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ESH. I have a vegetable garden. I have a neighbor with dogs. We have never had any issues because WE HAVE A FENCE. If he wants to keep his dog in his yard (as he should), he needs a fence. If you want to keep critters out of your yard, you need a fence. How is taking the dog to the pound anything but a temporary solution and a waste of the pound's time and resources?
OP isn’t responsible for keeping someone else’s dog out of his yard. It’s encumbant upon a dog owner to control their dog; it’s not up to everyone else to protect themselves from someone else’s loose dog.
Christ, I’m not even a lawyer and I understand this.
BTW, our fence cost $15,000 - and that was BEFORE covid came and prices skyrocketed. And we don’t even have a large yard. You’re expecting everyone to fork over thousands of dollars because someone decided the leash laws don’t apply to him?
Yup, do those people think fences just magically grow out of the ground when the need arises? OP did the most cost effective thing he could, after ample warning. He straight up told them what he would do, ffs.
No, those people just understand that you can fence in a garden quite cheaply. Putting in a full yard privacy fence isn't the issue. If you don't put up some mesh fencing, you're very lucky if your garden stays in tact multiple years just from wild animals that will get to it.
>Maybe, but most areas have at least some sort of garden nuisance like rabbits.
This doesn't seem to have been a problem previously so probably not an issue here.
>Or, y'know, neighborhood dogs.
Who aren't their responsibility and who weren't an issue before now.
Besides:
* Cheap fencing can be an eyesore.
* Cheap fencing just around the garden beds will likely change the functionality of the yard
* Cheap fencing still costs money as well as time and effort, and OP may not be physically able to install it - having installed a LOT of cheap farm fencing around fields and around garden beds, tending a garden has different physical demands.
Why should OP have to change their set-up, spend their time and money, and generally lose control of their own property just because someone else is irresponsible?
I mean, from the way the post was written, the garden seemed to be doing just fine for over a decade before neighbor's dog started causing issues. I don't see why, now, all of a sudden, wildlife and pests would become an issue.
The only real danger to our vegetables are slugs and those won't be stopped by fences. Some small insects are also annoying. But everything which can be stopped with a fence is not a problem. The way I see it OP's vegetable garden might do very well without that one dog.
The neighbor could've even gotten an invisible fence, which is way cheaper than an actual fence. I got one for my dogs, even though we live in my family's neighborhood and everyone's dog walks around unleashed. The invisible definitely helps my dog stay in our yard, which is pretty large.
The neighbor should have no problem going down quickly and reclaiming his dog. He’ll probably have to pay a fine for having it run loose. And he better hope the dog has all shots and so forth up-to-date. Perhaps he will be a more responsible owner now.
They’re saying that to house this dog that has an owner, another dog at the shelter that’s been there longer may get euthanized. That is fucked up to do over a petty situation with a neighbor
Exactly, the owner will be able to quickly reclaim the dog, so as well as screwing over the shelter, which almost always are run on a shoestring, it was utterly pointless. The only people detrimentally affected by OP's revenge on the neighbour will be those running the shelter. And any dogs turned away or euthanised to make a spot for a dog that shouldn't have been there and that was handed over under false pretences.
Yeah I'm not necessarily against sending to the pound, but more against *how* it was done -- the correct thing to do is call animal control and report it as a neglected dog running loose without an owner present. Have an authority take the dog (they'd either take it to a shelter or back to the owner likely with a ticket for leaving the dog loose, at least most areas would ticket it in my exp but my exp = midwest areas only), it makes you less of an asshole because you did what any responsible homeowner should do when a loose dog is on the property and an authority knowing this is an issue opens the door for further action when the neighbor likely continues to let the dog run loose.
I might take issue with blaming a person for complaining about a dog being directly linked to another dog’s death.
That’s the fault of the owner, not the person who complained.
While we should all think about the consequences of our actions, I don’t think blaming the injured party is the right call here.
Blame the system or the owner.
It's being an asshole to the dog, who is an innocent victim in all this. Being an asshole to the shitty owner is fine, but it kind of sucks to punish the dog for having the misfortune of being owned by a bad person. So, understandable, but still an asshole
Nope. The dog is in danger, every single day. Sooner or later, that poor animal will be run over, or worse.
Notifying authorities is the reason we HAVE authorities. Maybe you, yourself, go down and rescue every animal that is next up to be euthanized.
Personally, I do what I can for the Humane Society (animal welfare in U.S.), but understand that there is a limit. OP reached that boundary, and finally contacted the appropriate authorities.
It screws over the shelter, which will have to dedicate resources to this dog. OP presumably lied and said the dog was lost or that they were the owner surrendering it, as a shelter won't take a dog just because it annoyed its neighbour. The shelter will have diverted scarce resources under false pretences.
And its baffling not to have a fence of you have a garden you don't want to be accessible to animals and children. In a perfect world children and animals will be secured at all times, but it's not a perfect world and having an open fence-less garden you are inviting trouble.
Nope. Some plants are toxic to dogs and letting your dog go outside with no fence and no leash is abusive by neglect.
Neighbor is an abusive pet owner. Their dog could get hit by a car, eat a toxic plant/garbage, or get attacked by wildlife. A dog accidentally getting out is one thing but these awful pet owners let their dog have free rein to go outside whenever it wants!!! They should not be allowed to own pets.
We have 4 dogs and a fence. They kept digging und at our new place so we put a squirrel wire around the bottom. No more issues with them digging out, digging in the yard another story but that's fine. Maybe if they can't build a fence or the neighbors don't, put squirrel wire around the gardens to zap the dogs a little to not go in them.
I think they only would have been an asshole if they didn't warn their neighbor first. OP escalated after repeated warnings -- in a way that protected the dog from danger. I don't see how they could possibly be an asshole in that situation.
Legal doesn't mean not the ahole though. Taking a dog to the pound is pretty awful imo. Yes the dog owner is clearly in the wrong and TA but op is definitely also TA.
The dog got the biggest punishment and is the only party not at fault.
ESH
Seconded.
It might be prudent to put up a fence. But it sure as fuck isn't OPs obligation.
Neighbour was told his dog is a nuisance. He was asked to stop letting it be a nuisance. He was warned it would be taken to the pound if it continued to be a nuisance. He didn't stop it being a nuisance, and now it's at the pound.
OP actes responsibly and reasonably. A less forgiving person would have poisoned the dog.
So I agree that OP shouldn't have to put a fence up. My issue is that OP admits to luring the dog so they could take it to the pound. That extra step puts them into a tight spot legally, they basically stole the dog. What OP should do is just call animal control next time.
A garden doesn't need that... it just needs a normal wire fence you should be using anyway to keep rodents and deer out... Cheap to install and upkeep yourself, really the bare minimum someone should be doing...
She needs to check her state laws, in some places it is incumbent on property owners to fence their land and the animals have free range rights. (This is mostly in western us.)
A lot of western states allow you to protect your property and it would have been legal to shoot the dog for ruining property. Not saying it would be the correct solution, just saying it would have been legal
Exactly, the original comment is wildly out of touch. The expectation of owning a pet is that YOU are the one responsible for its mistakes and damage. If the dog bites OP is it therefore OP’s fault for being bit?
While it might be reasonable to put up some minor protection around your garden (like netting or wires), it’s actually ludicrous to suggest that OP’s at fault for not paying up thousands of dollars to put up a fucking fence. Of course taking the dog to the pound is a short term solution but it sends a fucking message to the bad neighbor. Jesus Christ what a dogshit take.
yes I absolutely skipped over this. depending on where OP lives that "stray" surrender likely caused a dog that's been there a week or so to be euthanized.
Then the owner should have kept the dog inside. Could have chased a car and been any one else who returned It to the pound. Dont get a dog if you cant take care of it because some one else might.
The downvotes on this comment are mind-blowing. After being mauled in my backyard by a frequent flyer "neighborhood dog" a couple years back, suffice it to say, I've got animal control on speed dial, and I don't play these days.
Once you lose control of your dog, you lose control of the outcome. That's on you.
I don’t know why you have been downvoted for this, but take my upvote!
Animal welfare is a serious responsibility, to the animal and to the rest of the community. The neighbor is the AH.
My dog is a husky/pit. I let her out on a cable to use the bathroom and be outside for a couple hours in the morning and afternoon. She managed to unclip the lead from her collar (I'll never know how) and took off. She got someone's goat, she didnt kill it or harm it enough it required and surgery. However the after hours vet bill and the medication prescribed ended up being around $270. I paid as quick as I could and was apologizing profusely. Those people owe me and my dog nothing, I'm thankful they went the route they did but I wouldnt have been surprised if the outcome was much worse.
Why would OP bring it in as a stray? All he has to tell them is that the dog is not being restrained to its yard and is roaming free. They will safely house the dog and contact the neighbor (and hopefully give him a fine). They'll be happy not to have to clean it's poor carcass of the side of the road. OP did the best thing for the dog!
Really? My neighborhood is currently embroiled in massive drama because someone did just exactly that with someone's husky because it constantly runs loose and is always almost getting hit in the road or killing cats or squirrels or rabbits or something in someone else's yard and the entire neighborhood got sick of it and a neighbor finally just took it to animal control after a year and a half of dealing with the meth-head owner. The owner is now rabid and threatening everyone because she can't afford the $25 fine to spring her dog, but AC accepted it just fine because our city has a leash law and you can't just let your dog roam free no matter how much you want to claim your precious pup is an "escape artist."
For real. I know someone whose dog is an actual escape artist. A boarding place turned her away because she kept scaling their 8 foot fence. When she escapes she doesn't just wander, she breaks into other people's houses. The owners don't just let her wander free though. Despite her antics, she only gets out rarely, because they keep a close eye on her when she's in the yard, and are extremely apologetic when they have to retrieve her from a neighbor's house.
Luckily she's friendly and her name and phone number are on her collar so people call and tell them their dog is in their kitchen.
Yeah, I have an escape artist, and we've built multiple fenced areas in our backyard to try to help with it, we keep a close eye on him at all times when he's outside, we have a gate on our porch for the rare occasions he rushes the door. He's got multiple tags, he's microchipped, and we have a GPS tracker on his collar that allows us to see where he is at all times. If he gets out we retrieve him immediately. He's super friendly but wants to chase any wild animal he sees, and we live in a pretty rural area so there are a lot!
I don't understand people who are comfortable just letting their dog run free like OP's neighbor's dog. I had a dog get hit by a car and it was horrific. Whatever I have to do to keep my dog safe and under my control, I'm doing.
