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I have a concern and I am not sure what to do. I am hoping some out of the box thinking would help me. I will first admit I am terrified to pieces over some dogs. Pitbulls are one. I know that does not help this situation but I think I can have the right to feel the way I do. I have personal reasons for this thought.
There is a neighbor who has a pit. While I am told he is gentle I still do not like the fact he is let loose to roam at times. Now mind you I am this way with any dog that uses my lawn as his golden potty. My dog is in a fence. We do not allow her to poop anywhere but our yard. We used to walk her on a leash on the public areas that have dog waste bags provided till we encountered the loose dog in mention.
Mind you this Pit has not growled or jumped on anyone. He has however felt at home enough to sit on my porch, stair into my front door and not want to go home. He did scare my 6 yr old and me one day with coming up and spooking us off guard. He did not try to harm us but yes I did try to shoo and picked up my child and headed indoors.
We have made nice respectable requests and are always given an excuse. We have learned the animal is keneled quite often. Which worries me. In the HOA there is a clause about loose animals.
Recently when said dog was out at dark it came to my dogs fence. Now she is old, she is gentle, but she stands protective of her area. They carried on a noisy match and both tried to dig toward the other. My husband had to take go to said neighbor and was told the daughter let him loose. This is after we already told the daughter and the dog to get off our lawn and we did not want the dog tearing up our sod.
I know I am not the only one who dislikes the situation. About two months ago I had a man tell me he was allowed to shoot an animal in Union Cty if on his land. He thought the dog was mine. I corrected that issue on the spot and took myself out of the combo. I did not want involved.
I am scared now to walk my kids to the park in the neighborhood. I am prob more worried then I should be but like I said there is a personal reason for it. I am also looking at the fact I have a totally fearless kid!
So do I ride this out and see if recent events fix themselves? Do I call the HOA or is it their place? Do I contact some sort of animal services?
As a mom, I am concerned. As a home owner I know this is not allowed. As a resident I have the right to feel safe on my own lawn. But how do I handle this? Of course I have a fear of my own dog too outside.
I'm not sure if you live in Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, but here's what I found on the CMPD's Animal Care and Control Web site (http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Animal+Control/Local+Ordinances/Leash+Law.htm): (broken link)
Quote:
Leash Laws
The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have strict leash laws that apply to all animals except cats (see the nuisance animal section for laws pertaining to cats). Animals must be on a leash, contained within a fence or an operable and marked invisible fence. An animal may be loose in its own yard if there is an adult (18 years or older) immediately next to the animal and the animal responds to direct verbal commands of the person.
All regulations aim to protect the health and safety of our citizens. Please be a responsible pet owner and abide by the law. Violations will be investigated and stiff fines may be applied. Fines range from a $50.00 citation for the first violation and up to a $500.00 citation and permanent seizure of the animal for a fifth violation.
To report an animal at large, please call 311.
Since your neighbor is allowing their dog to roam free on your property and in your neighborhood, they are in violation of this law.
Have you spoken to your neighbor about this? They may need a gentle reminder about the leash law. If you have, and they still allow their dog to roam, then maybe a call to 311 is in order. I would try talking to them first though.
P.S. - no disrespect to any pittie owners on the board! However, no dog, regardless of breed, should be allowed to violate the leash law. I wouldn't allow my beagle mix to roam off leash in my neighborhood, either.
Last edited by ctribucher; 01-23-2009 at 07:42 AM..
Reason: add URL
TY for the reply. I do not want my own fears to over treat the situation which is why I came here.
We have spoken to the neighbor, a few times. Other neighbors including the ones on each side of him have as well. Those are the only ones I can confirm. I do not know however if the one at the end of the road with the comment to me about the dog being mine has. Honestly, I would like a hello before a stern comment such as that lol.
I am in Union Cty. He is not angry or anything when we talk to him but there is always an excuse. We will go a week and nothing, then boom hes out. I know the dog is in an outside kenel at times. Not the ones you can run in, like a transport dog cage.
I would like to think all is good now but after recent events I feel concerned. Esp when the dog thinks my front door is a begging ground. I admit, I do not want to go outside when he is one foot at my door.
Do you live in city limits where there is a leash law? I don't care what the breed of the dog is . . . roaming animals are NOT acceptable.
Have you called Animal Control? They issue a citation and after several, they can enforce other things - not sure what all they can do.
