Neighbor's dobermans on my land, protecting "their" property ...??

[LD1]

Glad I don't live in your neighborhood.

Looking at your avatar, it looks like you live in the "country". Do you enjoy things like target shooting?? Riding ATV's?? Running your noisy tractor??

My new "city slicker" neighbor doesnt. They apparently moved out into the ountry to "get away" from all of the traffic noise and daily gunshots. They were wrong. I live in the country for the freedoms to do these things. But we certainly dont do it every day though. Maybe once a week wehn the weather is nice.

Most of what you describe is lawful behavior, even if it happens to aggravate someone else. Letting dogs run on someone else's property is, in most places, not. When we moved to the country 25 years ago I expected to have to tolerate some things...after all, that's part of why I moved--to get somewhere where behavior was not as regimented as in the city. But I did not expect to have to tell my neighbors that their animals were not free to roam my property. Now if the neighbor had allowed it because a property was uninhabited previously, that is HIS problem. Shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that your dogs need to stay off my place.

Your post implies (to me at least) that you are doing things intentionally to aggravate this new neighbor who you think was intolerant of country behaviors. So did you do the neighborly thing and go talk with him before starting this policy of intentional aggravation? Did your next door neighbor go and talk with him before responding this way? Or is this something you think only the "new" person in the neighborhood should have to do? I'm just asking.......

The neighbors dogs got out. Things happen. It's the country. Cows sometimes get out. Horses sometimes get out. Dogs sometimes get away. But it is stupid to call the law on the first occurance. The law isnt going to do anything at all except upset the neighbor. I see nothing to be gained.

And no I didn't talk with the neighbor. Especially after they called the sherrif on us 3 times in 3 months for us minding our own business on our OWN property. Nothing like being out back riding the ATV's and stop back at the house for a drink and have a sherrif sitting in the drive Or having the sherrif walk up while we are sighting in our deer guns

And I certainly wouldn't call it "intentional aggrevation" either. We arent doing anything that we normally wouldn't do anyway. We just now have a reason to do it more often.:thumbsup:

[IMHO]

There is nothing more annoying than a new neighbor expecting that just because they showed up, and they seem to think their poop smells like roses, everybody else that's been there forever had better change their tune to suit them....

In LD1's situation, it sounds like the new neighbor started the aggrivation, by calling the law first.

I agree with the posters that suggest a nice talk, with some humor injected perhaps - maybe even beer, would aid in the 'new guy' becoming a 'neighbor', rather than staying the 'new guy'.

Although it's true, this sounds like the beginning of the Hatfields and the Mcoys...

[/IMHO]

BINGO:thumbsup:

EVERYTHING on this thread is NOTHING but speculation until the OP actually talks to the neighbor.

Exactally.


To the OP: Pease just talk to this guy already and give us some feedback. I am sure this has just been blown WAY out of proportion. The neighbor is probabally a nice and reasonable guy.

Lawyers are expensive to hire if you ever need one. Maybe have a neighbor FRIEND that is a lawyer isnt a bad thing.

 

[beppington]

UPDATE: aka Interesting twist of events. My dad & I were working on my streetside fenceline in another area about as far away as we could be from the dog owners (~1/2 mi), when this car stops & a highly energetic, skinny woman jumps out, almost runs to us, & basically blurts out, "Can we ride on your property?!!!!! Do you mind???!!! You don't mind, do ya?!?!?" Me: "Huh? Umm, what? Hey how's it goin'?" :confused2: She says, "We ride, & figured you wouldn't mind if we rode our horses on your property. Oh, we're the people with the dogs you saw last weekend that ran onto your property - Is that your property??!!!???!!! (Yes I said) Anyway, can we ride on it? It's too busy out here on the main stateroad. OK we've actually already been doing it, I just wanted to stop & make sure it's OK. I figured it you wouldn't care. I saw you all & was like 'STOP THE CAR!!'" She's nodding the whole time with a big grin like my 'yes' is a mere formality. I guess all this time she kinda "wondered if they were trespassing", never mind that they know for sure that they are not on their property, but couldn't bother to look up the owner & decided nobody's here so it must be OK. Nevermind that I've been improving it, bush hogging, trimming limbs, replacing fences, etc. for ~9 months ... aka ~9 months ago it's highly unlikely she would've ridden on the property without her horse & her own legs getting torn up by blackberry bushes & other thorny bushes that covered most of the property. Now of course there's a great, grass trail all the way around the entire 60 acres, about a mile & a half long. Anyway, she rambled & rambled & eventually the husband got out, too & introduced himself, sort of apologized for their dogs getting out - Well, not really an apology, but rather an explanation that he has put in a RF / wireless fence & the dogs haven't learned the fence yet. I wonder if that's true, but whatever. So they tell they have great parties & we're invited any time, blah blah blah ... which would normally be fine & dandy (we'd never go to their parties, FYI, just not our thing) if they hadn't already been trespassing on my property.

Sooooo ... I decided to be a pleasant new neighbor this fine afternoon & not say NO right then. Rather, I said, "Give me your name & number & I'll let you know." She gave me her card, & offered to sign a waiver not to sue, whatever, but I already know those are useless in court. And, I don't care anyway: While they're a nice enough couple, & hopefully we'll be good neighbors (even though they've started out completely on the wrong foot), I really don't want them on my property. No good reason for it.

