Need Surveillance system to prove my dogs don't bark
- Thread starter 2sleepy
- Start date
wuench
Senior Member
I made a complaint about my neighbors dogs and the police had to sit outside their house to catch them before they would fine them. The police are obviously not willing to do that in this case, but then again they have better things to be focused on.
You have admitted (hopefully not to the police) that your dogs do bark at animals and whatnot and that the lady is crazy. So I would say, unless you can absolutely eliminate all barking you are probably screwed. As one incident is enough for her to complain, regardless of the reason. If the video thing doesn't work out, maybe it is enough to show you have taken measures like bark collars.
The motivations here are that the police don't want to deal with it so are putting the burden on you. I agree with W2P that you may need to handle this outside the legal system as it does not appear to be on your side. But, in my case above, the reason I didn't handle the issue directly with my neighbor was because I did not know them. So, an alternative might be to approach her in a positive way and try to work it out. Offer to help clear the brush, etc. If you can get her to call you to complain instead of the police that would be a good first step. Calling the police is a burden for her as well, so she would get faster results calling you. In my case, if there was a hearing, I would've had to show up and argue my side of the case. If the same is true in your case, tell her that. She is going to have to show up and argue, that is a big burden too. Even if this doesn't work out, trying to work this out directly, and documenting it may help you legally.
Sorry you are going through this, good luck.
You have admitted (hopefully not to the police) that your dogs do bark at animals and whatnot and that the lady is crazy. So I would say, unless you can absolutely eliminate all barking you are probably screwed. As one incident is enough for her to complain, regardless of the reason. If the video thing doesn't work out, maybe it is enough to show you have taken measures like bark collars.
The motivations here are that the police don't want to deal with it so are putting the burden on you. I agree with W2P that you may need to handle this outside the legal system as it does not appear to be on your side. But, in my case above, the reason I didn't handle the issue directly with my neighbor was because I did not know them. So, an alternative might be to approach her in a positive way and try to work it out. Offer to help clear the brush, etc. If you can get her to call you to complain instead of the police that would be a good first step. Calling the police is a burden for her as well, so she would get faster results calling you. In my case, if there was a hearing, I would've had to show up and argue my side of the case. If the same is true in your case, tell her that. She is going to have to show up and argue, that is a big burden too. Even if this doesn't work out, trying to work this out directly, and documenting it may help you legally.
Sorry you are going through this, good luck.
When I first started getting warning letters I went door to door in my neighborhood asking if the dogs were bothering anyone. Everyone said 'no', I did not go to this woman's house because I thought it was empty (and it still looks that way) There are no cars, no lights are ever turned on and snow remains on the walkway without footprints for days. I only found out it was her when I did a public records request and found that she was the only one who ever complained. I found that when she complained about my dogs, she was also making the same complaints- on the same dates and times about 2 little dachshunds that are 2 doors away from me. I went and talked to that neighbor and she said "whatever you do, don't call that woman and try to reason with her, I did and now she calls me in the middle of the night to tell me that my dogs are barking when they are in the bedroom with me". I had that neighbor at the hearing and she told the hearing officer that but it clearly had no impact on the outcome.wuench said:
Another neighbor called me a few days ago and told me this woman was leaning out of her second story window with a camcorder filming the inside of my house. I have huge picture windows at the rear of the house, so she must have had great fun filming my furniture. The dogs were out for a hike with my husband at the time. By the time I found this out, she had closed the window and the shades, I asked my neighbor if she would testify to this and she said she was afraid of this woman and didn't want to get involved.
Desert_AIP
Senior Member
I'm pretty sure I saw her throw out motor oil in her household garbage...Work2Play said:
wuench
Senior Member
Well sorry to hear that. Sounds like you have no resort but to defend yourself legally. Cameras are a good option, I have a single Aircam but the software is free, so it only takes hard drive space (they do make a hardware dvr as well). I wonder if something like the Tagg or Puppy Tweets would help too.
wkearney99
Senior Member
2sleepy said:
This is a VERY good reason to get an attorney involved. Someone that knows how the system works can get things turned around so you're not continuously on the receiving end of this woman's madness. This will be WELL worth the money you'll have to spend. Getting someone that can navigate through the system is valuable. Even more so when they are able to word things in ways that keep you in the best light. Because as things get progressively worse the bureaucracy starts looking back at how it's handled things and if there's someone else's well-worded responses in the record YOU stand a much better chance of winning. Really, when this continues the gov't folks will start to want to end having to put up with it. Or you'll get bumped up to the next level of the court. The gov't folks really pay attention to the people that play the game. Now, I'm not arguing that this is a GOOD thing, just that it's how this mess is played. When you have representation that plays their game you help make it easy for them to make the decisions you need.
