neighbor's kids

mekasmom · #1 05/04/10, 09:00 PM

We have a PetSafe containment system for the dogs on our property. They can't go onto the neighbor's land, nor can they go into the road. The neighbor's kids came onto the property, went into the barn, and the dog scared them. My dog has puppies in the barn. Fortunately, the dog didn't bite the kids, just snarled and scared them by charging at them.

But it really irritates me. The neighbor is complaining. But realistically, if they kept their kids off my property and out of the barn, it wouldn't have happened. My dog does have her shots. She is a pyr/st bernard cross. I know puppies can be tempting to kids, but that really isn't an excuse for them to trespass on the property, especially in a building.

lasergrl · #2 05/04/10, 09:20 PM

Wow, the neighbor is complaining? I would have told her to keep her kids out of the barn. What if you had a bull or a stallion on your property? Lucky it was just a dog.

Cashs Cowgirl · #3 05/04/10, 10:44 PM

They are in the wrong. They were trespassing. Their children should be taught that you don't come on to people's property without permission.

Maybe call them and talk with them about it and invite the children at your convenience to see the puppies. Puppies are fun, but they should learn to call and ask to see them.

Ravenlost · #4 05/04/10, 10:50 PM

Whoa, your neighbor has some gall!!! I'd be highly irritated, but then, I don't tolerate folks tresspassing on my property, much less going in my barn! How old are these kids?

Kringees Mom · #5 05/04/10, 11:08 PM

Grrrrr.... If that was my kid trespassing on your property, she would be doing your weeding, or mucking, or whatever yucky chore you had in mind for the next three weekends... It gets my blood boiling when parents fail to teach their children to respect the property of others. Then I would ask if they could see the puppies, with permission of course.

tryskal · #6 05/05/10, 12:00 AM

I totally agree with the comments. If my son had ever done that.......yucky chores wouldn't have been enough. Kids can't grow up into wonderful law-abiding adults unless they are taught boundaries.

mekasmom · #7 05/05/10, 06:51 AM

They are preteens, maybe 7 and 8. Old enough to know better, but young enough to have an excuse. I just don't want Animal Control to say my (female) dog is vicious and make me destroy her. I don't think it will be an issue since she didn't actually bite them or break the skin. It never would have happened at all if the kids hadn't been bothering her puppies. She couldn't get to them at all if they hadn't come onto the property.

belladulcinea · #8 05/05/10, 08:26 AM

Put up no trespassing signs at the edges of your property and tell the neighbor they are there. Then if it happens again I would tell the kids that the police or sheriff would need to be called if they came on your land without permission again. Then do it.

We've had to put them on our back fence because of the park behind our yard and the frisbee golf. People have come in our gate more than once with the dogs in the yard. I now have a sign that says "you sue me for getting bitten, I will file charges for trespassing against you". All the neighbors have them on their fences so the police here know it's a problem. My dogs love the free frisbees!

Ravenlost · #9 05/05/10, 06:53 PM

I wouldn't wait for it to happen again! I'd let those kids, and their parents, know that they are NOT permitted on your property without permission or they will be charged with trespassing.

RandB · #10 05/06/10, 09:58 AM

Be very careful. It's sad to say, but it seems that in today's world, the animal owner is always in the wrong if someone gets hurt, especially a child. I worked years ago at a law firm, and read the paperwork from a trial that horrified me, as a horse owner. A child around the same age as the ones you are talking about, climbed through a fence into a horse pasture without the owner's knowledge. I guess the kid ran at the horses or something, and ended up getting kicked causing a severe head injury. Now this was inside the horse's own pasture, and the kid was clearly trespassing. No matter. The horse owner was held liable and had to pay a LOT of money to the parents of the kid. You can't be too careful.....