What should I do about a hostile neighbor?

This is a bit of a long story but hopefully someone out there can offer some advise.

I live in a small town to which we moved just over a year ago. I purchased my small home and live in the middle of the street with neighbors who own houses to my left and two rental houses to my right.

My immediate neighbor on my right is just great, but the one next to him on the corner lot is a complete loser. The other day I was on the front street with my small six pound puppy, who was on his leash. I had just returned from errands in my car and had the dog with me. I went to speak with my immediate next door neighbors wife who was out front watching her children play on the street. After speaking for a few minutes I walked away heading with my little dog on his leash toward my home.

The corner neighbor (Mr. A) had not closed his gate and his Rottweiller dog charged at me from behind and jumped to attack my little dog. I had seen him as I glanced over my left shoulder which allowed me time to scoop my dog from the ground to my arms. The Rotweiller while trying to attatck my dog managed to bite me fully on the stomach as I held my small animal away and in the air to save him from being mauled or killed. My dog was yelping in fear and squirmed from my arms falling to the ground in front of me where the Rotty tried to clamp down on him but not before I dove down and body checked the animal and grabbed it by its collar to restrain it. After doing this the wife came out to the front to see what the screaming and shouting was about and took her animal. The good neighbors wife had picked up my puppy and purse and took them to my house.

My dog was injured and needed to be examined by a vet, and I went to the hospital to have my wounds examined. The wife of this neighbor Mr. A came to my home after the event and apologized and said she took responsability and would pay the vet bills. I contacted the police and the SPCA and filed a report, but because I want to recover the 0 in vet fees I did not have them deal with it (a ticket for having an animal at large). I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, and allow them to make restitution.

This evening my mother and son were walking our dog on leash and walked past their home, on the opposite side of the street when Mr. A became verbally aggressive and started yelling that they should not walk our dog outside (this is on the other side of the road) . He was yelling and swearing and my mother (elderly) returned and told me.

I went outside and his wife was walking up the street returning home from work. I spoke to her and asked that she tell her husband not to yelll at my mother, if he has a problem to come and talk to me. He then stuck his head out the door and again became verbally aggressive accusing us of shining a flashlight in their living room window as we go by (we don’t shine it anywhere near their window and have taken to using a flashlight at night since the surprise attack by his dog). He then stated that our dog crapped on his lawn (he didn’t, and we always pick up and expect others to do the same), he then went on to say that we shouldn’t stand with our leashed dog on the corner of the road because it causes their dog to bark, and that I can wish on if I think they are paying our vet bill. I replied to him that was fine because he could count then on seeing me in court. I was after all bitten in the stomache and have wittnesses and photos to prove it. As well as my small dog having suffered deep tissue injury as a result of their negligence.

This is a really nasty situation and it appears I am not dealing with a rational person. I believe that town streets are free for all to walk on and that my dog who is leashed, licensed and in control has every right to walk whereever he wants with us, as long as we aren’t on their rental property?

This guy is going to make my life miserable since I expect them to chain their animal (one of two large dogs) and pay the damages we suffered. How should I deal with any future abuse from Mr. A? Do I need to tell the police, they already have taken the report on the initial attack on me from their Rottweiller. I don’t want anymore hassles from them and want to be able to walk freely with my dog in our neighborhood without fear of attack or verbal aggression.
Do I need a lawyer?

Related Topics :

• What should I do about a hostile neighbor?
• Am I responsible for this?
• Neighbor's small dog bit me and my husband. Who covers our medical bills?

Comments

Copyright © 2008 - 2009 Lawyers Attorneys FAQs