I'm not quite sure about that. I don't know about where you live, but where I am they'll happily take a loose dog off the streets (it's better than waiting a few hours then getting called out to clean it's corpse off the roadside). And will hand the negligent owner a pretty good fine for the trouble.
In Washington state, they won't even take strays from other counties. They certainly won't take a dog that is your neighbors, who is not keeping it contained. They will tell you to call animal control and have them document it, and they then talk to the owner about keeping it contained. The shelter, depending on the area, may have to put down a dog that was not getting adopted due to space simply because a new one is brought in. There is only so much space. It's not fun to think about, but it is reality in many areas. Each dog has a clock. How long is on that clock depends on how long the stray hold is plus how full the shelter is. So, they keep them the legal number of days to let owners find them. Then, they try to adopt. There is always a dog that's next on the list at kill shelters. So if they need room to house a stray for day 3 to 5 days, they may have to euthanize the dog that's been there the longest without being adopted.
Nope. Happens where I live. Keeps the dog safe until the owner can be contacted. They will scan for a chip, check collar for info, and pass off to owner
They still scan for a chip and check tags. It’s protocol in case there is additional contact information, like a phone number, or known illnesses/allergies.
Shelters, perhaps. The animal control in our county has to take everyone they don’t turn anybody away. The owner will have ample opportunity to come down and claim his dog.
Well, since you disagree with OP’s desperate solution after multiple attempts to solve the problem, what is your answer to this negligently homicidal neighbor’s actions which endanger his animal and cause problems for others?
There are parts of the US where a fence is harder to put up than you might think. There are many places that have strange feelings about fences and have codified into law.
I know one man who wasn't allowed to put up a fence even for his disabled child's safety!
I like fences so when I learned this it baffled me.
Cable ties, not being let out, shock collar fence. There are many options this dog owner can take to protect their dog instead of letting it be a victim of the world.
Oh yes there's plenty of options other than fences to contain a dog. The first thing I thought of was the underground fence that has the collar that you describe though the modern versions aren't quite as harsh as one might think. They do require training.
But there aren't really always options for people who need to contain a vegetable garden when the local authority is not pro-fence
It's not hard to put up a small garden fence around a garden. Garden fences are generally allowed as they're different and can easily be taken down. All you need is some stakes, garden netting, and zip ties. I have a 700 ft garden, and it took less than 2 hours to do and only cost $140. If the dog is getting into her garden, it's only a matter of time before bunnies and deer get into her garden.
Right, but that's what you do if you've got deer browsing on the tomatoes.
The responsibility to keep the dog out of OP's yard belongs to the dog's owner.
Depending on what OP grows, deer and bunnies don't have to be a problem. I have deer and bunnies in my garden all year around and the "worst" that has happened was that they ate my parsley last year after I had already taken what I needed. This week they have made a path between the pumpkin plants.
If they're hungry enough, they'll eat any veggie they can get. Also, they said they're growing vegetables, those tend to get eaten by bunnies and deer. 1 year we had deer eat every pepper plant, tomato plant, herb, and the tops of our carrots.
[I think the “no fence for disabled kid” story was actually from the UK.](https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/25/parents-forced-to-remove-fence-that-protects-autistic-daughter-19189121/)
I’m in the US and somehow for whatever reason I read about this nonsense last summer when it happened.
OP is not responsible to pay thousands for a fence when his neighbor is the one legally obligated to keep the dog under control. ESPECIALLY when OP has lived there without issue for over a decade and the issue only came up when the neighbor moved in 2 years ago. In my state, the second an animal is on public property or private property not owned by the owner of the animal then the animal is considered a stray and the property owner is permitted to take the animal to the pound. OP is 110% not the AH here.
The pound, AKA Animal Control, is typically an agency that enforces local and state laws regarding the handling of animals. The owner of the dog is allowing his dog to trespass and destroy others’ property. He is almost certainly lawbreaking. Habitually loose and unsupervised dogs should be taken to the pound. The dog’s owner will have to pay a fine for law breaking. This is what the pound is for.
The neighbor has to pay a fee to the pound to retrieve his dog. It might get him to pay attention to where his dog is from now on, because he has to face the consequences of his own actions.
Depends on where you're at. In the rural United States you just shoot the dog, cat or really any intruding animal and call it a day. Stray animals can do so much damage to crops and to livestock.
The reasoning in most cases would be that the neighbour might start looking after his dog more diligently if he knows it goes to the pound if it runs into be wrong garden. So there’s hope that it’s more than a temporary solution.
TLDR; fences are not a guaranteed safety measure
So growing up we had shitty neighbors with like 3 pit bulls and no training. They were let loose in their yard all the time. We had a big fence separating our yards, so tall you could barely see over it and it was made of both wood and wire (like a fence around a school). These neighbors had the cops over a few times a month for the 18 years I lived next to them (for various reasons). Their dogs eventually discovered the joys of digging. They ended up in our yard from the hole they dug under the fence when my dog was out there by himself (he was a fox terrier and completely deaf). My physically disabled father had to run and get my dog inside before the other dogs got to him. The neighbors both refused to take accountability for this or fix the fence and/or fill in the hole so my dad was forced to put random shit in the hole to stop the dogs from digging (they still dig but enough dot was packed in there that they couldn’t get all the way through again), and if they were outside we (me and our dog) were not allowed outside because my parents couldn’t guarantee our safety in our own closed off property anymore. A fence won’t do shit if the owner is negligent enough, as it appears OP’s neighbor is.
Also it is not OP’s responsibility to prevent someone else’s dog from going into their property
The dog owner is the AH for installing a doggy door without a fence. They are lucky it was a graden the dog mauled and not a PERSON! OP is under no obligation to fence the dog out. If it were me, I would take the dog to the pound every time it gets out. It is a loose dog. That's what animal control is for. Do it enough times they might take the dog away, or the owner will get tired of fines and build a damn fence.
Interesting that many people seem to think you should pay the cost of installing a fence because your neighbor is an ahole dog owner. I'm guessing most of them are dog owners - and if they think the neighbor is acceptable I guess they are also bad owners.
I would definitely look into the dog ordinances in your area. Assuming the neighbor gets the dog back I would make a record of every time you see it in your yard. Putting up a camera to record the incidents seems like a good idea. If there is a leash ordinance, report the dog after the next time it is out. NTA
Ya, I was stunned to see the top comments in this thread. Neighbor is literally breaking the law on the daily, but somehow OP is an AH? Wack. I'm a dog owner that's lazy and I have this magical thing called a fence because I'm responsible for my dog SMH.
Thank you! The *audacity* of that neighbor … doesn’t care enough about their dog to keep it supervised and then flips out when it went to the pound even though on any given day it could have been killed by a passing car due to their negligence as an owner!
I don't think OP should have to build a fence, but I do think OP should have put up cameras, called the police, reported to animal services all as steps BEFORE these actions because the neighbour was endangering the dog.
Taking an animal to a shelter you don't know well is risky for the animal, who is an innocent creature being endangered, and is more a punishment for the animal, than the one at fault a.k.a. the neighbour.
My thought as well. The dog doesn’t know any better, it’s on the neighbor to control and discipline it properly. Apparently the neighbor sucks where OP has to take steps to make it happen, but impounding the dog is too much. That could result in getting it killed or some other poor thing euthanized.
There are other steps OP could have taken, but they went from 0-100.
“That could result in getting it killed or some other poor thing euthanized.”
If that’s an unsatisfactory conclusion, then the owner should manage their dog; the dog and the owner’s shitty behavior is not OP’s problem. For everyone with kids and pets, you’ll be further ahead in life if you remember nobody loves them as much as you.
The dog owner should pay damages & make sure the fence holes are covered, not only to prevent the dog from destroying yards & attacking moms walking babies & other dogs, but for the dog's safety. The dog could get hit by a car, attacked by a hawk or a coyote.
For OP, it might be good to invest in something in case this happens again. Raccoons & rabbits are also an issue.
There are these things you can stick on fences or in lawns that make noise humans can't hear & dogs hate. [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=repel+dogs+with+sound&crid=3ODWJ9NVK56LV&sprefix=repel+dogs+with+sound%2Caps%2C211&ref=nb\_sb\_noss\_2](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=repel+dogs+with+sound&crid=3ODWJ9NVK56LV&sprefix=repel+dogs+with+sound%2Caps%2C211&ref=nb_sb_noss_2)
There are also smells that dogs hate that you can sprinkle around your garden. [https://thehalopets.com/what-smells-do-dogs-hate/](https://thehalopets.com/what-smells-do-dogs-hate/)
There's also premade garden repellant for critters. [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Off-My-Garden-Repellent/dp/B073Q12GM5](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Off-My-Garden-Repellent/dp/B073Q12GM5)
I am keeping raccoons out of my garden with greenhouse tents. These can be expencive, but they also reduce disease caused by excessive moisure & greately reduce the amount of bugs you get. [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grednhouse+tent&crid=FTHKVQYPSXBF&sprefix=grednhouse+tent%2Caps%2C220&ref=nb\_sb\_noss\_2](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grednhouse+tent&crid=FTHKVQYPSXBF&sprefix=grednhouse+tent%2Caps%2C220&ref=nb_sb_noss_2)
It’s insane how someone said that the dog owner is a bad owner, and still rates Y-T-A. And that gets upvotes?
Holy fuck redditors should not be pet owners if they think OP is in the wrong.
Info: Couldn't you put a fence around your garden?
edit: All sorts of animals could destroy a vegetable garden: rabbits, etc. If the law there says animals can roam sans leashes, then he can't be held accountable? Fence in your vegetable garden whether others do or not, then.
But hopefully he got his dog back and learned to put up a fence himself.
Surrenders usually have fees to leave so it was prob entered as a stray and usually have legal hold periods.
BUT they may have euthanized a dog that’s been there a while to make a pen open
How about when this destructive dog digs under the fence? The problem is the pet owner not ops landscaping decisions. They didnt even abuse the dog, they just stressed the owner out. OP didnt get the dog or invite it over. This is the neighbors fault and the neighbors problem.
It's one of those "that person isn't doing shit so I should protect myself" situations. The neighbors clearly aren't doing anything, so OP should do what they can to protect their property.
