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I am NOT a fan of the Keaau branch of the Hawai’i Island Humane Society, but, stupidly, I keep trying. My neighbor is a young single woman who keeps two huge nasty rottweilers, male and female, both intact. She has a chain link enclosure on the far side of her house plus a fenced back yard. The problem is that she spends very little time at home. I don’t know if she’s working somewhere too far for a daily commute or staying with her girlfriend or…? She no longer speaks to me. On “normal” days she is there briefly most nights, sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes a few hours. She’s often gone all weekend. Her parents own the house but live on the mainland so not much they can do long distance. She hasn’t been around since a week ago yesterday and her dogs, which normally howl off and on through the day and night, howled less and less and then not at all. While I do hate those dogs, I realize that she is the problem, and they’re just doing what neglected dogs do. They have charged me before and I’m very cautious not to go into my back yard when I know they are loose in theirs so I didn’t want to attempt to check on them myself. Wednesday I called the Humane Society and asked them to check on the dogs just to make sure they had what they needed to keep going unattended. They said they’d come that day. They didn’t. Guess they didn’t work yesterday, but they did come today around noon. Truck drove into her driveway, honked, waited about 30 seconds, honked again, then backed out and left. Then my phone rang and it was the HS officer who asked me if I had called. I said yes, and I that I had just watched him honk and leave without ever getting out of the truck. He asked what the problem was with the dogs and I said I was just concerned for their welfare. He said he could see the dogs come to the fence on the other side of the house and they looked fine. I asked if he could tell if they had food, water, shelter from the truck. He said they were okay, then said he could see cats in my yard, asked how many cats I have, asked if I was a hoarder. He said he wanted to make sure I wasn’t a hoarder and increasing the feral cat population. The way he said it I felt threatened - do not question his lack of action or he would make trouble for the cats (and me). I said my cats are spayed and neutered, always, as are my two dogs. Nevertheless, I didn’t push him to come back and do his job; I know when I’m outflanked. So, I still don’t know of the rotts are okay, but I’m pretty sure I’ll never ask the HS for help again. What would you do?
use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without
I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
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ummm, that's probably what I would do too if I were the HS officer. You know I've seen some pretty crappy situations in hawaii as far as dogs go. I'm sure this guy had to go to the next 500 or so houses to check up on other animals. Sadly animal abuse is not uncommon. Unless dogs are running up to fence with their rib's showing and fur patches falling out there is not much you can do.
What did you expect him to do? Tress-pass on to someone's property and fight off two big dogs to see if they had food and water?
I would be more worried about "They have charged me before and I’m very cautious not to go into my back yard when I know they are loose in theirs"
So how long haven't you been enjoying your back yard?
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Well, let’s see…
Animal abuse might be less common if the officer bothered to get out of the vehicle and look around. If he just honks and drives off at those 500 houses, nothing will ever change, will it?
I expected him to get out of the truck and walk to the far side of the house and look through the six-foot chain link fence to see if there was food or water or shelter. He didn’t have to attempt to enter that enclosure, just look in, which he could not do from the truck parked halfway up the center driveway. If there was nothing visible, he could at least leave a notice. Sorry, but I don’t think that is too much to ask. By the way, I could not see the dogs at the fence, and they never barked - most unusual.
You’re right, I have little use of my own back yard because of those dogs, and it‘s been at least four years. I have chosen to retreat rather than fight with this rather odd and unfriendly neighbor. I have spoken with her parents (home owners) who seem to think she can do no wrong and that includes allowing her dogs to come over my four-foot fence into my yard, two episodes I can document. That is why she no longer speaks to me. A couple of years ago I did get them to install another taller fence five feet on their side of my fence but they never ran it all the way to the back fence and now it’s gone so…? Unfortunately, I can’t afford to install a rott-proof fence between our lots. I did find out who they have their homeowners insurance with and wonder if informing that company of the situation may be of some benefit. Meanwhile, I was able to cross-fence my yard so I have a sturdy fence between front and back and feel relatively safe if I stay on the front side. Sad but true.
use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without
I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.
