This just came up on my facebook.

I'm usually of the opinion that in any disagreement, neither party is ever 100% correct.
In this instance, the stretch of an owner 'allowing' his dog to be in his owner's yard, who occasionally aggressively barks, being somehow responsible for ruining the Christmas season, is just outright insanity.
One MIGHT be able to argue that the owner could be held responsible for the broken bones IF this was the first time that lady had walked by that house, and she honestly didn't know there was a dog there. Maybe.
That being said, taking to social media and spewing your anger is not going to get an owner to change any behavior. In fact, it will probably just get him to leave his dog out there just in spite.
The appropriate action would have been to stop by the owner's house, anger abetted, and see if he'd be willing to find a way to prevent the dog from being so close to the sidewalk. Maybe.
I wouldn't sacrifice my dogs backyard, Drumsogrohl. That isn't fair to the dog. This woman has many streets to choose from to walk down for exercise - I'm sure she can manage to find an alternative route. I have a pet bull. He is about 1800 lbs now and our land has a long stretch of road frontage where people walk for exercise because it is very scenic area. If they don't feel comfortable with my bull running up to the fence (he's like a big puppy - loves people) then they can find another route. I wouldn't take away that fence line space from my little sugar bear because someone doesn't feel safe walking by him. We don't have a privacy fence. It is a ranch style fence with a row of barbed wire on the inside. Inside my yard to my house there is no barbed wire - no fence - just a small electric wire fence and if he needs to come over it - he will. There is a cow gate out front so he won't get out on the road.
 
I'm on a page for my neighborhood community on Facebook. I have a large dog (108 lbs) -- he is of a breed that can be aggressive (Cane Corso) -- he's inside most of the time, and I bring him to work most of the time... so he certainly isn't a dog that is outside all the time. I do of course leave him in the backyard sometimes, and he can bark when he sees something that alerts him... He doesn't bark all the time, and if I'm home and I hear him barking I bring him inside.

I saw this post and the first 10 or so after it were all essentially agreeing with this person and I couldn't believe it. I seriously wanted to say: "Are we seriously having this conversation right now? Is this what American has devolved into?"

Fortunately, before I had a chance to get to the computer more logical people chimed in and essentially said what I wanted to say... but I wanted to hear what everyone else had to say. Here's a cut and paste of the post:

Not so Merry Christmas ...

I know we have a lot of pet owners in the neighborhood, some of whom are more responsible than others.

While walking through the neighborhood regularly, my wife and I have often been startled by aggressively barking dogs who seemed to have been waiting behind their fences just for us to appear. We always hypothesized what could happen if an elderly person would come along that way and be startled like that ... maybe even getting a heart attack.

We know several dog owners who have responsibly trained their dogs to not react like this, or who are keeping their dogs inside the house. But apparently, others are just ignoring their responsibilities and "don't care".

We never addressed any of these owners because we didn't want to aggravate anybody.

Unfortunately, my wife had to pay that price last week. While she was on her morning walk, one of these aggressive watch dogs jumped against the fence while barking like crazy. This shocked her so much that she reacted in a side-step away from the fence and off the side-walk, where she fell face forward onto the concrete. She suffered not only a mild head trauma but she fractured her humerus and had to be taken to a hospital ER for treatment.

This all occurred while I was on a business trip through Europe and Africa.

Since we have a teenaged daughter and no family in the country I had to cancel my ongoing trip and book a next-day return flight.

As you can imagine, this is not only causing my wife severe pain and discomfort for weeks to come, it has also made this one of the worst Christmas season for our family ever. On top of that, it has created a few thousand dollars worth of costs (healthcare, unscheduled return trip, cancellation of two week trips) for our family, which we have to cover out-of-pocket.

In the next few days I will personally contact the owners of this lovely pet to find out how they will face their "responsibilities". I hope that everyone who has a dog like this, and who treats or handles that dog without proper training or restraints is prepared to willingly cover their part in our Christmas story.