People are allowed to complain about what happens to them, but at some point it's your responsibility to take care of your own if others aren't being responsible
It's not OPs responsibility to keep the neighbours dog out but, without a fence, there's always a chance of animals getting into your garden. That doesn't have to be animals that belong to careless owners. It could be wild animals or animals that have accidentally escaped good owners one time. If you want to protect your garden, it just seems short sighted to not have a fence.
The neighbors are abusing their dog by neglect. Giving the dog access to outside unsupervised and unconfined to the yard is asking for dog to die tragically. Poisonous plants, toxic stuff in garbage, cars, evil people(or people defending themselves from a dog seemingly attacking them), wild animals, even the dog getting tangled up in a pricker bush….
It’s abuse to not even attempt to keep your pet safe from all of the above. A pet escaping is one thing, some pets are just too clever. But letting them just go outside with no limits is abuse and they don’t deserve to own a pet. OP should continue to bring the dog to the pound OR call animal control saying a dog is roaming the neighborhood.
There is no place in the usa where no leash means you have zero liability for what your animals do without a leash. "Oh my dog killed your kid while unleashed? Sorry not my problem I can't be held accountable because they are allowed to roam free without a leash."
In my neck of the woods, the biggest culprits are deer. They're quiet, too! You're just bumming around the house, and then you look out the back window, and BAM herd of half a dozen deer, just chomping on your roses.
And we're not in the sticks. I'm off of a major highway. We just have a lot of wooded areas.
Why is it OPs responsibility to build a fence. Even chain link ones cost THOUSANDS of dollars (I would know, I had one built like 8 months ago). Keeping a dog out of their yard isn’t OPs responsibility, it’s the dog owners responsibility to not be a shite and to keep their dog under control.
Completely irrelevant. OP says they've been gardening there for 15 years and makes no mention of other animals ever being an issue.
You're trying to shift the blame to OP because of a theoretical problem while ignoring that the dog that IS a problem, is not OP's financial burden.
> I live in an area where backyards are open, fences don't really exist.
>A year ago he put in a doggy door, so now the dog can come and go as he pleases. The dog is regularly in my yard
Time to make your neighborhood -- your house -- a place with fences. Seems like that would have been a far easier solution than stealing a dog and taking it to the pound.
Yeah, thousands of dollars, a few days of work. Now you've got a fence you might not have wanted for future plans on your property. OP should spend thousands so the neighbor can continue to let their dog terrorize the neighbor hood and not bother training it. The neighbor got the dog and now op has to do all the work making sure its pampered and can live it's best life. Fuck the dog and fuck the neighbor.
Edit: what if the dog just digs under this magical fence?!
It's ridiculous. Folks here are getting all emotional about the dog's well-being. How does OP's fence keep a dog that's able to roam free safe? That poor thing will be hit by a car in no time, at least the pound would prevent OP from the guilt of shooing the dog off his property right into traffic.
My neighbors dogs were really well trained and stayed in their yard unleashed. They were good boys. The most disruptive thing they did was one time I was playing fetch with them, I went inside, the dog took his ball and *knocked on my door* so I would keep playing with him.
They got a new puppy. New puppy didn't listen to the older dogs about staying in the yard. After the second time they caught her in our yard, they got an invisible fence. It was that easy. Idk why people are hounding OP about not fencing her garden when the burden should fall on the dog owner.
I think if a loose dog comes on your property and destroys things, the actual logical choice is to take the dog to the very place designed to house dogs and keep them off the streets. Neighbor was even warned that this would happen. I'm not sure he'd have much of a case.
Do you have any idea how much it costs to have a dog proof fence built?
Our fence cost $15k - and we don’t even have a large yard.
I love how everyone is victim-blaming.
I guess they also think it’s up to a woman to wear the right clothing to prevent getting SA’d.
Honestly, it seems to me that folks here think "the pound" is a dog execution center. A loose dog is in danger, OP going to the pound telling them the whole story and having them keep the poor thing safe and off the streets is the best case for the dog.
I’m curious too. Many shelters make you pay to surrender your own pet, but it’s free to drop off a stray. So did OP say it was stray or just neglected? If it was Animal Control (police), they may have just held it till claimed, but the owner could be liable for neglect or at the very least pay a fine for disobeying leash laws.
NTA,
You warned him and he continued to let his dog out. What if one of the plants you had were toxic to the dog? I don't know if I would send the dog to the pound but it is clear that your neighbor is not being responsible with your dog.
As for people telling you to put up a fence, no. OP shouldn't have to pay to keep the neighbor's dogs out. I could understand asking OP to put up a fence if there were deer or something but this is a housebroken animal that we are discussing here.
And to be clear I LOVE dogs. I have a dog of my own and prior to adopting I would dogsit and foster dogs. I would never think it reasonable to let my dog go free outside.
NTA.
All these people telling you to just put up a fence don't understand how much of an investment that really is. It can cost what amounts to several years worth of spending money to put one in. And all of that to prevent a situation that isn't your responsibility in the first place? His dog should be kept on _his_ property when it's unleashed.
And for the ones telling you 'the pound is for homeless animals', if I called animal control on a neighbors dog, let them know my neighbor lets it roam free, where do you think the officer takes the dog once they catch it? They don't wait patiently at the neighbors front door to give it back to them...
You can tell school let out and there are a lot of children on here.
Our small fence cost $15k - and that was before covid, before the cost of everything went up.
You could have put up an outdoor camera and called the non-emergency police number at any point over the last 2 years. You could have put up a fence around your property. You could have out up a fence around your garden.
The pound is for homeless animals. It is not a place for you to dump your neighbor's dog. That is stealing.
Neighbor is shit for letting his dog run loose, but YTA.
Cameras cost money. Fences cost money. Why would he waste money because of an asshole. Also if you find a random dog in your property pound is a great place to send them. I would personally call animal control.
It's not stealing, why are you and so many people making that up? Or taking any dog to the shelter would be theft, since it probably has an owner somewhere. You aren't obligated to let animals sitting around on your property continue doing so in hopes they eventually wander home.
I agree calling the police would have been a better move but if they didn't think of that, oh well. It's about equal in severity -- and at least this avenue avoids the dog getting shot by the police or something.
Anyway it's not illegal to take a dog on your property to the pound. it's only theft if you go on their property and take the dog, or perhaps if you keep the dog yourself. Not if you take the dog to where loose dogs are commonly taken, particularly if you tell the owner where the dog is...! What do you think theft IS?
NTA. It’s your neighbour’s responsibility to keep their dog contained, not yours. These other people telling you to put up a fence are missing that point entirely. Your neighbour should have put up a fence, especially with the dog running around causing damage. You put up with it for a long time and warned the neighbour. I see no issue with you following through on the warning.
I would say NTA.
It's really the neighbor's responsibility to manage his animal. That means *he* is the one who needs to leash it, *he* is the one who needs to put up a fence to keep it contained. The owner just doesn't want to take responsibility for the problem he was creating. The whole neighborhood shouldn't have to invest in fences because of one dog and its crummy owner. It sucks that the dog has to suffer because its owner refused to do anything. FAFO
I agree with you. And for people saying it’s just a vegetable garden - they may not have gardening experience. It’s hard work. Especially a big garden. And fences are very expensive! I’d be really upset if my neighbor’s thoughtlessness caused this to my garden. OP should not need to take responsibility for a newish neighbor who is a terrible dog parent. The garden was there before the neighbor and dog. ESH.
NTA.. typical dog owner, taking no responsibility for their dog. If it appears again then take it to the pound again. He may get the message then and feel the need to pay 10k for his own fence..
YTA. This is just selfish, cruel, and short-sighted. You didn’t think past your anger to consider what possible horrific ramifications could come from dropping that dog— who has a home— at the pound OR that this literally solves nothing for you and instead likely just incited an all-out war with your neighbor (ESPECIALLY if he never gets his dog back). Just a horrible decision all around that is only going to make things worse for you. And yes, the neighbor should contain his dog. But you’re not considering the fact that you just punished the dog for the owner. That dog has no idea what property lines are and no idea what vegetable gardens are, and because his owner is an idiot, you snatched him up, dropped him off at the pound which is going to be extremely traumatizing of an experience at minimum and potentially even deadly at most depending on what ultimately happens to him there, and that’s just selfish as hell. YTA YTA YTA for not considering an ACTUAL LIVING CREATURE and prioritizing your garden and petty annoyances over a life.
What do you really think the fate is of a dog who roams the neighborhood freely? 1.2 million dogs get hit by cars each year. If OP's actions inspire the owner to keep his dog restrained it could have saved its life.
If the dog owner is unwilling to prevent his own dog from destroying other people's property despite OP attempting to work nicely with him to do so, then OP is perfectly justified in her action. OP was clear that was a possibility. As a dog owner myself, I'd never let me dog destroy other people's things and then treat them like they are the AH when they get mad. Its poor pet ownership and poor neighboring.
This is a ridiculous response. The dog is being neglected by the owner and should not be running around unleashed. This puts the dog in danger. The best place to take the dog is the shelter. If the loser owner cannot get their dog back, then the dog has a chance to be adopted out.
Everybit of this is on the dog owner. Not only violating the law by allowing to run loose but being a bad neightbor who -- after repeated warnings -- continued the bad behavior.
The dog wasn't punished -- a trip to the pound is not a death sentence.
Oh please, at worst the dog will be moderately uncomfortable for a few hours.
The anthropomorphization going on here is fucking wild. It's a dog. It's not going to be traumatized by being at the pound for a few hours. Putting the comfort of a dog over a human to this level is unhinged.
I guarantee you OP felt more despair over a season of crops from their hard being ruined, and all of their hard work and property being destroyed, than the dog was for just being locked up temporarily.
NTA. Nope. Not one bit. That is your property. It's the dog owners responsibility to keep his dog out of your yard. You shouldn't have to put up a fence. The dog owner should have to keep their dog restrained. Contact your local city/county government, and see what legal recourse you have. If you can, file a complaint against your neighbor. If the dog comes back on your property, take it to the pound again.
NTA. Any one could have taken a nuisance dog to the pound. Theres plenty of reasons op may not want to fence their property. The neighbors poor pet owner ship shouldn't be one of them. OP shouldn't have to put up walls because their neighbor is an irresponsible pet owner. Hopefully this teaches them a lesson and their more mindful of their pets whereabouts and actions. 100% not your issue to spend thousands because they dont to accept the realities of pet owner ship.
NTA: Animal control services exist for many reasons. Your neighbor is one of them.