I haven't decided yet exactly how I'm going to handle this, though. If I don't call, it "should" be implied that they do not have permission to ride on my property. Of course, they may or may not take it that way. If I do call, I'd tell them that my attorney said I should not agree to let them ride there, too much liability & a waiver letter is nothing. And, I'll have goats there someday soon anyway & there will no longer be any gate for them to get through. And, their horses leave deep hoof prints - Which is true: This evening before leaving the property I rode out near their fenceline, clearly saw her hoof prints. This is all very low land that is almost always very moist, so her horse sinks right in 3 or 4 inches in most areas. Kinda pi55ed me off actually seeing the tracks. I know she already admitted she did it, which took me by surprise at the time, but seeing the proof really bothered me.

By the way, re my mention of Google showing that the husband is an attorney: I didn't come right out & ask him, but he does not seem like an attorney at all. Seems more like a regular ol' country boy. Fine either way, but prob better if he's not an attorney.

I kinda feel for them, having "only" 10 acres & roadsides to ride their horses, but hey, they could've bought the property I bought 9 months ago ... & they didn't.

I did ask if I was in danger when they first told me they were the dog owners. They kinda chuckled & shook their heads no. But I ain't buyin' that. Those dogs were making a snarling bee line to rip into the intruder (me).

What say ya'll about all this?? (sorry for the book)

 

[IslandTractor]

Sounds like they are being neighborly and asking for something pretty simple. Don't know what this country is coming to if we cannot be nice to our neighbors and instead need to treat every interaction as a possible law suit or think someone is trying to take advantage.

If you were planning to build a house on the land you might want to make clear that they could ride until you develop it but if riding on your land isn't doing you any harm then why not let them?

 

[RoyJackson]

What say ya'll about all this?? (sorry for the book)

I'd still carry the pepper spray and handgun.
As far as the horse riding and "wavier"....would it make any difference if it was written up by YOUR lawyer and notarized? If not, check with your insurance...or just tell them that due to insurance requirements, riding isn't allowed on your spread.
Now, if you tell 'em that...and this is not going to make good neighbors...but you'd probably have to call the law if they trespass (not for really busting their butts, but to get it documented).

 

[JDdude]

When you do not know what to do , do nothing..Do not call them and see what happens..

 

[LD1]

Sounds like they are being neighborly and asking for something pretty simple. Don't know what this country is coming to if we cannot be nice to our neighbors and instead need to treat every interaction as a possible law suit or think someone is trying to take advantage.

If you were planning to build a house on the land you might want to make clear that they could ride until you develop it but if riding on your land isn't doing you any harm then why not let them?

I agree. If it is wet/soft enough that the horses are sinking in 3-4", you probabally aren't going to be traversing through that area on your tractor. And if you do, you will probabally make a bigger mess than the horses.

I like the part about you planning on having goats. If this is true, what harm will they cause if you let them ride until you get the goat fence up?

And the part about the invisible fence is easy enough to confirm. Just look ath the dogs collars. They are easy to tell. I know it took about 6 weeks to get my dogs fully trained. And even now, they ocassionally get out. Just make it clear to them that you dont want to be going out and finding dead goats as a result of his dogs.

They may have started on the wrong foot, but I'd give them a second chance. If you tell them that you "talked to your attorney and he said it was a bad idea..." they are going to think you are one of those city types turned country that cant do anything without the approval of an lawyer.

I only own 5 acres. My parents only own 3.5. We are both fortunate enough to have great neighbors. The farmer that farms ~1000acres around my parents lets us ride ATV's in the fields in the winter, clear fencerows for firewood, hunt squirrel and deer, etc. And in return, we do our part to help him out. Like when he has a tree down in a field, we will go clear it for him. Help him work on his equipment if he has a problem. Kill groundhogs for him. etc. But we have known the family for generations.

Having a good neighbor is a good thing. Who knows, maybe there will be a time when you could use his help for something.

 

[beppington]

When you do not know what to do , do nothing..Do not call them and see what happens..

I'm leaning towards doing that.

 

[IslandTractor]

When you do not know what to do , do nothing..Do not call them and see what happens..

But they specifically and politely asked permission once they identifed the property owner....doesn't that justify the courtesy of a reply?

 

[whistlepig]

Kind of like repeating the same process several times and expecting a different result.

 

[beppington]

I'd still carry the pepper spray and handgun.

I will get the spray. Not sure about the handgun, yet ... Maybe.

As far as the horse riding and "wavier"....would it make any difference if it was written up by YOUR lawyer and notarized?

I don't think so. I think any lawyer can take those & argue that the exact terms & conditions, or specifics, on it don't pertain in this case because ... blah blah blah, attorney-talk. aka money out of my pocket.

If not, check with your insurance...

I have State Farm, same as my parents, & they already asked a similar question, pertaining to a lady who wanted to keep her horse on my parents' property. State Farm said, "No that's not covered." "Well, what if they sign a waiver?" They said, "It's not wise, just too risky; Those don't really work."

or just tell them that due to insurance requirements, riding isn't allowed on your spread.

That's what I'd like to do, & yet remain neighborly, which probably wouldn't happen. So, I might just sit tight, not call them, & if they continue to trespass, oh well, it's probably not actually hurting much, mostly just bugs me. Once we live there, I'll crack the whip on 'em if neede. Or, once there are goats, it will aboslutely have to stop. In fact, there will be a fence all the way around with no gates at all.