Property line fence

[lzicc]

I have a neighbor with 4 dogs that bark like crazy when I am outside. The neighbor has them fenced in with a wire fence along the property line, but when I am outside, they run up to the fence bark non stop. I've talked to the neighbor about this multiple times with no resolve. The last time I yelled over to them about the dogs barking, they told me to go to he** so that ends that.

My property line between me and the neighbors is about 600' from front to back. Their wire fence went back from the front towards the rear of the property about 120 feet, so to resolve the issue and try to keep the peace, I purchased a privacy fence that ran side by side with theirs but I went back with mine about 130 feet. There was originally a picket fence that I removed and put this in it's place. This resolved the issue, although they did try to put wood up against the bottom of my fence so they could take down their wire fence and use my vinyl fence to their advantage and keep their dogs in.

The other day, the neighbors extended their fence further back another 20' or so past my privacy fence. Now the dogs can see us again and the issue is back. See the picture attached. They are just being ignorant now.

I went out last night and purchased another 120' of fence so I could extend my privacy fence back even more. If they extend their fence further than that, they will be so far back, the dogs won't see us. My question is, since the first part of the fence that I already installed is on my property line, when I go to install the additional fence, I was first going to install a barbed wire fence a few inches in from my property line, then install the additional privacy fence about 3' in from that. This would keep them from using my fence to their advantage to pen their dogs in. I just don't know if that is legal or not. We live in the county.

I'm not trying to be mean, but it's a shame that the neighbor don't do anything about the nuisance of their dogs. Why should I have to put out the money for this fence and have them benefit from it and I can't talk to her like a rational person. That didn't work.

I did talk to the township and they said there wasn't allot they could do other than talk with the neighbors.

 

[srossman]

How about any noise ordinance or any nuisance laws that may be on the books in your township/county. There may not be any dog barking laws on the books, but you may be able to complain about the constant barking of dogs when you are outside on your own property. Especially if you are out after the hours where a noise ordinance may go into affect. There aren't any laws specific to dogs in the state of PA but there are the noise and nuisance laws on the books. Good luck with the neighbors.

 

[MMagis]

You can put a fence anywhere on your property you want, so if you want it 3’ in, that’s up to you. But I suspect all that will do is invite them to use 3’ of your property. They’ll “assume” you put the privacy fence on your line, and take down the barbed wire since you can’t see it anyways. They’ll make some ridiculous claim about it being dangerous to their dogs, or some other excuse. I’m of the opinion the line fences should ALWAYS be on the line.

 

[Clay45]

Izicc,

Just extend your fence along the property line. If they can use it to their advantage so what? Atleast you'll enjoy the quiet which is the objective.

 

[prichard]

I'll second srossman, We have little in the way of dog laws but they fall under noise ordinance. IIRC, constant noise for >30 minutes or sustained noise on and off for > 1 hour is a violation. I know I have dogs, but have never been fined. My wife worked with the county years ago on several animal ordinances. My dogs are in the house if they are being a nuisance. There's no excuse for constant barking dogs.

Another option is sonic bark control. There are several products that will emit an offensive (to dogs) noise when they bark. You could find some inexpensive ones on Amazon and "train" your neighbor's dogs.

 

[newbury]

I have a neighbor with 4 dogs that bark like crazy when I am outside. The neighbor has them fenced in with a wire fence along the property line, but when I am outside, they run up to the fence bark non stop. I've talked to the neighbor about this multiple times with no resolve. The last time I yelled over to them about the dogs barking, they told me to go to he** so that ends that.

My property line between me and the neighbors is about 600' from front to back. Their wire fence went back from the front towards the rear of the property about 120 feet, so to resolve the issue and try to keep the peace, I purchased a privacy fence that ran side by side with theirs but I went back with mine about 130 feet. There was originally a picket fence that I removed and put this in it's place. This resolved the issue, although they did try to put wood up against the bottom of my fence so they could take down their wire fence and use my vinyl fence to their advantage and keep their dogs in.

The other day, the neighbors extended their fence further back another 20' or so past my privacy fence. Now the dogs can see us again and the issue is back. See the picture attached. They are just being ignorant now.

I went out last night and purchased another 120' of fence so I could extend my privacy fence back even more. If they extend their fence further than that, they will be so far back, the dogs won't see us. My question is, since the first part of the fence that I already installed is on my property line, when I go to install the additional fence, I was first going to install a barbed wire fence a few inches in from my property line, then install the additional privacy fence about 3' in from that. This would keep them from using my fence to their advantage to pen their dogs in. I just don't know if that is legal or not. We live in the county.

I'm not trying to be mean, but it's a shame that the neighbor don't do anything about the nuisance of their dogs. Why should I have to put out the money for this fence and have them benefit from it and I can't talk to her like a rational person. That didn't work.

I did talk to the township and they said there wasn't allot they could do other than talk with the neighbors.


View attachment 445326

To make sure I'm on the same though train:

Is the red line their fence, and the yellow line on the other side ALSO their fence at another neighbors lot?
Where the yellow line is it seems someone has put a tarp over the fence on the far side.

That looks like a good idea. Your fence looks like a very nice suburban estate fence. Theirs looks like a cheap chicken pen (nothing against cheap chicken pens). I'm sure they would like you to continue to enhance the value and looks of their property with an elegant fence.

So why not do it?

Perhaps wrap the other side of your fence with a butt ugly frayed tarp to maintain their "cheap chicken pen" ambiance.

And the sonic dog alarm might also work.

I've a neighbor that has dogs that used to bark from about 6pm to midnight or later, REAL LOUD, such we could hear them inside the house. I finally started making noise when I went out about 6 am, just enough to start them barking. The sleeping owners would come out and shut them up. This went on for a short while and the neighbors started shutting the dogs up at night.

 

[Soundguy]

Put the fence on your property line if you are allowed to do that and go from there. that prevents them for trying adverse posession, unchecked.

Soundguy

 

[prichard]

Check local codes on fences. In some places you must adhere to a setback on fencing. In other areas if that set back gets used by neighbors, they can claim as theirs - Adverse possession as Soundguy mentioned.

 

[lzicc]

Newbury, that is correct. If they were decent neighbors, I wouldn't care, but they are being dirty about it. First they extend their fence after I put my vinyl fence up. I think what really got me is when I yelled over to them to do something about their dogs barking and she told me to go to he**. They are just causing trouble now.

I did talk to the township and they told me that I would need to have 5 other people complain before I could file a complaint. There is not that many people that live close enough that could sign the complaint.

When I did put the first sections of fence up, there is a space of about 6" from the ground to the bottom of my fence and the neighbors had the guts to put wood against the bottom of my fence. I told them to take it off and they did, but that is just bold. They wanted to take down their wire fence and use my fence for their dogs. Why should I put the money out in the first place? If they would train their dogs, no one would have had to spend anything.

If they were decent about things, I wouldn't care, but they are trying to cause trouble.

We did buy a sonic sound device, but it didn't do any good.

 

[CNC Dan]

Can you have a place in your fence that has a gap that you can't see through, but would let the dogs through? like having a section of fence 2 feet further back fron the line. Or leave a gap like yould put up a gate, then block the view with a seprate section of fence a few feet inside of that. That way they have to matain their fence to contain the dogs, and your fence blocks the view of the dogs.