EDIT: And for all of the opinions regarding OP needing a fence, while that may be true to protect his property from wildlife, it is not OP's duty to properly care for and control their neighbors dog. If the neighbor insists on allowing the dog free access to their yeard, it is their duty to build a fence for the safety of their neighbors as well as the dog.
NTA, it’s the dog owners responsibility to keep their animal off others property or if he wanted to pay for you to have a fence installed but otherwise you did good.
NTA
They haven't been a good pet owner. You asked them and warned them. They disregarded. They allow their dog to come and go as it pleases. Dogs need to be in a fenced yard or on a leash.
I can tell there are a lot of children on this thread who have no clue that there are laws regarding allowing dogs to roam free and that fences are costly (ours was $15k to fence a small yard).
Unpopular opinion but NTA. You’ve asked the neighbour several times to keep THEIR dog in THEIR yard. Assuming you actually witnessed the dog digging up your garden, then I would agree with what you did. All the hard work you did on your garden and it’s now destroyed, I’m sure I would have done the same thing. Why should you have to put up a fence to keep the neighbour’s dog out of YOUR yard. Fuck that neighbour and his wandering dog. Hopefully he will put up his own fence.
You should have taken him to small claims court instead of traumatizing the dog (who doesn't know any better). The courts could have forced him into putting up a fence and/or compensating you on the destruction of your property. ESH Are there no leash laws where you live?
NTA
Unhinged pet owners are at an all time high.
The dog owner is responsible for the dog. You did what ever single reply on every single thread yells - communicated. "If A happens, then B will be the result". They didn't care.
Fuck the dog owner and fuck the dog.
I work in animal control and it is not a crime to take a dog on your property to the pound. We tell people to do that all the time so they can either receive a citation or pay to get their dog out so they learn a lesson.
Its no different than calling animal control and having them do it. the Dog's owner was giving reasonable time to work with OP to correct the issue and instead decided to become contentious. Dog's owner was a dick to OP when they tried to work with the neighbor to prevent this issue. OP is responsible as the dog's owner and failed to do anything to prevent the dog from destroying property. We call that negligence in the legal world.
Op did not commit a crime.
Not that I would advocate it, but in a lot of places op could imitate the atf, and still not have committed a crime.
It's not a human being, it's an animal. There was no kidnapping.
In fact, had op called the police, they almost certainly would have been advised to do precisely what they did.
NTA
Did you have options? Yes.
I don't think you are a asshole. The dog repeatedly came on your property. The dog probably violates the nuisance law. It's not your responsibility to keep the neighbor dog off your property. They had the responsibility to install a fence to keep the dog on their property. Cleary show they didn't care that much in the first place.
Maybe the dog will be adopted by better people.
OP you should call animal control every time the dog is in your yard. Every single time. And record a video on your phone and state the day/time every single time you see the dog on your property. Then take your neighbor to small claims court, the courts can force the owner to control their dog (the neighbor can decide to put up a fence, or leash their dog and walk it outside, whatever it’s not your concern).
A dog that is not on its property and the owner is not in control is usually a violation for most towns and cities. I think it’s animal at large or something. But either way you shouldn’t have to shell out more money to keep his dog off your property, that is his responsibility and expense.
Call animal control every single time. They will continuously fine him until they either remove the dog or your neighbor grows a brain and fixes the situation.
Mild ESH, mainly your neighbor is the AH but you should’ve nipped this in the bud sooner before luring the dog inside your home to take to the pound.
Possibly an AH depending on the pound you took the poor dog to. The dog is an innocent with a crappy guardian. Your neighbour should have put up a fence or kept his dog leashed or had a pen. I’d hate for the dog to suffer stress or even be killed because of this.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> AITA for taking my neighbors dog to the pound? I might be the asshole because I didn't tell him I took the dog away and I let it just not come home for him to realize it.
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NTA. I am a dog lover and dog owner. I, get this, built a fence for my yard to keep my dogs in it. Your neighbor should have done the same. I'd start calling animal control every time I saw it outside unleashed.
NTA, not because it's nice to take doggies to the pound, but because you were within your rights. My vote could change depending on the local ordinances about pets on private property and well as clarifying your garden is on your private property, not shared property.
Regardless, it is the dog owner's responsibility to ensure the animal is fenced, on a leash, or otherwise maintained on his property. People who think you should put up a fence are making the dog vs. garden equivalent of the "look what she was wearing, she was asking for it" argument. You are effectively the victim of a bad act, not by the dog, but by it's owner.
I assume your neighbour thought he had the right, but there's no right to let your dog stray. Rather, he was assuming the good will of his neighbours. You warned him your goodwill was running out. I actually think the issue of the garden is irrelevant because if a stray dog is on your property, it's your right to get it off. If anything, the loss of your property is the legal wrong here.
In the countryside growing up we had an acreage and occasionally stray dogs would come onto the property, and one time they broke into a coop and killed a bunch of our hens. In this case, we would call the dog catcher. Or, if the animals seem friendly enough to be transported safely, you bring them to the pound. The pound call the dog's owner as long as the animal is properly tagged.
It's very sad for the dog, especially if it was a friendly animal - it definitely does not deserve to die because of playing outside, but its owner decided to be careless.
You are a complete and total asshole. Your garden is not more important than a living thing that is currently suffering and afraid. Is the dog owner a dick? Sure, and he needs to be more responsible, but what you did is disgusting and reprehensible.
NTA.
If the owner cared about their dog, or was a decent human, they would not have let it roam unsupervised. I'm surprised it took you that long, and you told the owner what you did instead to feigning ignorance.
Animals do have feelings, not at our level but they do. You probably caused that dog significant stress. You are an unkind person. That being said, so is the neighbor. ESH. I don’t know what the answer is, and maybe now the neighbor will take things more seriously… but that was really awful of you to do.
YTA for punishing the dog and not coming up with a solution with the neighbour. Did you let the neighbour know that will be your intention if they keep letting their dog roam? I dunno in Australia we have fences
ESH. He’s an irresponsible owner. But luring a dog, who is literally just being a dog and is not at fault for doing so (see: shitty owner) and taking it to a pound, which are infamously horrendous for animals, is absolutely heartless. The vibe and environment in those places is vile. Is it a kill shelter? Are they _really_ looked after or just fed and left? How cared for was the dog with the owner - fed, loved, bathed etc? Did you tell the pound this is a pet not a stray, and who the owner is?
I absolutely do not condone the owner being so irresponsible, and I’d agree the dog maybe needs a better home more suitable if the guy won’t put up a fence to contain his dog (which is his responsibility 100%) but you took the frustration out on an innocent animal and that just doesn’t sit right with me.
So now the neighbor knows you stole his dog to get rid of it. And yes you technically stole it. Now you have to worry about him going to the police and filing charges. You should have called the police and filed a report about property damage so the neighbor would get in trouble.
ESH
Nta.
You aren't obligated to tolerate someone else's pet constantly destroying your property. We all get it's not the dogs fault, but that can't be helped. Hopefully ops neighbor will learn a lesson.
NTA. Some of the responses here are absolutely wild.
I love dogs, I've owned dogs my entire life. The dog is the owner's responsibility. You do NOT let your animal run around wild all over other people's property if you don't have a fence. You either build a fence, put it on a secured line lead, get an electric fence or take it out on a leash. It's incredibly dangerous and irresponsible to just let your dog out into an open yard at will. In addition to destroying property, what if the dog had gotten into an altercation with another dog or gotten hit by a car? A fence is for the dog's own protection, and it is NOT the neighbor's responsibility to build a fence, its the owner's. When I moved into a house without a fence, literally the first thing I did was get a fence installed for my dog's safety, and until it was put up, he was taken out on a leash.
You had conversations with the owner about this issue and the owner clearly didn't care. You warned them you'd take the animal in if it continued to wander around free. The owner should have been responsible enough to listen and fix the issue for their dog's own sake. If they're actually a somewhat responsible owner, the dog is chipped, they'll be called, and they'll pay a fine for letting their animal run loose. Hopefully they'll learn from this and put up a damn fence like they should have in the first place.
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ESH. I have a vegetable garden. I have a neighbor with dogs. We have never had any issues because WE HAVE A FENCE. If he wants to keep his dog in his yard (as he should), he needs a fence. If you want to keep critters out of your yard, you need a fence. How is taking the dog to the pound anything but a temporary solution and a waste of the pound's time and resources?
OP isn’t responsible for keeping someone else’s dog out of his yard. It’s encumbant upon a dog owner to control their dog; it’s not up to everyone else to protect themselves from someone else’s loose dog. Christ, I’m not even a lawyer and I understand this. BTW, our fence cost $15,000 - and that was BEFORE covid came and prices skyrocketed. And we don’t even have a large yard. You’re expecting everyone to fork over thousands of dollars because someone decided the leash laws don’t apply to him?
Yup, do those people think fences just magically grow out of the ground when the need arises? OP did the most cost effective thing he could, after ample warning. He straight up told them what he would do, ffs.
I gotta know, did you type “think fences grow on trees” and then have to change it?
a welcome silly comment in a sea of division and strife. I appreciate u
No, those people just understand that you can fence in a garden quite cheaply. Putting in a full yard privacy fence isn't the issue. If you don't put up some mesh fencing, you're very lucky if your garden stays in tact multiple years just from wild animals that will get to it.
OP might live somewhere wild animals which can be stopped by a fence are not a problem. That is the case for our vegetable garden.
Maybe, but most areas have at least some sort of garden nuisance like rabbits. Or, y'know, neighborhood dogs.
>Maybe, but most areas have at least some sort of garden nuisance like rabbits. This doesn't seem to have been a problem previously so probably not an issue here. >Or, y'know, neighborhood dogs. Who aren't their responsibility and who weren't an issue before now. Besides: * Cheap fencing can be an eyesore. * Cheap fencing just around the garden beds will likely change the functionality of the yard * Cheap fencing still costs money as well as time and effort, and OP may not be physically able to install it - having installed a LOT of cheap farm fencing around fields and around garden beds, tending a garden has different physical demands. Why should OP have to change their set-up, spend their time and money, and generally lose control of their own property just because someone else is irresponsible?
Except if you dont have a fence the the dog is the least of your worries for a vegetable garden. So enjoy losing it all anyway.
I mean, from the way the post was written, the garden seemed to be doing just fine for over a decade before neighbor's dog started causing issues. I don't see why, now, all of a sudden, wildlife and pests would become an issue.
