Ok, where do I even begin with this one...

The subtitle in this particular forum ("general") say's that "you can discuss anything you like". I would like to do that right now as our entire neighborhood has a major problem on it's hands and it has gotten to the point of being urgent. I know I've posted a lot lately but I don't know who else I can discuss this with and time is of the essence because things have really gotten out of hand so I guess I'll go ahead and throw it out there and hope for the best. Perhaps someone else here has gone through this and can advise me/us.

Anyway, we had some really nasty neighbors move in next door to us a few years ago. These neighbors were what I would describe as "neighbors from hell". They had a huge dog which barked all day and night and was constantly getting lose. Neither animal control nor the police ever did anything about it during the year and a half they lived there and these people would call the police on us and make stuff up every other day and get thier friends and relatives to lie on us as well.

They stalked us, they set us up, they filed false police reports, had us investigated for "poisoning thier dog" (which was totally untrue), used a dog whistle to get thier dog to bark and then claimed to the police that WE were using a dog whistle to "harrass thier dog and make it bark", they slit our tires, put nails in our driveway...on and on it went endlessly.

They would also do things to us and then immediately call the police and claim that we did these same things to them. They taunted, teased and harrassed us and made us prisoners in our own home and it was one of the most stressful things I have ever been through in my entire life. It was also the ONLY time I have ever had neighbors like this.

They also doctor shopped and were constantly popping pills (and selling them). One of thier favorite things to do was to claim we were harrassing them (even though we were not even around at the time!) and then by the time the police arrived, they would have thier canes, walkers, oxygen tanks, etc out and put on a HUGE act like they were sickly old people.They would put on the performance of a lifetime, bawling, crying, etc. It was unbelievable and inevitably, the police would always feel sorry for them and then come over here and give us hell, threaten us with arrest and so on.

There's a LOT more to the story and all the evil things they did to us but it would take weeks to write about it all here. In the end, they were evicted and continued to harrass us even though they moved about 8 miles away. Oh, they also faked a "slip and fall" sued the landlord for 35G's and then sued him again for something else (I can't remember).

Anyway, we later found out that they had caused all kinds of trouble in the last place they lived and had been evicted from there also. It was great not having them around anymore and to have peace finally restored to the neighborhood. Everything went smooth as silk for a long time but about 2 weeks ago we had new neighbors move in. Let me describe them to you...

* They are right out of a scene from the Beverly Hillbillies
* They have numerous (unsupervised) kids running amock
* They have 6 pit bulls in a flimsy "kennel" (one is just tied)
* Thier dogs are constantly "getting loose"
* They fight, argue and slam doors all night
* Thier dogs bark all day and night
* They are rude, nasty and threatening when approached.
* Cars and trucks in and out all hours of the day and night

Ok, so once again - neighbors from hell. Fine, I could live with that. Anything to avoid conflict and keep the peace. But tonight the line was crossed when one of thier pitbulls got lose (for the third time) and charged me. I ran into the house terrified but then realized that my room mate was out with his dog so I quickly opened the door. Too late. I could see that the dog was now growling and charging him so I screamed for him to get inside QUICK and he made a bee-line for the door and got inside and just barely avoided being attacked.

We called animal control and got the usual run-a-round. Then we called the sheriff. Same thing. The entire neighborhood has been "up in arms" for a week or more and I could tell you all kinds of stories about various run-ins and conflicts that have occurred between these new neighbors and other people who live here. These neighbors are also the vindictive kind who like to "get even" and cause even more problems when people complain about them. There are a LOT of young children and elderly people here so obviously, we are all concenred. I have always believed in "living and letting live" but when a person becomes a hostage in thier own home because of an irresponsible dog owner, what is one to do?.

The other thing is that NOONE wants to go over and confront this guy directly because he weighs about 450 pounds and is as mean as a snake. Others in the family are also very mean and nasty. I am terrified to call animal control on these people tommorow but I feel that I have no choice because I am literally in fear for my safety (and life). These people seem like the tough-guy, brawling, gangster, drug-dealing type that would do a hit on you in a second if you dared to complain and I'm sure thier dogs are either a source of income for them or they are like thier "children" so I'm sure they will be ready to kill someone if they have to lose thier dogs. I just don't know what to do.

The homeowners association president (and others here) have been consulting lawyers, putting afadavits together, sending out notices, holding meetings, making phone calls and do all kinds of other things to try and get these people's attention but nothing is working and after tommorow (when we call animal control) it looks like the fued will be on and I'm not at all interested in getting into a protracted (and potentially dangerous) battle with them.

I'm sure this is a scene that has played itself out countless times across the country day in and day out (the old Hatfield and McCoy deal). What exactly is a person to do in an extremely tough situation like this?. Anybody know?.

Can't the homeowner's association president give them notice and evict them too? What does the lawyers say? I think the lawyers are your best bet. You must have some legal rights here. I feel for ya. Short of anything being done, you could always move but it hardly seems fair that you should have to do that. Is there not any kind of screening process before they allow somebody new in. You would've thought after the last family, The Homeownder's Association would've been a little more on the ball. Sorry, other than that, I don't know what you can do. Are they directly next door to you?