We will no longer tolerate ignorance towards others when it comes to responsibly handling pets. This might happen again ... and with an outcome worse than ours.
UQuizpj.jpg
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!

li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More



  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!
I've never been on face book, Chris. I have no idea how they run that social media stuff - but if someone insulted my bull on a community board where others could read what they were saying about him? I'd be upset about it. Seriously. The people should have talked to the owner, not scandalized the poor dog's reputation on a social media site.
 
If she walks in that neighborhood regularly, she should already know about all the dogs that are there.

Seems to me they are just trying to get her goof up to help pay for the medical bill.
 
When Americans give up their guns and the Islamist get rid of those supposedly dirty dogs many of us keep they have it made in the shade (so they think).
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!

li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More

  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!

li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.

I had a crazy neighbor who sent me hate mail about my dogs lol. I knew who it was, the same old geezer who tottered to the end of his driveway that overlooked my yard, to glare at and yell at my dogs when they noticed him and started barking at him. He finally stupidly called the cops to report that my dogs were tied up and barking one night..the result being that the cop parked his car about a block down and sneaked up to my house at 10 pm with a flashlight, TERRIFYING my daughter and her girlfriend who was spending the night. My dogs weren't outside, they hadn't been outside, we were all in bed. The idiot geezer heard some other dogs barking. And the dogs he DID hear were two houses down from him.

You live in town. Dogs bark. If you don't like it, #1, get yourself a private estate, or #2, die.

I told the cop I'd gotten hate mail and that the old fool had made a hobby out of tormenting my PIT and my ST. BERNARD to the point that they started slavering the minute they saw his dumb ass. Hate mail and cop calls immediately stopped.
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!

li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.

I had a crazy neighbor who sent me hate mail about my dogs lol. I knew who it was, the same old geezer who tottered to the end of his driveway that overlooked my yard, to glare at and yell at my dogs when they noticed him and started barking at him. He finally stupidly called the cops to report that my dogs were tied up and barking one night..the result being that the cop parked his car about a block down and sneaked up to my house at 10 pm with a flashlight, TERRIFYING my daughter and her girlfriend who was spending the night. My dogs weren't outside, they hadn't been outside, we were all in bed. The idiot geezer heard some other dogs barking. And the dogs he DID hear were two houses down from him.

You live in town. Dogs bark. If you don't like it, #1, get yourself a private estate, or #2, die.

I told the cop I'd gotten hate mail and that the old fool had made a hobby out of tormenting my PIT and my ST. BERNARD to the point that they started slavering the minute they saw his dumb ass. Hate mail and cop calls immediately stopped.
We don't have anyone within a 2,000 feet of us and certain neighbor's would bitch about the dogs and they are very large house dogs. Now why would that be?
 
Same neighborhood, another doddering oldster used to parade his barking weiner dog back and front in front of my house, while my dogs barked through our picture window. He'd stroll back, and forth, and back, and forth....Sometimes a whole crew of old men would congregate on foot and in cars, across from my driveway and chit chat and stare up at my dogs. Why they didn't congregate in front of their OWN houses, I don't know.

My dil was at home with her kids and the dogs one day, and the old weiner dog moron was out there, and the terrier ran over his dachshund...the pit didn't leave the driveway, and the saint took off for parts unknown (for a few minutes). My dil was right behind them, and this asshole called the cops AFTER all the dogs ran off and while he was looking right at my dil and her 4 y.o. who were racing after them.

What a fucking prick. Then he demanded that I pay for his dog's ANTI ANXIETY MEDICATION. He took the little fucker to the vet, the vet told him there was absolutely no damage, so he took it back again the next day and said the dog was now a nervous wreck after being rolled by a dog of equal size (my terrier).
 
Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!

li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.

I had a crazy neighbor who sent me hate mail about my dogs lol. I knew who it was, the same old geezer who tottered to the end of his driveway that overlooked my yard, to glare at and yell at my dogs when they noticed him and started barking at him. He finally stupidly called the cops to report that my dogs were tied up and barking one night..the result being that the cop parked his car about a block down and sneaked up to my house at 10 pm with a flashlight, TERRIFYING my daughter and her girlfriend who was spending the night. My dogs weren't outside, they hadn't been outside, we were all in bed. The idiot geezer heard some other dogs barking. And the dogs he DID hear were two houses down from him.

