retaliation of the human kind. Just got home a bit ago, left first thing to be with dogs. Brought them to friend's with farm tractor to be buried. Vet people all very kind. $2,000 bill. Can't find anyone to run a match on the venison to give proof. Have the poisoned meat in freezer. He wrecked our fence and then tells the police the fence has holes so the dogs get through. He has put thousands of pounds of weight on posts. I am so tired. Police, Vet, burial, son, phone calls. I think my life is PTSD, trauma never stops.

Good friends here and in real life make it better. Kennel at discount and cheap labor. Friends who bury your pets with/out batting an eye and the one who came and put the older dog in van for me. Good people outnumber bad. Horrid experience. My pain is bigger then my heart can take.

Tired. Thanks and love

[kimthecatlover]

Sorry to hear you lost your canine best friends...I hope someone in authority can get your neighbor and bring him to justice. Sadly there are some nasty people out there. Me and my feline, Tika, send love and hope that you find people who will understand and listen.

[SS8282]

(((((((((((((((ww)))))))))))))))))))) so sorry about your dogs. Marinating meat with antifreeze and leaving it out has the intent of murder. What if some other animal got into it or if there was a small child who puts everything in his or her mouth.

Since it doesn't seem like the law enforcement, spca are helping, perhaps you can talk to a lawyer or find an association that's an advocate for animals. Make sure you get an official document of what the dogs died from. Take as much pictures and document every incident that happens.

Hang in there (((((((((((((((((((((ww)))))))))))))))))))))))))

[Peanuts]

I'm so sorry for your loss and heartache. Our four legged companions fill a space in our hearts and they are missed when the time comes that they must leave us. I know that they lived a good life and were loved and cared for.

May your memories of their companionship bring you peace and comfort.

[wisewoman]

Thank you everyone. I have kept evidence and have pictures. I have an attorney. I have pain. It really stinks.

[hillbunnyb]

sick sick sick I am so sorry. Hope you succeed in finding legal relief. Bullies make me so angry. They must have a lot of disgruntled people in their world. Maybe you have more allies than you know. How to let them know you've had it and are taking action....... maybe they would find some courage too and back you up. . . it's hard to remember the blowhards are really cowards at heart. Drunk, dangerous, cowards, there goes the neighborhood....... dang. I am so sending you good vibes, protective vibes, and sadness for your loss. Dang.

[wisewoman]

Rotten sleep again. Little dogs waking me up looking for big ones. So sad. They can't understand. Neither can I.

[katheryn]

so sorry for your loss my family and friends sends you lots of hugs from the uklook afrte you and yours

[Maven]

I'm so sorry about your dogs. And about the lack of help you're getting. Go higher in the law if you have to. Go over their heads.

You may not want to think about this right now, and I'm not trying to upset you, but there's another legal action you can take. You can sue for the loss of your dogs. Unfortunately, under the law, animals are seen as property, so you probably wouldn't pain and suffering or punitive damages. But you can get the value of the animals. You can also get vet bills and money paid for their care.

I'm truly sickened by these people. If there's anything I can do, let me know.

[wisewoman]

Thanks Maven and everyone. The Humane society in our part of the country will offer a $2500 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for poisoning the animals. He is a drug dealer and I can only hope that his customers are more loyal to the money for more drugs then they are to him. There is also the issue of venison dna and needing a sample from his home. All I can do is hope. Today the kids tore down most of the stockade fence and we saw the damage he had done by putting heavy objects up against the posts and fence. The pictures are stunning. I plan on a suit for the dog's deaths and the fence. The vet bills and anything else I can get.

Tomorrow the kennel goes up. Dark came too quickly today. So for now we are walking together. They keep looking for the other dogs. I am going to be some relieved when it is up and all we have to do is open the back door.

I am becoming a little more focused. I want to see justice. He is a coward and a bully.

All I can do is one step at a time. He hit me where it hurts. kids and animals. I will try to keep folks posted. Thanks.

[MacD]

Unbelievable....absolutely horrible....But I would think that you had a reckless endangerment case at the very least...because your dogs are restricted and he placed poison in an accessible place.....Go For It!

[wisewoman]

I am having horrid nightmares. Keep thinking the little dogs are outside unsafe. I keep jumping out of bed to check on them and they are right here with me. Aniaml abuse......