Where does it go as things slide down further? You start filing suit against the crazy lady and make her drain her funds to defend her nonsense. Your having played the game properly will likely come up during that process and will greatly help your cause.
All sorts of scenarios are possible, but none of the ones you need will come to pass unless you take action and start having this problem fought for you.
I've called a few attorney's and the ones I have talked to won't touch it, they either say they aren't familiar with the ordinance or that it's too hard to defend because of the way the law is written. One of the problems is that this neighbor is supported financially by her millionaire parents, if I hire an attorney to go after her, I'm sure her parents will hire half a dozen attorneys for her. that pretty much leaves me with either attacking the law itself because it denies the accused due process, or getting enough evidence against her to get a restraining order. That's what I am hoping to do with the video surveillance system. She keeps giving animal control logs citing every time she hears my dogs, if I can demonstrate that she is either imagining it or just being malicious I think I could get the restraining order and that might send a strong enough message that she will knock off this crap.
wkearney99
Senior Member
So get in touch with the parents, in-person is often better than cold-calling or letters in the mail. Make it clear you'd like to be a good neighbor. live and let live, but their daughter isn't leaving you much choice other than to begin pursuing legal options. Do not use the word lawsuit. Just because she's a loon doesn't mean her parents want to embark on wasting money on legal expenses to support her idiotic treatment of otherwise nice people.
Sounds like you've got some half-assed attorneys around there. I don't know of any worth their salt that would beg off something because of being 'unfamiliar' with an ordinance. Billable time pays to learn it, not that you want your wallet taking that hit. Here's a thought, stop by a local non-governmental animal shelter and speak with them about possible attorneys. No doubt they're going to have heard of or used someone to deal with all manner of animal-related problems. Or contact your state bar association.
Yes, video logs that directly refute the nonsense would certainly help. But be careful. When you start presenting evidence you're on the hook for ALL of the evidence, you don't get the cherry-pick. This, again, is an area where an attorney can properly caution you about how to best proceed.
Sounds like you've got some half-assed attorneys around there. I don't know of any worth their salt that would beg off something because of being 'unfamiliar' with an ordinance. Billable time pays to learn it, not that you want your wallet taking that hit. Here's a thought, stop by a local non-governmental animal shelter and speak with them about possible attorneys. No doubt they're going to have heard of or used someone to deal with all manner of animal-related problems. Or contact your state bar association.
Yes, video logs that directly refute the nonsense would certainly help. But be careful. When you start presenting evidence you're on the hook for ALL of the evidence, you don't get the cherry-pick. This, again, is an area where an attorney can properly caution you about how to best proceed.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
hmm, speaking of shelters, is there a way to temporarily house the dogs elsewhere for a day or so (make sure nobody sees you loading them in the car)?
then, see if she 'logs' barks during that time.
then, see if she 'logs' barks during that time.
Installing a surveillance security system is the most easy, cheap and full proof way of shutting her mouth. If you ever get fined after that, you could prove that the dogs didn't bark and everything was a lie. I am saying this from my experience because I have gone through a similar circumstance already. I got that dvr system shipped from q-see.com and it really paid me off and helped me in trouble. This would be of great help to you, I bet.
wkearney99 said:
I would also talk with them about the issues with how the law is written and if there are any efforts to get the law changed to allow due process (innocent until proven guilty) and how to deal with false complaints. I would also talk with local politicians, the mayor, etc. about your issues. Perhaps network with other people that have had similar issues. If they get enough complaints on the issue they might make an effort to change things. I would even try going in to the office where the complaints are filed and tactfully point out the issues with the way the law is being handled - ask them what they do with clearly untrue complaints. They have to know that there are issues with this. Any chance she has "connections", maybe through her rich parents to get her complaints more attention?
Legal action is often expensive and time consuming, even if you are in the right. I would see what other things could be done first.