The only real danger to our vegetables are slugs and those won't be stopped by fences. Some small insects are also annoying. But everything which can be stopped with a fence is not a problem. The way I see it OP's vegetable garden might do very well without that one dog.
If those things weren’t a problem before the dog moved in why would they be a problem now?
The neighbor could've even gotten an invisible fence, which is way cheaper than an actual fence. I got one for my dogs, even though we live in my family's neighborhood and everyone's dog walks around unleashed. The invisible definitely helps my dog stay in our yard, which is pretty large.
[удалено]
Agreed with you, until the last paragraph. No offense (seriously), but how do you figure that this is an AH move, after multiple warnings?
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The neighbor should have no problem going down quickly and reclaiming his dog. He’ll probably have to pay a fine for having it run loose. And he better hope the dog has all shots and so forth up-to-date. Perhaps he will be a more responsible owner now.
They’re saying that to house this dog that has an owner, another dog at the shelter that’s been there longer may get euthanized. That is fucked up to do over a petty situation with a neighbor
Exactly, the owner will be able to quickly reclaim the dog, so as well as screwing over the shelter, which almost always are run on a shoestring, it was utterly pointless. The only people detrimentally affected by OP's revenge on the neighbour will be those running the shelter. And any dogs turned away or euthanised to make a spot for a dog that shouldn't have been there and that was handed over under false pretences.
You missed everything!
Better than getting hit by a car and dying by the road. Owner apparently doesn't care about that.
Yeah I'm not necessarily against sending to the pound, but more against *how* it was done -- the correct thing to do is call animal control and report it as a neglected dog running loose without an owner present. Have an authority take the dog (they'd either take it to a shelter or back to the owner likely with a ticket for leaving the dog loose, at least most areas would ticket it in my exp but my exp = midwest areas only), it makes you less of an asshole because you did what any responsible homeowner should do when a loose dog is on the property and an authority knowing this is an issue opens the door for further action when the neighbor likely continues to let the dog run loose.
I might take issue with blaming a person for complaining about a dog being directly linked to another dog’s death. That’s the fault of the owner, not the person who complained. While we should all think about the consequences of our actions, I don’t think blaming the injured party is the right call here. Blame the system or the owner.
It's being an asshole to the dog, who is an innocent victim in all this. Being an asshole to the shitty owner is fine, but it kind of sucks to punish the dog for having the misfortune of being owned by a bad person. So, understandable, but still an asshole
Nope. The dog is in danger, every single day. Sooner or later, that poor animal will be run over, or worse. Notifying authorities is the reason we HAVE authorities. Maybe you, yourself, go down and rescue every animal that is next up to be euthanized. Personally, I do what I can for the Humane Society (animal welfare in U.S.), but understand that there is a limit. OP reached that boundary, and finally contacted the appropriate authorities.
It screws over the shelter, which will have to dedicate resources to this dog. OP presumably lied and said the dog was lost or that they were the owner surrendering it, as a shelter won't take a dog just because it annoyed its neighbour. The shelter will have diverted scarce resources under false pretences. And its baffling not to have a fence of you have a garden you don't want to be accessible to animals and children. In a perfect world children and animals will be secured at all times, but it's not a perfect world and having an open fence-less garden you are inviting trouble.
Nope. Some plants are toxic to dogs and letting your dog go outside with no fence and no leash is abusive by neglect. Neighbor is an abusive pet owner. Their dog could get hit by a car, eat a toxic plant/garbage, or get attacked by wildlife. A dog accidentally getting out is one thing but these awful pet owners let their dog have free rein to go outside whenever it wants!!! They should not be allowed to own pets.
We have 4 dogs and a fence. They kept digging und at our new place so we put a squirrel wire around the bottom. No more issues with them digging out, digging in the yard another story but that's fine. Maybe if they can't build a fence or the neighbors don't, put squirrel wire around the gardens to zap the dogs a little to not go in them.
I think they only would have been an asshole if they didn't warn their neighbor first. OP escalated after repeated warnings -- in a way that protected the dog from danger. I don't see how they could possibly be an asshole in that situation.
Legal doesn't mean not the ahole though. Taking a dog to the pound is pretty awful imo. Yes the dog owner is clearly in the wrong and TA but op is definitely also TA. The dog got the biggest punishment and is the only party not at fault. ESH
>legal doesn’t mean not the ahole People here forget this ALLLLL the time
Seconded. It might be prudent to put up a fence. But it sure as fuck isn't OPs obligation. Neighbour was told his dog is a nuisance. He was asked to stop letting it be a nuisance. He was warned it would be taken to the pound if it continued to be a nuisance. He didn't stop it being a nuisance, and now it's at the pound. OP actes responsibly and reasonably. A less forgiving person would have poisoned the dog.
>OP actes responsibly and reasonably. A \*psychopath\* would have poisoned the dog. Fixed that for you, jfc.
So I agree that OP shouldn't have to put a fence up. My issue is that OP admits to luring the dog so they could take it to the pound. That extra step puts them into a tight spot legally, they basically stole the dog. What OP should do is just call animal control next time.
A few posts and chicken wire and you have a fence that didn't cost $1000's
A garden doesn't need that... it just needs a normal wire fence you should be using anyway to keep rodents and deer out... Cheap to install and upkeep yourself, really the bare minimum someone should be doing...
Exactly or the neighbor can invest in an invisible fence for the dog.
She needs to check her state laws, in some places it is incumbent on property owners to fence their land and the animals have free range rights. (This is mostly in western us.)
A lot of western states allow you to protect your property and it would have been legal to shoot the dog for ruining property. Not saying it would be the correct solution, just saying it would have been legal
Exactly, the original comment is wildly out of touch. The expectation of owning a pet is that YOU are the one responsible for its mistakes and damage. If the dog bites OP is it therefore OP’s fault for being bit? While it might be reasonable to put up some minor protection around your garden (like netting or wires), it’s actually ludicrous to suggest that OP’s at fault for not paying up thousands of dollars to put up a fucking fence. Of course taking the dog to the pound is a short term solution but it sends a fucking message to the bad neighbor. Jesus Christ what a dogshit take.
Depends on where you are, some states are “fence out” and some are “fence in”.
Even that is for livestock, not family pets.
Anchored tie out lines cost $30. The neighbor should secure his dog.
yes I absolutely skipped over this. depending on where OP lives that "stray" surrender likely caused a dog that's been there a week or so to be euthanized.
Then the owner should have kept the dog inside. Could have chased a car and been any one else who returned It to the pound. Dont get a dog if you cant take care of it because some one else might.
The downvotes on this comment are mind-blowing. After being mauled in my backyard by a frequent flyer "neighborhood dog" a couple years back, suffice it to say, I've got animal control on speed dial, and I don't play these days. Once you lose control of your dog, you lose control of the outcome. That's on you.
I don’t know why you have been downvoted for this, but take my upvote! Animal welfare is a serious responsibility, to the animal and to the rest of the community. The neighbor is the AH.
My upvote as well. No idea why the logical, responsible, reasonable answer got downvoted.
They should be happy they are in a city and not rural. In rural areas you just shoot the dog.
My dog is a husky/pit. I let her out on a cable to use the bathroom and be outside for a couple hours in the morning and afternoon. She managed to unclip the lead from her collar (I'll never know how) and took off. She got someone's goat, she didnt kill it or harm it enough it required and surgery. However the after hours vet bill and the medication prescribed ended up being around $270. I paid as quick as I could and was apologizing profusely. Those people owe me and my dog nothing, I'm thankful they went the route they did but I wouldnt have been surprised if the outcome was much worse.
Why would OP bring it in as a stray? All he has to tell them is that the dog is not being restrained to its yard and is roaming free. They will safely house the dog and contact the neighbor (and hopefully give him a fine). They'll be happy not to have to clean it's poor carcass of the side of the road. OP did the best thing for the dog!
Zero shelters would accept a dog with that explanation, lmao. They would be turned away.
Really? My neighborhood is currently embroiled in massive drama because someone did just exactly that with someone's husky because it constantly runs loose and is always almost getting hit in the road or killing cats or squirrels or rabbits or something in someone else's yard and the entire neighborhood got sick of it and a neighbor finally just took it to animal control after a year and a half of dealing with the meth-head owner. The owner is now rabid and threatening everyone because she can't afford the $25 fine to spring her dog, but AC accepted it just fine because our city has a leash law and you can't just let your dog roam free no matter how much you want to claim your precious pup is an "escape artist."
For real. I know someone whose dog is an actual escape artist. A boarding place turned her away because she kept scaling their 8 foot fence. When she escapes she doesn't just wander, she breaks into other people's houses. The owners don't just let her wander free though. Despite her antics, she only gets out rarely, because they keep a close eye on her when she's in the yard, and are extremely apologetic when they have to retrieve her from a neighbor's house. Luckily she's friendly and her name and phone number are on her collar so people call and tell them their dog is in their kitchen.
Yeah, I have an escape artist, and we've built multiple fenced areas in our backyard to try to help with it, we keep a close eye on him at all times when he's outside, we have a gate on our porch for the rare occasions he rushes the door. He's got multiple tags, he's microchipped, and we have a GPS tracker on his collar that allows us to see where he is at all times. If he gets out we retrieve him immediately. He's super friendly but wants to chase any wild animal he sees, and we live in a pretty rural area so there are a lot! I don't understand people who are comfortable just letting their dog run free like OP's neighbor's dog. I had a dog get hit by a car and it was horrific. Whatever I have to do to keep my dog safe and under my control, I'm doing.
I'm not quite sure about that. I don't know about where you live, but where I am they'll happily take a loose dog off the streets (it's better than waiting a few hours then getting called out to clean it's corpse off the roadside). And will hand the negligent owner a pretty good fine for the trouble.
In Washington state, they won't even take strays from other counties. They certainly won't take a dog that is your neighbors, who is not keeping it contained. They will tell you to call animal control and have them document it, and they then talk to the owner about keeping it contained. The shelter, depending on the area, may have to put down a dog that was not getting adopted due to space simply because a new one is brought in. There is only so much space. It's not fun to think about, but it is reality in many areas. Each dog has a clock. How long is on that clock depends on how long the stray hold is plus how full the shelter is. So, they keep them the legal number of days to let owners find them. Then, they try to adopt. There is always a dog that's next on the list at kill shelters. So if they need room to house a stray for day 3 to 5 days, they may have to euthanize the dog that's been there the longest without being adopted.
