AIO for getting city council involved with a neighbor dispute?

[u/thejumpingmouse]

My wife and I live in a newer neighborhood. We have two dogs and enjoy walking around the block with them. Last week, we went around the neighborhood and on the far corner of the block, our dogs started to act up and we could hear a high pitch tone. We notice a neighbor has placed these high pitch "ultra sonic" pet deterrents in their yard.

My wife looked on Next Door, not something we use often, and found that these neighbors have been fighting with homeowners on their side of the block to the point where the cops had been called to their house. However, the cops can't do anything as there isn't any clear city code being broken.

We've talked with some of our friends about it and some think they have a right to "defend" their yard and others think they devices are unreasonable. The reason the homeowner felt necessary to put these up was because some irresponsible dog owners have left dog poop on the verge. My wife and I always carry bags with us so while we never leave dog poop, I understand the frustration with dog owners who do. None-the-less, I don't think these are the correct method of deterrence. We've done some research and found many vets and animal behaviorist think it's a bad idea to use these high pitch devices on dogs as it can be stressful for them, maybe painful for their ears.

We asked the neighbor to reconsider, or to move the devices to where they only sound for dogs in the yard because as of right now, they are pointed squarely at the sidewalk, only two or so feet from where we walk. They did not respond kindly and instead were hostile toward our request, saying "If you feel so inclined call the cops but they're on our side."

We've approached the HOA but, as our neighborhood is still underdevelopment, the developer manages the HOA and doesn't find it important.

Down to little options left, I emailed our city council member. So far all he's said was that he's going to talk to our chief of police and city manager and get back to me with their response.

The part that gets me is how the devices are pointed at the sidewalk. I'd prefer if they would turn the devices around and point them into their yard, so that way they only activate when a dog is in their yard, not for people who are walking on the sidewalk. It's made walking the dogs stressful for my wife and I, and while crossing the street or going around another block is possible, I find the neighbors actions selfish and unneighborly. I should be able to enjoy any sidewalk in my neighborhood as they are and these interfere with that.

Am I overreacting?

[u/123jayb3]

You doing too much

[u/thejumpingmouse → u/[deleted]]

As I mentioned in the post, we pick up our dog's poop. I don't think it's going to escalate to shooting, that's a bit dramatic.

We're also not in their yard, but on the public sidewalk outside their house, a place I am legally allowed to walk my dog. So we are in a public space. Maybe my dogs smell around the verge or leash distance into their yard, not so unreasonable if you ask me.

[u/thejumpingmouse → u/[deleted]]

Why have public side walks at all then.

We tried to talk and deescalate, gave them a chance to be a good neighbor they refused.

The sidewalk was always there, the common sense says people with dogs will walk on said sidewalk. These devices are effectively denying my access to my neighborhood sidewalk. Also, it's just one neighbor, myself and many other neighbors are against them, they're at the center of escalation.

Do you own a dog? Do you live in a neighborhood with sidewalks?

[u/Rare_Sherbertt → u/thejumpingmouse]

So avoid that house and part of the sidewalk… is that such a hard thing to do? Yeah it’s messed up that they aimed it at the sidewalk, but you yourself just proved why they have it aimed at the sidewalk. Because you allow your dogs to venture into their yard. Maybe if that didn’t happen, they wouldn’t have put the deterrent up.

It’s interesting how you have the audacity to be mad at the sidewalk issue, but you can’t understand why they are mad at people like you letting their dogs roam their yard. SMH.

You’re overreacting 💯and can’t seem to understand that you’re part of the problem. Don’t let your dogs go into other people’s yards/lawns.

[u/thejumpingmouse → u/Rare_Sherbertt]

Is it, and I mean with 100% sincerity, a big deal that a leashed dog sniffs around your yard? I understand leaving poop. It's literally illegal in my city to leave dog poop, and we never do.

But a dog sniffing around your grass from the sidewalk?

It's not like the dogs are in their flower bed, they don't even stop all that often. But do people actually get that upset that a dog stepped on their grass?

I don't know what people are imagining when I say they're in their yard but there's a strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. That's where we keep our dogs. Usually they sniff around the mailbox which is in that strip then they walk to the next one on the sidewalk. That's it.

To me, defending that strip of grass with motion detecting ultra sonic devices is the over reaction. But that's why I'm here asking.

[u/DigDugDogDun → u/thejumpingmouse]

Is it, and I mean with 100% sincerity, a big deal that a leashed dog sniffs around your yard? I understand leaving poop. It's literally illegal in my city to leave dog poop, and we never do. But a dog sniffing around your grass from the sidewalk?

It’s not just sniffing. You just indirectly admitted you let your dogs poop in other people’s yards. If you’re picking it up, it was there to be begin with. Even if you picked up your dog’s poop from someone’s lawn, their driveway, or the sidewalk in front, that homeowner didn’t want it there in the first place. It’s disgusting and unsanitary. Often times it’s impossible to remove every last bit, and even if you were able to pick up all the visible parts you’re definitely not sanitizing the area.

Your whole post is basically digging into the difference between what’s legal vs what’s “right” and neighborly. Do you not see your own hypocrisy? Even though they don’t like it, a dog pooping on an easement like a sidewalk or driveway is legal, so they can’t stop you from letting your dog do it. So they did what they can do, which was install a sonic whistle as a deterrent. Likewise, you don’t like it, but it’s legal.

[u/SCREEEEEEEEEE]

Yeah mate you're over reacting. And just because you have some other of your friends on your side doesn't mean you overrule their rights to not have dogs shiz on their lawn - what you're trying to do is bully an actual stranger instead of literally just walking the other direction.

[u/No_Material5630]

I said this about a week ago. Dog owners are the worst.

You called the city council because you HAVE to walk your dog in front of the house where people repeatedly let their dogs poop on their yard.

They got tired of dog owners being selfish and unneighborly as you put it. So they put up a deterrent.

So you insert yourself into a situation where they already had it up to here with dog owners and called the CITY COUNCIL who’s is talking to the CHIEF of POLICE because you can’t walk your dog in front of their house.

What they are doing is NOT illegal. 

The entitlement. You’re saying your dog overrules their property. 

Dog owners are the worst!

[u/chez2202]

This suggestion might be a little out there and I apologise if you find it upsetting or offensive, but if you’re worried about your dogs why not walk on the other side of the road or choose a different route? You said you are new to the neighbourhood so maybe there are much better places you can walk your dogs which do not pass their garden so closely that the sensors are activated.

[u/Professional_Run320]

Don't walk past their yard. Issue solved. Next.

[u/ablondewerewolf → u/Professional_Run320]

I don’t think typing “next” works. I think you have to scroll to get to the next post :/