You live in town. Dogs bark. If you don't like it, #1, get yourself a private estate, or #2, die.

I told the cop I'd gotten hate mail and that the old fool had made a hobby out of tormenting my PIT and my ST. BERNARD to the point that they started slavering the minute they saw his dumb ass. Hate mail and cop calls immediately stopped.
We don't have anyone within a 2,000 feet of us and certain neighbor's would bitch about the dogs and they are very large house dogs. Now why would that be?
Your post makes no sense, so I have no idea what you're talking about?
 
If it is your dog? I think defamation of character might be a possibility! After all - animals have rights too these days!

li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.

I had a crazy neighbor who sent me hate mail about my dogs lol. I knew who it was, the same old geezer who tottered to the end of his driveway that overlooked my yard, to glare at and yell at my dogs when they noticed him and started barking at him. He finally stupidly called the cops to report that my dogs were tied up and barking one night..the result being that the cop parked his car about a block down and sneaked up to my house at 10 pm with a flashlight, TERRIFYING my daughter and her girlfriend who was spending the night. My dogs weren't outside, they hadn't been outside, we were all in bed. The idiot geezer heard some other dogs barking. And the dogs he DID hear were two houses down from him.

You live in town. Dogs bark. If you don't like it, #1, get yourself a private estate, or #2, die.

I told the cop I'd gotten hate mail and that the old fool had made a hobby out of tormenting my PIT and my ST. BERNARD to the point that they started slavering the minute they saw his dumb ass. Hate mail and cop calls immediately stopped.
We don't have anyone within a 2,000 feet of us and certain neighbor's would bitch about the dogs and they are very large house dogs. Now why would that be?
I have no idea what you're talking about?
People who don't like coming to our house because of the dogs. We live in the country and certain people don't like the dogs because if they invited themselves in while we're gone the dogs would eat them.
 
li·bel
ˈlībəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    LAW
    a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation.
    synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination,calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration.
verb
  1. 1.
    LAW
    defame (someone) by publishing a libel.
    "she alleged the magazine had libeled her"
    synonyms: defame, malign, slander, blacken someone's name, sully someone's reputation, speak ill/evil of, traduce, smear, cast aspersions on, drag someone's name through the mud, besmirch,tarnish, taint, tell lies about, stain, impugn someone's character/integrity, vilify, denigrate, disparage, run down, stigmatize,discredit, slur; More
  2. 2.
    (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) bring a suit against (someone).
Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.

I had a crazy neighbor who sent me hate mail about my dogs lol. I knew who it was, the same old geezer who tottered to the end of his driveway that overlooked my yard, to glare at and yell at my dogs when they noticed him and started barking at him. He finally stupidly called the cops to report that my dogs were tied up and barking one night..the result being that the cop parked his car about a block down and sneaked up to my house at 10 pm with a flashlight, TERRIFYING my daughter and her girlfriend who was spending the night. My dogs weren't outside, they hadn't been outside, we were all in bed. The idiot geezer heard some other dogs barking. And the dogs he DID hear were two houses down from him.

You live in town. Dogs bark. If you don't like it, #1, get yourself a private estate, or #2, die.

I told the cop I'd gotten hate mail and that the old fool had made a hobby out of tormenting my PIT and my ST. BERNARD to the point that they started slavering the minute they saw his dumb ass. Hate mail and cop calls immediately stopped.
We don't have anyone within a 2,000 feet of us and certain neighbor's would bitch about the dogs and they are very large house dogs. Now why would that be?
I have no idea what you're talking about?
People who don't like coming to our house because of the dogs. We live in the country and certain people don't like the dogs because if they invited themselves in while we're gone the dogs would eat them.