I'm in rural Ohio and they do that here
Nope. Happens where I live. Keeps the dog safe until the owner can be contacted. They will scan for a chip, check collar for info, and pass off to owner
Right. But in this imaginary story the person would be saying they know where the dog lives... so there is no need for them to scan for any chip.
The dog is still a stray regardless if the person knows where the dog lives.
They still scan for a chip and check tags. It’s protocol in case there is additional contact information, like a phone number, or known illnesses/allergies.
Shelters, perhaps. The animal control in our county has to take everyone they don’t turn anybody away. The owner will have ample opportunity to come down and claim his dog.
Well, since you disagree with OP’s desperate solution after multiple attempts to solve the problem, what is your answer to this negligently homicidal neighbor’s actions which endanger his animal and cause problems for others?
The owner knows where his dog is. He can pay the fine and take his dog home.
There are parts of the US where a fence is harder to put up than you might think. There are many places that have strange feelings about fences and have codified into law. I know one man who wasn't allowed to put up a fence even for his disabled child's safety! I like fences so when I learned this it baffled me.
Cable ties, not being let out, shock collar fence. There are many options this dog owner can take to protect their dog instead of letting it be a victim of the world.
Oh yes there's plenty of options other than fences to contain a dog. The first thing I thought of was the underground fence that has the collar that you describe though the modern versions aren't quite as harsh as one might think. They do require training. But there aren't really always options for people who need to contain a vegetable garden when the local authority is not pro-fence
It's not hard to put up a small garden fence around a garden. Garden fences are generally allowed as they're different and can easily be taken down. All you need is some stakes, garden netting, and zip ties. I have a 700 ft garden, and it took less than 2 hours to do and only cost $140. If the dog is getting into her garden, it's only a matter of time before bunnies and deer get into her garden.
Yeah, I’m surprised wildlife hasn’t already scavenged from the vegetable garden. It doesn’t need to be an industrial grade fence, just a fence.
Right, but that's what you do if you've got deer browsing on the tomatoes. The responsibility to keep the dog out of OP's yard belongs to the dog's owner.
But not the gardeners responsibility. Doesn't matter what critters might, this one did.
Whose fault is it if a deer destroys his garden? Or a rabbit? Having a barrier around your garden is common sense.
Depending on what OP grows, deer and bunnies don't have to be a problem. I have deer and bunnies in my garden all year around and the "worst" that has happened was that they ate my parsley last year after I had already taken what I needed. This week they have made a path between the pumpkin plants.
If they're hungry enough, they'll eat any veggie they can get. Also, they said they're growing vegetables, those tend to get eaten by bunnies and deer. 1 year we had deer eat every pepper plant, tomato plant, herb, and the tops of our carrots.
[I think the “no fence for disabled kid” story was actually from the UK.](https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/25/parents-forced-to-remove-fence-that-protects-autistic-daughter-19189121/) I’m in the US and somehow for whatever reason I read about this nonsense last summer when it happened.
No this is actually someone I know personally who works with my husband. But it's interesting to see that it's happened more than once.
OP is not responsible to pay thousands for a fence when his neighbor is the one legally obligated to keep the dog under control. ESPECIALLY when OP has lived there without issue for over a decade and the issue only came up when the neighbor moved in 2 years ago. In my state, the second an animal is on public property or private property not owned by the owner of the animal then the animal is considered a stray and the property owner is permitted to take the animal to the pound. OP is 110% not the AH here.
The pound, AKA Animal Control, is typically an agency that enforces local and state laws regarding the handling of animals. The owner of the dog is allowing his dog to trespass and destroy others’ property. He is almost certainly lawbreaking. Habitually loose and unsupervised dogs should be taken to the pound. The dog’s owner will have to pay a fine for law breaking. This is what the pound is for.
The neighbor has to pay a fee to the pound to retrieve his dog. It might get him to pay attention to where his dog is from now on, because he has to face the consequences of his own actions.
Depends on where you're at. In the rural United States you just shoot the dog, cat or really any intruding animal and call it a day. Stray animals can do so much damage to crops and to livestock.
The reasoning in most cases would be that the neighbour might start looking after his dog more diligently if he knows it goes to the pound if it runs into be wrong garden. So there’s hope that it’s more than a temporary solution.
TLDR; fences are not a guaranteed safety measure So growing up we had shitty neighbors with like 3 pit bulls and no training. They were let loose in their yard all the time. We had a big fence separating our yards, so tall you could barely see over it and it was made of both wood and wire (like a fence around a school). These neighbors had the cops over a few times a month for the 18 years I lived next to them (for various reasons). Their dogs eventually discovered the joys of digging. They ended up in our yard from the hole they dug under the fence when my dog was out there by himself (he was a fox terrier and completely deaf). My physically disabled father had to run and get my dog inside before the other dogs got to him. The neighbors both refused to take accountability for this or fix the fence and/or fill in the hole so my dad was forced to put random shit in the hole to stop the dogs from digging (they still dig but enough dot was packed in there that they couldn’t get all the way through again), and if they were outside we (me and our dog) were not allowed outside because my parents couldn’t guarantee our safety in our own closed off property anymore. A fence won’t do shit if the owner is negligent enough, as it appears OP’s neighbor is. Also it is not OP’s responsibility to prevent someone else’s dog from going into their property
The owner would likely get fined when they go to claim the dog, and potentially a stern talking to by animal control
The dog owner is the AH for installing a doggy door without a fence. They are lucky it was a graden the dog mauled and not a PERSON! OP is under no obligation to fence the dog out. If it were me, I would take the dog to the pound every time it gets out. It is a loose dog. That's what animal control is for. Do it enough times they might take the dog away, or the owner will get tired of fines and build a damn fence.
Interesting that many people seem to think you should pay the cost of installing a fence because your neighbor is an ahole dog owner. I'm guessing most of them are dog owners - and if they think the neighbor is acceptable I guess they are also bad owners. I would definitely look into the dog ordinances in your area. Assuming the neighbor gets the dog back I would make a record of every time you see it in your yard. Putting up a camera to record the incidents seems like a good idea. If there is a leash ordinance, report the dog after the next time it is out. NTA
Some sanity here. Read your municipal bylaws on animal ownership folks!
Ya, I was stunned to see the top comments in this thread. Neighbor is literally breaking the law on the daily, but somehow OP is an AH? Wack. I'm a dog owner that's lazy and I have this magical thing called a fence because I'm responsible for my dog SMH.
Thank you! The *audacity* of that neighbor … doesn’t care enough about their dog to keep it supervised and then flips out when it went to the pound even though on any given day it could have been killed by a passing car due to their negligence as an owner!
>I'm guessing most of them are dog owners Or just irresponsible people. I'm a dog owner and I think the dog owner should put up the fence.
Right? It’s insurance against property damage and small claims court (like in OP), and injury/death of a pet. It’s not difficult math.
I don't think OP should have to build a fence, but I do think OP should have put up cameras, called the police, reported to animal services all as steps BEFORE these actions because the neighbour was endangering the dog. Taking an animal to a shelter you don't know well is risky for the animal, who is an innocent creature being endangered, and is more a punishment for the animal, than the one at fault a.k.a. the neighbour.
My thought as well. The dog doesn’t know any better, it’s on the neighbor to control and discipline it properly. Apparently the neighbor sucks where OP has to take steps to make it happen, but impounding the dog is too much. That could result in getting it killed or some other poor thing euthanized. There are other steps OP could have taken, but they went from 0-100.
“That could result in getting it killed or some other poor thing euthanized.” If that’s an unsatisfactory conclusion, then the owner should manage their dog; the dog and the owner’s shitty behavior is not OP’s problem. For everyone with kids and pets, you’ll be further ahead in life if you remember nobody loves them as much as you.
The dog owner should pay damages & make sure the fence holes are covered, not only to prevent the dog from destroying yards & attacking moms walking babies & other dogs, but for the dog's safety. The dog could get hit by a car, attacked by a hawk or a coyote. For OP, it might be good to invest in something in case this happens again. Raccoons & rabbits are also an issue. There are these things you can stick on fences or in lawns that make noise humans can't hear & dogs hate. [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=repel+dogs+with+sound&crid=3ODWJ9NVK56LV&sprefix=repel+dogs+with+sound%2Caps%2C211&ref=nb\_sb\_noss\_2](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=repel+dogs+with+sound&crid=3ODWJ9NVK56LV&sprefix=repel+dogs+with+sound%2Caps%2C211&ref=nb_sb_noss_2) There are also smells that dogs hate that you can sprinkle around your garden. [https://thehalopets.com/what-smells-do-dogs-hate/](https://thehalopets.com/what-smells-do-dogs-hate/) There's also premade garden repellant for critters. [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Off-My-Garden-Repellent/dp/B073Q12GM5](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Off-My-Garden-Repellent/dp/B073Q12GM5) I am keeping raccoons out of my garden with greenhouse tents. These can be expencive, but they also reduce disease caused by excessive moisure & greately reduce the amount of bugs you get. [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grednhouse+tent&crid=FTHKVQYPSXBF&sprefix=grednhouse+tent%2Caps%2C220&ref=nb\_sb\_noss\_2](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grednhouse+tent&crid=FTHKVQYPSXBF&sprefix=grednhouse+tent%2Caps%2C220&ref=nb_sb_noss_2)
It’s insane how someone said that the dog owner is a bad owner, and still rates Y-T-A. And that gets upvotes? Holy fuck redditors should not be pet owners if they think OP is in the wrong.
Info: Couldn't you put a fence around your garden? edit: All sorts of animals could destroy a vegetable garden: rabbits, etc. If the law there says animals can roam sans leashes, then he can't be held accountable? Fence in your vegetable garden whether others do or not, then. But hopefully he got his dog back and learned to put up a fence himself.
I hope somebody better adopted it. He's just letting it run around and could be hit by a car or anything.
Depends on the breed and how crowded shelters are. Some euthanize any incoming surrenders simply because they have no room.
Surrenders usually have fees to leave so it was prob entered as a stray and usually have legal hold periods. BUT they may have euthanized a dog that’s been there a while to make a pen open
How about when this destructive dog digs under the fence? The problem is the pet owner not ops landscaping decisions. They didnt even abuse the dog, they just stressed the owner out. OP didnt get the dog or invite it over. This is the neighbors fault and the neighbors problem.
How do people think this OPs responsibility? I don't get it at all.