That kind of reminds me of a neighbor I had when living in my previous apartment. He was two doors down and would often play his stereo with that loud base that can annoy the the crap out of me. One night, I decided to go over and kindly ask if he could lower it. Man! This idiot wanted to start a fight with me and his friend had to hold him back. This @$%! also had this car alarm that would go off about once an hour at all hours of the night. Add to that, he would often come home drunk late at night. If someone parked in what he thought was "his" parking space. he would stand outside his car and turn his car radio up all the way. I was the only person who ever complained to the management! And I did so quite often. Why are people such sheep? Anyway, nothing was ever done and I finally moved out. I don't understand why some people can get away with anything while others will do the slightest thing and get punished.

I have two suggestions for you.......One is video tape everything they do...if you don't have a video camera...borrow or rent one.....even use a still camera to take photographs of their lunancy....next thing to do.......CALL YOUR DISTRICT ATTY'S OFFICE AND GIVE THEM PRINTED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE PEOPLE....document every time you call animal control and always ask the name of whomever you speak to........go!!! love, pat p.s. actually it was more than two suggestions, but I think it will help you.....

Why is it that if someone breaks into your house and proceeds to murder your entire family, you get something like...

"Are they dead yet?. Oh gee, well then sorry but there's nothing we can do".

And yet some poor sap can be drinking a beer in public and they stop the presses and send out the national guard...why?.

Anyway, we elected not to contact animal control this morning for fear of getting a huge feud going again. I guess we'll just live by nature's law. Here's a dangerous "predator" (a pitbull capable of crushing bones and ripping apart flesh) and I'll be the little deer romping and playing in the forest. What does a deer do when chased by a predator?. He runs like the wind (like I did last night) and maybe he gets away or maybe he ends up as lunch.

It's a shame I can't carry a can of mace, a knife or even a stick but around these parts, it's illegal to defend yourself because "that's what the police are for" (or so I'm told). The police around here take a very dim view (particularly in this day and age) of anyone carrying a weapon so you are expected to be this defenseless little lamb who relies on them for protection.

Anyway, my anxiety has been through the roof (yes, I'm still panicking over rabies, bats, etc) and I just don't have the strength to fight two battles at once. The homeowner's association prez is supposed to call us this evening and there will be another meeting so maybe we can sort all of this out then.

Thank's again for the replies!

Grey Goose, I'm sorry you have to be in this situation. The liberals who push to get these laws passed so you can't defend your self are people who aren't and have never been in your shoes.

There was a local case here where a person broke in to a home and ended up being able to sue the home owner because he cut his arm on the broken glass from the window.

With the way priorities are so messed up, it's a wonder society is able to function at all.

GG: consider this.....those dogs are a menace to not only you and your family but the small children in your neighborhood are really in harm's way.....a pitbull attacked me in 2002...i managed to get on top of the garbage can holders and up on my wooden fence. he still was able to grab my foot and pull my hiking boot off ...i went to the city the next day and filled out a complaint..that was one strike against the dog. he attacked me again in two months and i went again and filled out the complaint form. that made him a "dangerous" dog in our town. the owners would have to then pen him and put a top on the pen .....they would have to buy a $50k insurance policy and also post a sign saying that he was a "dangerous" dog. they opted to have him put down. please consider the children's safety in your neighbor hood before you give up on this. a pitbull is so strong and once they latch on, it's impossible to pull them off. look at how that dog pulled my twice tied hiking boot off. if i had had regular shoes on, he would have broken my ankle and it has already been broken.....
i understand your hesitancy but please document what's going on. good luck, pat

Isolated Guy:

I could'nt agree with you more and I was just telling my room mate the exact same thing. I've read many stories about burglers who broke into someone's house, injured themselves, sued...and WON because the homeowner "knew or should have known" that at any given time his/her house could be broken into and thus, should have posted signs warning of the inherant dangers of breaking into thier house. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of ridiculous laws and legal loopholes. Our legal system is the laughing stock of the world.

fayerody:

You are sooo right. From what I've read so far, pitbulls can rip your arm off like an alligator and once they latch on, even killing them won't cause them to release. Something definately has to be done but I don't know what. It's a catch-22 situation. I guess a child will just have to get eaten before anything is done. I mean, these people have "rights" and heaven forbid we "violate" them.

Oh, one other thing...Ahhhhhh!!!!!

can you take pictures when the dogs are loose? do you have a city councilperson you can call? how about the mayor? someone will respond if you work them on the children issue...i guarantee you'll find one ally in your local government. pat

Beware of the siege mentality, GG. Desperation endured too long inevitably leads to desperate acts. Desperate acts usually cause us more grief than they resolve.

First, I hope you can connect with some medicinal help with your anxiety. Yikes, it's way up. There are lots of meds that work right away to deflate that.

You mention a homeowners' assoc. involved in the neighborhood situation. I wonder if there are enough of you in that association to consider buying the property in question collectively. Short of that, it sounds to me like moving isn't out of the question for you. Not much is really worth a struggle as vile and protracted as you describe.

But with your current anxiety level, I wouldn't try to decide much beyond who to see and how soon to get that under control. Good luck, GG. Sounds like you've got a pretty full plate right now.

Okay, I just gotta be honest here GreyGoose. You're writing is fabulous...you are incredibly articulate and know how to verbally paint a picture, your humor...while self-depricating, is roll on the frickin' floor funny. But my confession is this: I'm experiencing a tinge of guilt for getting so much pleasure from your obvious pain. I beg your forgiveness and yet pray you'll go on and regale us with your life's story. Thank you GreyGoose, you're a winner in my book. TgrsPurr.