Yes, when my doberman was alive people were afraid to come up to the door but he passed away and then I got my bull shortly after which was a real blessing. He was bottle fed. We used to have to cut the grass to make him eat it - he was so spoiled. My bull won't bite anyone but he might come through the wire and charge someone if he thought they were there to do harm. He's very territorial. He'll be laying in the yard having some sun but if someone drives up - he is on his feet. Bless his heart. We can't go on vacation because there is no one who can get him back in the gate if he gets out (except us). He's like a big baby Huey that doesn't know his own strength. When he sees my car coming he gallops alongside my car all the way up to the house. My husband was amazed when he saw that. I told him he thinks I'm his mother! He's never rammed my car but he has rammed my husbands trucks before. He's got a hard head. He knocked the telephone pole down and they had to replace it. The neighbors said the transformers on their telephone poles were shaking in their front yards way down the road! They came up and told us he was ramming the pole. We were amazed at his strength to take that pole down! The electric folks told my husband that is the most beautiful bull they have ever seen! He's a real beauty. I love him.
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?

Find the right lawyer and maybe! :lol:
I would not sue. Why should he lower his own standards to meet theirs? I'd send a letter and ask them to knock it off.
 
If other people on that community board knew it was your dog and the dog was safely secured in your backyard? I think you could send him a certified letter asking him to stop harassing you and your dog on social media when you've done nothing wrong.

I had a crazy neighbor who sent me hate mail about my dogs lol. I knew who it was, the same old geezer who tottered to the end of his driveway that overlooked my yard, to glare at and yell at my dogs when they noticed him and started barking at him. He finally stupidly called the cops to report that my dogs were tied up and barking one night..the result being that the cop parked his car about a block down and sneaked up to my house at 10 pm with a flashlight, TERRIFYING my daughter and her girlfriend who was spending the night. My dogs weren't outside, they hadn't been outside, we were all in bed. The idiot geezer heard some other dogs barking. And the dogs he DID hear were two houses down from him.

You live in town. Dogs bark. If you don't like it, #1, get yourself a private estate, or #2, die.

I told the cop I'd gotten hate mail and that the old fool had made a hobby out of tormenting my PIT and my ST. BERNARD to the point that they started slavering the minute they saw his dumb ass. Hate mail and cop calls immediately stopped.
We don't have anyone within a 2,000 feet of us and certain neighbor's would bitch about the dogs and they are very large house dogs. Now why would that be?
I have no idea what you're talking about?
People who don't like coming to our house because of the dogs. We live in the country and certain people don't like the dogs because if they invited themselves in while we're gone the dogs would eat them.

Yes, when my doberman was alive people were afraid to come up to the door but he passed away and then I got my bull shortly after which was a real blessing. He was bottle fed. We used to have to cut the grass to make him eat it - he was so spoiled. My bull won't bite anyone but he might come through the wire and charge someone if he thought they were there to do harm. He's very territorial. He'll be laying in the yard having some sun but if someone drives up - he is on his feet. Bless his heart. We can't go on vacation because there is no one who can get him back in the gate if he gets out (except us). He's like a big baby Huey that doesn't know his own strength. When he sees my car coming he gallops alongside my car all the way up to the house. My husband was amazed when he saw that. I told him he thinks I'm his mother! He's never rammed my car but he has rammed my husbands trucks before. He's got a hard head. He knocked the telephone pole down and they had to replace it. The neighbors said the transformers on their telephone poles were shaking in their front yards way down the road! They came up and told us he was ramming the pole. We were amazed at his strength to take that pole down! The electric folks told my husband that is the most beautiful bull they have ever seen! He's a real beauty. I love him.

I love your bull stories!
 
Dogs are going to bark, babies are going to cry, people are going to be pussies. Life is full of aggravations. :D

Do you think I can sue him for making a stupid post and elevating my stress level, due to dealing with idiots?

Find the right lawyer and maybe! :lol:
I would not sue. Why should he lower his own standards to meet theirs? I'd send a letter and ask them to knock it off.

Lol. I don't think you can sue over your dog being "slandered". I was only kidding. In order to sue someone for slander or libel, you would have to show that it has affected or has the potential to affect you negatively in some way, as in your livelihood, your reputation, etc. I don't think it really applies to animals though.
 

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