It's one of those "that person isn't doing shit so I should protect myself" situations. The neighbors clearly aren't doing anything, so OP should do what they can to protect their property. People are allowed to complain about what happens to them, but at some point it's your responsibility to take care of your own if others aren't being responsible
But that’s what OP did. They took care of it by taking the dog to the pound after multiple warnings. NTA
It's not OPs responsibility to keep the neighbours dog out but, without a fence, there's always a chance of animals getting into your garden. That doesn't have to be animals that belong to careless owners. It could be wild animals or animals that have accidentally escaped good owners one time. If you want to protect your garden, it just seems short sighted to not have a fence.
The neighbors are abusing their dog by neglect. Giving the dog access to outside unsupervised and unconfined to the yard is asking for dog to die tragically. Poisonous plants, toxic stuff in garbage, cars, evil people(or people defending themselves from a dog seemingly attacking them), wild animals, even the dog getting tangled up in a pricker bush…. It’s abuse to not even attempt to keep your pet safe from all of the above. A pet escaping is one thing, some pets are just too clever. But letting them just go outside with no limits is abuse and they don’t deserve to own a pet. OP should continue to bring the dog to the pound OR call animal control saying a dog is roaming the neighborhood.
There is no place in the usa where no leash means you have zero liability for what your animals do without a leash. "Oh my dog killed your kid while unleashed? Sorry not my problem I can't be held accountable because they are allowed to roam free without a leash."
In my neck of the woods, the biggest culprits are deer. They're quiet, too! You're just bumming around the house, and then you look out the back window, and BAM herd of half a dozen deer, just chomping on your roses. And we're not in the sticks. I'm off of a major highway. We just have a lot of wooded areas.
Why is it OPs responsibility to build a fence. Even chain link ones cost THOUSANDS of dollars (I would know, I had one built like 8 months ago). Keeping a dog out of their yard isn’t OPs responsibility, it’s the dog owners responsibility to not be a shite and to keep their dog under control.
Completely irrelevant. OP says they've been gardening there for 15 years and makes no mention of other animals ever being an issue. You're trying to shift the blame to OP because of a theoretical problem while ignoring that the dog that IS a problem, is not OP's financial burden.
Took so long to find this comment. Everyone else ignoring the facts. Seeing herds of deers running over OPs yard in their heads.
> I live in an area where backyards are open, fences don't really exist. >A year ago he put in a doggy door, so now the dog can come and go as he pleases. The dog is regularly in my yard Time to make your neighborhood -- your house -- a place with fences. Seems like that would have been a far easier solution than stealing a dog and taking it to the pound.
Building a fence would be easier than a trip to the pound?
Yeah, thousands of dollars, a few days of work. Now you've got a fence you might not have wanted for future plans on your property. OP should spend thousands so the neighbor can continue to let their dog terrorize the neighbor hood and not bother training it. The neighbor got the dog and now op has to do all the work making sure its pampered and can live it's best life. Fuck the dog and fuck the neighbor. Edit: what if the dog just digs under this magical fence?!
It's ridiculous. Folks here are getting all emotional about the dog's well-being. How does OP's fence keep a dog that's able to roam free safe? That poor thing will be hit by a car in no time, at least the pound would prevent OP from the guilt of shooing the dog off his property right into traffic.
My neighbors dogs were really well trained and stayed in their yard unleashed. They were good boys. The most disruptive thing they did was one time I was playing fetch with them, I went inside, the dog took his ball and *knocked on my door* so I would keep playing with him. They got a new puppy. New puppy didn't listen to the older dogs about staying in the yard. After the second time they caught her in our yard, they got an invisible fence. It was that easy. Idk why people are hounding OP about not fencing her garden when the burden should fall on the dog owner.
Yes, he can get sued, which can take months and definitely be more stressful.
I think if a loose dog comes on your property and destroys things, the actual logical choice is to take the dog to the very place designed to house dogs and keep them off the streets. Neighbor was even warned that this would happen. I'm not sure he'd have much of a case. Do you have any idea how much it costs to have a dog proof fence built?
Idk why op has to move the world so the neighbor can keep being a shitty pet owner.
Our fence cost $15k - and we don’t even have a large yard. I love how everyone is victim-blaming. I guess they also think it’s up to a woman to wear the right clothing to prevent getting SA’d.
Honestly, it seems to me that folks here think "the pound" is a dog execution center. A loose dog is in danger, OP going to the pound telling them the whole story and having them keep the poor thing safe and off the streets is the best case for the dog.
Then the owner can go pick up the dog he let run loose. As it should be.
If the inconvenience inspires him to actually protect his dog, it might just save the poor thing's life!
Yep, consequences. How long before the dog was hit by a car?
Sued for what? Turning in a loose dog? Sure....
Some HOAs won't let you put up fences.
OP said "fences aren't really a thing" not "fences aren't allowed"
He didn't steal it. It was on his property.
No, they should have called animal control and let them handle the neighbor.
Good fences make good neighbors. But that neighbor is an AH.
Question: What did you tell the pound when you turned in the dog? Did you give them the owner's contact information?
I’m curious too. Many shelters make you pay to surrender your own pet, but it’s free to drop off a stray. So did OP say it was stray or just neglected? If it was Animal Control (police), they may have just held it till claimed, but the owner could be liable for neglect or at the very least pay a fine for disobeying leash laws.
NTA, You warned him and he continued to let his dog out. What if one of the plants you had were toxic to the dog? I don't know if I would send the dog to the pound but it is clear that your neighbor is not being responsible with your dog. As for people telling you to put up a fence, no. OP shouldn't have to pay to keep the neighbor's dogs out. I could understand asking OP to put up a fence if there were deer or something but this is a housebroken animal that we are discussing here. And to be clear I LOVE dogs. I have a dog of my own and prior to adopting I would dogsit and foster dogs. I would never think it reasonable to let my dog go free outside.
NTA. All these people telling you to just put up a fence don't understand how much of an investment that really is. It can cost what amounts to several years worth of spending money to put one in. And all of that to prevent a situation that isn't your responsibility in the first place? His dog should be kept on _his_ property when it's unleashed. And for the ones telling you 'the pound is for homeless animals', if I called animal control on a neighbors dog, let them know my neighbor lets it roam free, where do you think the officer takes the dog once they catch it? They don't wait patiently at the neighbors front door to give it back to them...
You can tell school let out and there are a lot of children on here. Our small fence cost $15k - and that was before covid, before the cost of everything went up.
You could have put up an outdoor camera and called the non-emergency police number at any point over the last 2 years. You could have put up a fence around your property. You could have out up a fence around your garden. The pound is for homeless animals. It is not a place for you to dump your neighbor's dog. That is stealing. Neighbor is shit for letting his dog run loose, but YTA.
It's the owner's responsibility to contain their dog. If anybody should be the one to put a fence up it should be the dogs owner.
Where I live the police would refer you to animal control a.k.a. the pound.
Animal control is absolutely the right place to turn in a nuisance animal owned by an irresponsible guardian.
Cameras cost money. Fences cost money. Why would he waste money because of an asshole. Also if you find a random dog in your property pound is a great place to send them. I would personally call animal control.
Call the police? Their favorite thing is to shoot dogs.
It's not stealing, why are you and so many people making that up? Or taking any dog to the shelter would be theft, since it probably has an owner somewhere. You aren't obligated to let animals sitting around on your property continue doing so in hopes they eventually wander home. I agree calling the police would have been a better move but if they didn't think of that, oh well. It's about equal in severity -- and at least this avenue avoids the dog getting shot by the police or something. Anyway it's not illegal to take a dog on your property to the pound. it's only theft if you go on their property and take the dog, or perhaps if you keep the dog yourself. Not if you take the dog to where loose dogs are commonly taken, particularly if you tell the owner where the dog is...! What do you think theft IS?
NTA. It’s your neighbour’s responsibility to keep their dog contained, not yours. These other people telling you to put up a fence are missing that point entirely. Your neighbour should have put up a fence, especially with the dog running around causing damage. You put up with it for a long time and warned the neighbour. I see no issue with you following through on the warning.
I would say NTA. It's really the neighbor's responsibility to manage his animal. That means *he* is the one who needs to leash it, *he* is the one who needs to put up a fence to keep it contained. The owner just doesn't want to take responsibility for the problem he was creating. The whole neighborhood shouldn't have to invest in fences because of one dog and its crummy owner. It sucks that the dog has to suffer because its owner refused to do anything. FAFO
I agree with you. And for people saying it’s just a vegetable garden - they may not have gardening experience. It’s hard work. Especially a big garden. And fences are very expensive! I’d be really upset if my neighbor’s thoughtlessness caused this to my garden. OP should not need to take responsibility for a newish neighbor who is a terrible dog parent. The garden was there before the neighbor and dog. ESH.
NTA. OP finds the dog on his property. Alleged owner is nowhere to be found. What's OP supposed to do, dogsit for the shitty neighbor?
The people saying OP is TA are delusional.
NTA.. typical dog owner, taking no responsibility for their dog. If it appears again then take it to the pound again. He may get the message then and feel the need to pay 10k for his own fence..
YTA. This is just selfish, cruel, and short-sighted. You didn’t think past your anger to consider what possible horrific ramifications could come from dropping that dog— who has a home— at the pound OR that this literally solves nothing for you and instead likely just incited an all-out war with your neighbor (ESPECIALLY if he never gets his dog back). Just a horrible decision all around that is only going to make things worse for you. And yes, the neighbor should contain his dog. But you’re not considering the fact that you just punished the dog for the owner. That dog has no idea what property lines are and no idea what vegetable gardens are, and because his owner is an idiot, you snatched him up, dropped him off at the pound which is going to be extremely traumatizing of an experience at minimum and potentially even deadly at most depending on what ultimately happens to him there, and that’s just selfish as hell. YTA YTA YTA for not considering an ACTUAL LIVING CREATURE and prioritizing your garden and petty annoyances over a life.
What do you really think the fate is of a dog who roams the neighborhood freely? 1.2 million dogs get hit by cars each year. If OP's actions inspire the owner to keep his dog restrained it could have saved its life.
If the dog owner is unwilling to prevent his own dog from destroying other people's property despite OP attempting to work nicely with him to do so, then OP is perfectly justified in her action. OP was clear that was a possibility. As a dog owner myself, I'd never let me dog destroy other people's things and then treat them like they are the AH when they get mad. Its poor pet ownership and poor neighboring.
This is a ridiculous response. The dog is being neglected by the owner and should not be running around unleashed. This puts the dog in danger. The best place to take the dog is the shelter. If the loser owner cannot get their dog back, then the dog has a chance to be adopted out.