I do not like roaming dogs, period. Miss Scarlett is never let off leash and we have been attacked by OTHER DOGS on our OWN PROPERTY three times in six years!!! YES!!! The dogs came on my property while I was taking Miss Scarlett potty in OUR WOODS and attacked us. Miss Scarlett is trained and so she would not fight back - just stood - did not even bark. But I was using every skill possible to be Alpha and make the dogs back off. Pit bulls (2) on one occasion . . . german shepherd (1) on one occasion and 2 young shepherds on another occasion (they did not attack - just circled us and yapped). The pit bulls, luckily, were seen in the act by their owners and called off after "only" biting through the sole of my shoe (caught it on the angle as I was kicking at the dog -had on crepe type sole shoes, thank god - very thick - a pair of Anne Kleins, but I digress).
So if a dog is off leash in our neighborhood, we call Animal Control immediately.
Pits are not necessarily mean dogs - it all depends on breeding and training. HOWEVER, any dog can get excited. But if there is a leash law . . . it just doesn't matter. A dog off leash means a call to Animal Control. The family who owns the dog is not responsible with it and I don't care why. Kids have to learn responsibility, too. If the dog is getting out accidentally - oh well!
As for pooping in your yard . . . no excuse for that either. I confronted a neighbor straight on years back about this . . . My dogs have never roamed and have always either been indoors dogs or were fenced and pooped in our yard/woods. So I told my neighbor, either he could come pick up the poop or I was going to start depositing it on his driveway. Yes, that was aggressive, and Yes, I took a shovel and every blame time that dog pooped in my yard, I slung it on his driveway. After several times, they figured it out and quit letting their dog roam. I also told everyone in the neighborhood what I was doing and why (and that I had informed the dog owner I was going to do this) so people would not think this was some kind of crazy vendetta. Rather, it was my attempt to "train" my neighbor to curb his dog!!!!!!
Kudos to you for speaking with your neighbor directly, and for enlisting your neighbors' help with approaching the dog's owner.
The fact of the matter is, you should not fear leaving your own house b/c the dog might be outside, off leash, on your property. Maybe it's time to call the county gov't to see what the leash laws are in Union Co.?
Quote:
Originally Posted by emagine
TY for the reply. I do not want my own fears to over treat the situation which is why I came here.
We have spoken to the neighbor, a few times. Other neighbors including the ones on each side of him have as well. Those are the only ones I can confirm. I do not know however if the one at the end of the road with the comment to me about the dog being mine has. Honestly, I would like a hello before a stern comment such as that lol.
I am in Union Cty. He is not angry or anything when we talk to him but there is always an excuse. We will go a week and nothing, then boom hes out. I know the dog is in an outside kenel at times. Not the ones you can run in, like a transport dog cage.
I would like to think all is good now but after recent events I feel concerned. Esp when the dog thinks my front door is a begging ground. I admit, I do not want to go outside when he is one foot at my door.
My 2 cents.. Talk to your neighbor once, more explain the situation, that youhave tried to work it out, but if the dog is roaming free once more you will need to call Animal Control for the safety of the people and the dog (free roaming dogs are also at risk). At that point i would also informt the HOA. Sometimes HOAs can "enforce" where one neighbor can't. Your neighbor may be upset, but that happens, this is a safety issue.
Also, the neighbor who said he can shoot a dog on his property is a bit off in his interpration of the law. He can't just shoot an wandering dog, there has to be a threat (which may or may not be easy to fake/prove). But you can also tell your neighbor that you heard someone shoots wandering dogs.
With pitbulls it is not an issue of if, but when, they will attack.
All the pitbull apologists can keep quiet, I have read and heard it all before. There is nothing any pro-pitbull person could say that would convince any semi-intelligent person that these land sharks are not a true menace and danger.
If you do not take action, and the pit attacks or kills someone, how are you going to feel? You should be dialing right now.
There is no excuse for dogs to run loose ROUTINELY where they are not supposed to. (I know they can get out from time to time -- not talking about that)
With pitbulls it is not an issue of if, but when, they will attack.
That statement is just false. Pit Bulls are not as a breed fierce aggressive dogs, pit bulls who are attack dogs are trained that way. They are not an inherently dangerous breed , any more so than a golden retriever or german shepherd.
That being said, ALL dogs should be vaccinated and leashed when out in public. That is as much an animal safety law as it is a public safety law. Your neighbor needs to comply and if asking him/her to do so doesn't accomplish that, then certainly you shouldn't feel guilty about going to the HOA and if necessary animal protection (the police not the pound)
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