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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: KAKerby AT aol.com
- To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems
- Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:25:52 -0400 (EDT)
Absolutely get the sheriff involved, or Animal Control, or whatever.
Even if nothing has "happened" yet, it's time now to start documenting the
pattern. We had issues last year with a neighbor who after 10 years of
peaceable co-existence, started making allegations and demands about how we
manage our animals. They came onto the property once under false
pretenses and wanted to see our horses and cows to ensure they were "properly
cared for". Another time they came onto the property after we'd found
and adopted a beagle, claiming to know who the beagle belonged to and they
were there to "take the dog back to its owner". Upon questioning they
would not provide the name, address or phone of the owner, and could
not explain why the owner hadn't contacted us directly despite Found ads online
and in print all over town because they didn't like his occassional barking (we
don't let him bark at night but he does sometimes bark during the day).
I'm pretty sure he just wanted to take the dog to the shelter and be done with
it. After that, the same neighbor would shriek at us from their deck,
threatening to call Animal Control because we were obviously neglecting our
animals and/or had vicious dogs. I called the sheriff at that point and
made a report. They said if the neighbor called AC, welcome the officer
with open arms but no I did not ever have to allow the neighbor on the property
for any reason. We later got licensed and inspected as a kennel to create
a record of our operation in case of future complaints. Without that paper
trail, it's just a case of he said/she said. Document these issues now,
and show law enforcement that you're the reasonable one trying to be proactive
and diplomatic. Then if this escalates, you can report that escalation and
the neighbors will have a harder time claiming you're the unreasonable
one.
Also, from a dog rescue list that I'm on: if neighbor dogs
are trespassing on the property, get a super-soaker watergun, loaded with red
koolaid and vinegar. Some of the bigger guns can spray 20', which may or
may not be close enough. But if you can hit the dog with the
spray, the vinegar is a good repellant, and the koolaid will stain the
fur. If that 20' range isn't enough, get a paintball gun for longer
distances. Then you can then make a report that "yes, that's the dog that
keeps getting on our property, Officer, the one with the red stains on its
fur......."
Best of luck, and hang in there. Our partner farm's
neighborhood has wandering dogs too, and I keep threatening to string field
fence around our growing area and be done with it. In all that spare
time.....
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
Ruminations - essays on the farming life at
frogchorusfarm.com/weblog.html
In a message dated 3/29/2011 5:55:17 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
wyatt_jones AT netzero.com writes:
|
-
[Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems,
Wyatt Jones, 03/29/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems, Willie McKemie, 03/29/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems,
Mike Rock, 03/29/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems,
Thamnophis, 03/29/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems, Mike Brabo, 03/30/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems, Road's End Farm, 03/30/2011
-
Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems,
Thamnophis, 03/29/2011
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems, SaladG, 03/29/2011
- Re: [Market-farming] Animal and neighbor problems, KAKerby, 03/29/2011
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