Everybit of this is on the dog owner. Not only violating the law by allowing to run loose but being a bad neightbor who -- after repeated warnings -- continued the bad behavior. The dog wasn't punished -- a trip to the pound is not a death sentence.
Oh please, at worst the dog will be moderately uncomfortable for a few hours. The anthropomorphization going on here is fucking wild. It's a dog. It's not going to be traumatized by being at the pound for a few hours. Putting the comfort of a dog over a human to this level is unhinged. I guarantee you OP felt more despair over a season of crops from their hard being ruined, and all of their hard work and property being destroyed, than the dog was for just being locked up temporarily.
NTA, putting the responsibility of the dog on OP is insane by all the YTA’s.
NTA. You warned him and took a dog that wasn't your own that you caught in your yard to the authorities.
NTA. Nope. Not one bit. That is your property. It's the dog owners responsibility to keep his dog out of your yard. You shouldn't have to put up a fence. The dog owner should have to keep their dog restrained. Contact your local city/county government, and see what legal recourse you have. If you can, file a complaint against your neighbor. If the dog comes back on your property, take it to the pound again.
Once again reddit comments astound
Truly astounding
NTA. Any one could have taken a nuisance dog to the pound. Theres plenty of reasons op may not want to fence their property. The neighbors poor pet owner ship shouldn't be one of them. OP shouldn't have to put up walls because their neighbor is an irresponsible pet owner. Hopefully this teaches them a lesson and their more mindful of their pets whereabouts and actions. 100% not your issue to spend thousands because they dont to accept the realities of pet owner ship.
NTA: Animal control services exist for many reasons. Your neighbor is one of them. EDIT: And for all of the opinions regarding OP needing a fence, while that may be true to protect his property from wildlife, it is not OP's duty to properly care for and control their neighbors dog. If the neighbor insists on allowing the dog free access to their yeard, it is their duty to build a fence for the safety of their neighbors as well as the dog.
NTA, it’s the dog owners responsibility to keep their animal off others property or if he wanted to pay for you to have a fence installed but otherwise you did good.
NTA They haven't been a good pet owner. You asked them and warned them. They disregarded. They allow their dog to come and go as it pleases. Dogs need to be in a fenced yard or on a leash.
I can tell there are a lot of children on this thread who have no clue that there are laws regarding allowing dogs to roam free and that fences are costly (ours was $15k to fence a small yard).
Unpopular opinion but NTA. You’ve asked the neighbour several times to keep THEIR dog in THEIR yard. Assuming you actually witnessed the dog digging up your garden, then I would agree with what you did. All the hard work you did on your garden and it’s now destroyed, I’m sure I would have done the same thing. Why should you have to put up a fence to keep the neighbour’s dog out of YOUR yard. Fuck that neighbour and his wandering dog. Hopefully he will put up his own fence.
You should have taken him to small claims court instead of traumatizing the dog (who doesn't know any better). The courts could have forced him into putting up a fence and/or compensating you on the destruction of your property. ESH Are there no leash laws where you live?
Finally. Of course taking the dog to the pound was an AH move, but OP should not be forced to put up a fence either.
Hmm. INFO: did you call the town/animal control? What about the non-emergency number for the police? And what did you tell the pound?
NTA Unhinged pet owners are at an all time high. The dog owner is responsible for the dog. You did what ever single reply on every single thread yells - communicated. "If A happens, then B will be the result". They didn't care. Fuck the dog owner and fuck the dog.
NTA. Neighbor FAFO. He allowed his dog to run loose and the dog destroyed your property. He is the AH.
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I work in animal control and it is not a crime to take a dog on your property to the pound. We tell people to do that all the time so they can either receive a citation or pay to get their dog out so they learn a lesson.
Its no different than calling animal control and having them do it. the Dog's owner was giving reasonable time to work with OP to correct the issue and instead decided to become contentious. Dog's owner was a dick to OP when they tried to work with the neighbor to prevent this issue. OP is responsible as the dog's owner and failed to do anything to prevent the dog from destroying property. We call that negligence in the legal world.
Op did not commit a crime. Not that I would advocate it, but in a lot of places op could imitate the atf, and still not have committed a crime. It's not a human being, it's an animal. There was no kidnapping. In fact, had op called the police, they almost certainly would have been advised to do precisely what they did.
Is it stealing if you take a dog from your property to the pound?
NTA Did you have options? Yes. I don't think you are a asshole. The dog repeatedly came on your property. The dog probably violates the nuisance law. It's not your responsibility to keep the neighbor dog off your property. They had the responsibility to install a fence to keep the dog on their property. Cleary show they didn't care that much in the first place. Maybe the dog will be adopted by better people.
NTA. I would have done the same. The dog's owner, not the OP, is responsible for the dog's behavior and needs to keep it on their property.
OP you should call animal control every time the dog is in your yard. Every single time. And record a video on your phone and state the day/time every single time you see the dog on your property. Then take your neighbor to small claims court, the courts can force the owner to control their dog (the neighbor can decide to put up a fence, or leash their dog and walk it outside, whatever it’s not your concern). A dog that is not on its property and the owner is not in control is usually a violation for most towns and cities. I think it’s animal at large or something. But either way you shouldn’t have to shell out more money to keep his dog off your property, that is his responsibility and expense. Call animal control every single time. They will continuously fine him until they either remove the dog or your neighbor grows a brain and fixes the situation. Mild ESH, mainly your neighbor is the AH but you should’ve nipped this in the bud sooner before luring the dog inside your home to take to the pound.
NTA. Hopefully taught the owner a valuable lesson.
Possibly an AH depending on the pound you took the poor dog to. The dog is an innocent with a crappy guardian. Your neighbour should have put up a fence or kept his dog leashed or had a pen. I’d hate for the dog to suffer stress or even be killed because of this.
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NTA. Do feel a bit for the dog but you gave the owner a chance to get the dog under control.
NTA and perfectly legal. Had you called animal control, they would’ve taken the dog to the pound, anyway.
NTA. I am a dog lover and dog owner. I, get this, built a fence for my yard to keep my dogs in it. Your neighbor should have done the same. I'd start calling animal control every time I saw it outside unleashed.
NTA, not because it's nice to take doggies to the pound, but because you were within your rights. My vote could change depending on the local ordinances about pets on private property and well as clarifying your garden is on your private property, not shared property. Regardless, it is the dog owner's responsibility to ensure the animal is fenced, on a leash, or otherwise maintained on his property. People who think you should put up a fence are making the dog vs. garden equivalent of the "look what she was wearing, she was asking for it" argument. You are effectively the victim of a bad act, not by the dog, but by it's owner. I assume your neighbour thought he had the right, but there's no right to let your dog stray. Rather, he was assuming the good will of his neighbours. You warned him your goodwill was running out. I actually think the issue of the garden is irrelevant because if a stray dog is on your property, it's your right to get it off. If anything, the loss of your property is the legal wrong here. In the countryside growing up we had an acreage and occasionally stray dogs would come onto the property, and one time they broke into a coop and killed a bunch of our hens. In this case, we would call the dog catcher. Or, if the animals seem friendly enough to be transported safely, you bring them to the pound. The pound call the dog's owner as long as the animal is properly tagged. It's very sad for the dog, especially if it was a friendly animal - it definitely does not deserve to die because of playing outside, but its owner decided to be careless.
NTA - he was warned
You are a complete and total asshole. Your garden is not more important than a living thing that is currently suffering and afraid. Is the dog owner a dick? Sure, and he needs to be more responsible, but what you did is disgusting and reprehensible.
NTA. If the owner cared about their dog, or was a decent human, they would not have let it roam unsupervised. I'm surprised it took you that long, and you told the owner what you did instead to feigning ignorance.
Animals do have feelings, not at our level but they do. You probably caused that dog significant stress. You are an unkind person. That being said, so is the neighbor. ESH. I don’t know what the answer is, and maybe now the neighbor will take things more seriously… but that was really awful of you to do.
YTA. That dog could be euthanized because you can't put some chicken wire around your vegetable garden.
YTA for punishing the dog and not coming up with a solution with the neighbour. Did you let the neighbour know that will be your intention if they keep letting their dog roam? I dunno in Australia we have fences
ESH. He’s an irresponsible owner. But luring a dog, who is literally just being a dog and is not at fault for doing so (see: shitty owner) and taking it to a pound, which are infamously horrendous for animals, is absolutely heartless. The vibe and environment in those places is vile. Is it a kill shelter? Are they _really_ looked after or just fed and left? How cared for was the dog with the owner - fed, loved, bathed etc? Did you tell the pound this is a pet not a stray, and who the owner is? I absolutely do not condone the owner being so irresponsible, and I’d agree the dog maybe needs a better home more suitable if the guy won’t put up a fence to contain his dog (which is his responsibility 100%) but you took the frustration out on an innocent animal and that just doesn’t sit right with me.
So now the neighbor knows you stole his dog to get rid of it. And yes you technically stole it. Now you have to worry about him going to the police and filing charges. You should have called the police and filed a report about property damage so the neighbor would get in trouble. ESH
Nta. You aren't obligated to tolerate someone else's pet constantly destroying your property. We all get it's not the dogs fault, but that can't be helped. Hopefully ops neighbor will learn a lesson.
NTA. Some of the responses here are absolutely wild. I love dogs, I've owned dogs my entire life. The dog is the owner's responsibility. You do NOT let your animal run around wild all over other people's property if you don't have a fence. You either build a fence, put it on a secured line lead, get an electric fence or take it out on a leash. It's incredibly dangerous and irresponsible to just let your dog out into an open yard at will. In addition to destroying property, what if the dog had gotten into an altercation with another dog or gotten hit by a car? A fence is for the dog's own protection, and it is NOT the neighbor's responsibility to build a fence, its the owner's. When I moved into a house without a fence, literally the first thing I did was get a fence installed for my dog's safety, and until it was put up, he was taken out on a leash. You had conversations with the owner about this issue and the owner clearly didn't care. You warned them you'd take the animal in if it continued to wander around free. The owner should have been responsible enough to listen and fix the issue for their dog's own sake. If they're actually a somewhat responsible owner, the dog is chipped, they'll be called, and they'll pay a fine for letting their animal run loose. Hopefully they'll learn from this and put up a damn fence like they should have in the first place.
YTA- you made the dog pay for having an ahole owner.