I don't like the Kea'au shelter folks much either. Now there may be nice humane people in the bunch, so don't want to tar all with one brush, but on average I have been appalled.
Their attitude towards cats is simply ugly, IMHO. Seems to me they would just as soon see all the cats dead. Be sure to microchip your cats, because if they ever end up in that kill shelter, the cats without chips or an HS ID tag on the collar are killed right away -- even if they are clearly someone's pet. Collars come off, so chip them if you want to protect them.
I would never donate money to that shelter.
I'm really sorry to hear that you can't use your yard.
The neighbor's homeowner's insurance could simply cancel their policy. That would likely make the people mad at you.
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Actually, it was too much to ask if you only wanted the Humane Society to come out to your neighbor's house and walk up to the far side and look through a chain link fence to see if they had food, water or shelter. The Humane Society has a very finite amount of resources and every time they respond to a "well, maybe there might be a problem" sort of call, that means they have less time and gas money to go to the one where the animals truly are in need. Next time if you are worried, go look for yourself and let them save their time and resources for more dire circumstances.
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"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
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quote:
Originally posted by ericlp
...What did you expect him to do? Tress-pass on to someone's property and fight off two big dogs to see if they had food and water?...
When I had police out to report some damage a neighbors dog did, the police said they couldn't (actually refused is the correct wording) do anything and I should call the Humane Society because they had the same powers as the police do and could enter a property. According to that statement, the Humane Society would not be "trespassing". I get so tired of people who think their property is some sort of private sanctuary that is exempt from laws and regulations.
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A man's home is his castle
A proverbial expression that illustrates the principle of individual privacy, which is fundamental to the American system of government. In this regard, the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution — part of the Bill of Rights — prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures.”
If you don't mind giving up your fourth amendment then yay for you. The loop hole to get around this is called a helicopter. Since flying 15' above your home with out stepping foot on your property is not considered "trespassing" ... Tho, it does help to have a "No Trespassing" sign. Private Property ... is exactly that.
Private.
Doesn't make much sense to me. If the HS has the same 'power' as a cop, then the cops must be lazy.
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Talk of calling their insurance company sounds a bit... Extreme. Stalker-ish. I mean no offense, it just strikes me as a bit ick. I understand your frustration though, it's a tough situation. Certainly is a bummer you can't enjoy your back yard, and that they aren't good pet owners or neighbors. Good neighbors are everything!
If you've tried the HS and they haven't deemed it necessary to do more, then you might reconsider that fence. Bamboo is largely free, strong and could do a great privacy fence. We did a lanai wall like that... got some sturdy wire, drilled holes through the tops and bottoms of the bamboo and strung them up. It looks and works great. Just be sure it isn't sitting on the ground, and drain the top chambers so there's no sitting water. Cheap. Easy. Strong. Where there's a will there's a way. I might look into filing a noise complaint. Disturbing the peace is a misdemeanor and that would engage the police. Maybe that would be enough of a wake up call to her... then again, she'd probably know it was you and it would most certainly cause even more hard feelings.
How many cats do you have, Lin? Sucks that the officer would turn things on you. Wonder why he felt he could do that...? I noticed they don't have much liking for cats, I guess it would be hard not to get a bit cynical after seeing sooo many starving strays and having to put 95% down because of lack of adoptions and space. I liked the Kea'au HS when we got our dog there a few years ago. They'd held on to her an extra long time, trying to give her the chance to get adopted. I'd imagine the officers that have to do house calls are different. It's a job that would easily cause extreme cynicism in short order... unless a person's got something extra special about them.
Melissa Fletcher
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Fence is a good idea.
Police will not file a disturbing the peace complaint on something like that. They will tell you it's a "civil matter" between you and your neighbor. (Nuisance suit.)
There is a barking dog ordinance, but the officers really hate to do their part on it, does exist though.
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From a Facebook group called
"Please don't support the Humane Society of the United States":
Reason number 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E4K2iXCZ
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
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