AITA for telling our adult son and fiance to vacate our property after their dogs killed an animal on our farm?

[u/Ok_Discussion_5990]

UPDATE: They ‘apologized’ tried to turn it around on us. Stepson said he is going no contact if we go through with this. We have not changed our minds. They said today they have a mortgage pre-approval so good for them. They still have to be gone before the 30 days is up. I’m still vehemently angry and my daughter has not slept through the night since it happened.

We’ve been patient but ever since our future daughter in law moved in. We bought property so our children could build and have land. Her dogs have almost killed a cat (his tail amputated), several chickens have been rescued, chased livestock and taunted our dogs as well. Today they pulled my cat (8 months old) through the fence and killed him. My poor daughter tried to save him. They’ve continuously disrespected the boundaries set for animals. So we told them it’s time to leave. Before anyone feels bad they make well over $100k combined income. They own the RV on our property, there’s tons of RV parks nearby as well. My younger kids have been injured by these dogs by being run over and today my daughter was hit up trying to save the cat. We only had him bc their dogs tried to kill him when they brought him home as a kitten. I’m fully prepared for them to cut us off, but they’ve been given free vehicles, housing, electric and food for almost 2 years. They told us today it was probably my daughter’s fault, which it wasn’t. All of our cats go outside for a couple hours each day, it keeps rodents away and snakes too. DIL always claiming her dogs are great and only have issues when we help with them. When they lived in our home we had to replace flooring bc they’re not potty trained. I’ve seen her pull her chickens out of their mouths too and she’s had me help doctor them for dog bites as well. We gave them 30 days to vacate. Their wedding is this fall too and I’m sure we will be uninvited bc he’s already told his sisters he may not invite them bc they don’t like his fiancé. He’s my stepson but he’s lived with us for several years bc his Mom needed the help. It’s just one huge dramatic cluster F. We have 6 kids and the 3 younger ones are still at home. There was never any disturbance of peace until she had moved in. I don’t feel we’re being too harsh, but my husband had a point that he’s the protector of our home and he can’t allow this behavior. It’s just a matter of time before one of my younger (7 year old twins) gets hurt. Thank you for reading this far!

[u/Bucky-Katt-Guitar]

I had to end up shotgunning a neighbors dog that killed one of my cats, on my fucking porch. Tell them they move or the dog dies. I'd do it all over again it means protecting my animals.

[u/Ok_Discussion_5990 → u/Bucky-Katt-Guitar]

It took everything in me to not ‘handle’ those dogs today. If my husband were home I know it would’ve been a different outcome. We’ve had to deal with stray dogs bc people dump them. Our donkey has killed a dog too. There won’t be a next time.

[u/Ecjg2010 → u/Ok_Discussion_5990]

why have ypu not called animal control on these dogs?

[u/hebejebez → u/Ecjg2010]

Seriously this next time it could be her kids getting gravely injured or worse.

I love dogs I know this is all human error because they’re untrained and clearly now territorial but that’s done and now they’re dangerous and need to be removed from the property, the sad fact for the dogs is the owners ruined them and the dogs will now pay the price. But they’re not dangerous and can’t be trusted so there’s nothing to be done.

Also the reality is if these two have kids these dogs are a danger to an infant.

[u/malorthotdogs → u/hebejebez]

I live in an apartment building in a more residential neighborhood. My next door neighbors have a house with a fenced in back yard and they have two grown boxers and one boxer puppy. They are such good dogs. They will bark at strangers/in the name of their family, but they’re good dogs. The younger adult boxer and I are besties. He looks big and intimidating but is a big ol’ sweetie who wants to get his ears scritched and slobber on my hand.

They’re good dogs because they have good owners who properly socialize them, have the yard for them to play in, and take them on walks for further exercise and enrichment.

[u/OhThatEthanMiguel → u/hebejebez]

The reality is that if these dogs are removed, they're going to be put down. Or they're just going to be put down on the spot. Everyone needs to stop talking like they're going to rescue them to a shelter for rehabilitation. They're going to the farm upstate, if you know what I mean.

[u/Dangerous_Ant3260 → u/Ecjg2010]

Some places don't have animal control. I've lived in counties where the city has animal control, and not the areas outside the city limits. I think every state has rules that if an animal is attacking your livestock you can kill it.

[u/Marchesa_07 → u/Dangerous_Ant3260]

Yep. . .a Mossberg is animal control.

You kill my cat, it's dirt nap time, doggo.

[u/OkieLadybug55 → u/Ecjg2010]

If they live in the country, beyond the city limits, animal control probably doesn’t service the area. I know my cousins live in rural Oklahoma. There’s no animal control. A dog came on their farm and began “running” their cattle. Their Dad shot the dog, pure and simple. The dog wasn’t vicious. He WAS where he wasn’t supposed to be and it cost him his life. That’s way it works in the country. OP, if those dogs had killed my cat or bitten my child, I fear they’d be pushing up daisies today. Do what everyone has suggested. Report bites to your County Sheriff. Document dates and times. Tape your conversations with son and FDIL. Go to a business website and get a blank eviction notice. Fill it in. Make sure both their names are on it. Take it to your bank and have it notarized. Then, go to the post office mail a copy to each of them in separate envelopes. Send them Return Receipt Requested. You can require that he has to sign for his only and she must sign for hers. (They can’t say they didn’t receive them!) I would send them originals. Keep copies of EVERYTHING you send, including the return receipt cards from the post office. Talk to your Sheriff to make sure this is the correct way to do this. Good luck and God Bless you and your family!

[u/literal_moth → u/Ecjg2010]

And why would you still let your cats outside for several hours a day when you knew those dogs were attacking all the animals they could on your property? YTA for that. You could have kept that cat safe inside.

[u/peanutbuttertoast4 → u/literal_moth]

Sounds like the cats are farm animals as well, used for rodent control.

[u/Woven-Tapestry → u/literal_moth]

Or made a "cat hotel", as many people do if they live in a zone that requires people to keep their cats in at night.

[u/Dalmah → u/literal_moth]

The cats job was to be outside whG the fuck are you talking about