Tuesday, January 26, 2010

New Neighbors

NOTICE-THIS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TONGUE-IN-CHEEK BLOG (Somewhat).

We have new neighbors here in the plain Plains place where I live. The family consists of one young demur looking lady, and her three dogs.

I don't want to get sued from here to the dog pound by posting a photo of the lady, so I went on line and found a resembling person.



Truly, this looks almost exactly like her. Now the reason you need to see this lovely lady is, I need to prove the point that looks can be deceiving. For example, as I said, she has three dogs, which I always find a bit odd, a single young person with THREE DOGS, but...hey, not my business.

Before I saw the dogs, I envisioned cute little lady dogs. But that was my assumption mode. I ASSUMED they were lady like doggies. The first one I saw, she letting crap in her front yard...a big old black thing, which began going bejeepers the minute I stepped out my door. Not exactly a good start to our neighborlynessness.

Next, I saw her medium brown doggy taking a bodacious dump in her driveway, on the concrete, which has still not been cleaned up two weeks later (in her defense, it has been snowy and cold, but still...). A few days ago, I looked out our front window and she was being pulled rapidly, down the street (she was in the street) by a blond and white dog. Then it hit me. Holy Mother of Whatshis/her, that's...that's...a...NO...NO...PIT BULL.

For those of you who don't know what a pit bull looks like...



Different color than our neighborhood pit, but a cute little thing, isn't it?

Being the father of two daughters, one of which is only six years old, coming to the realization of this third dog's lineage, well it couldn't be much worse if it was this:



This is of course, a hyena. They are used in an African country, the name of which I forget, for bill collecting purposes. I did a post of this about a year ago. But I digress.

My concern is mainly for the six year old. In the warm months she likes to ride her bike down our driveway and onto the sidewalk. She likes to do her sidewalk chalk things, and she hangs out with dad back by the garage at the end of our driveway. We play ball, cook out...just sit and talk.

Our house is the flip of our neighbors, and our driveways butt up to one another. When we are at the back end, near our kitchen door, and the neighbor's kitchen door, we are very, very close.

Last Sunday I was out getting something out of our car when I noticed the neighbor was out with the pit (doing it's business...in her front yard...of course). I said hi, commented on the weather, said, I'll bet you will be glad to get your new fence done so you don't have to do this any more (Mr. Devious friendly). Yes. BTW, is that a pit bull? Oh, we (we?) don't know for sure. We (we again) think it's a mix (pit bull lovers always claim they are "mixes" and in fact say there is no such thing as a pit bull ((so why is it that when I google pit bull, it pulls up photos of YOUR FUCKING DOG?)) ). They also use this logic to contend that pit bulls get a bad press...that there are as many Lab Retriever bites in the U.S. every year as pit bulls (see, they acknowledge the nomenclature of pit bull for statistical purposes, but deny there is such a thing as pit bulls). This of course is balderdash, poppycock, and bullshit.

Back to the conversation. She then tells me that she just got this dog...she "rescued" it from a bad situation (FUCKING GREAT...a rescued mistreated pit bull...shit...FUCK...did not need to hear this). Me, is it obedience trained? Yes (yes, so why does it have a triple wrap heavy ass chain around it's neck, and why is it pulling your ass down the street when you walk it?). Then I express my concern about my children playing in the driveway, and how close we all are here. She says, she will never leave the dogs outside when she's gone, and not to worry.

I am not reassured. And there is nothing I can do about this dog living next door to us...legally.

NOTE - all you pit bull lovers out there, don't tell me about your dog owning rights, and how they are great family pets, and how they are usually provoked into attacking, ad nauseam. I will simply delete your dumb ass comments. Pit bulls are dangerous animals, set to go off like time bombs. I no more want one living next to me than I would want rattlesnakes living next door to me.

I have no patience with philosophies that contend dogs have more rights than my children. And I resent having to alter our lifestyle so that someone else can indulge their lifestyle, by owning dangerous dogs. Fuck you.

Fini.

34 comments:

Doug said...

I'm with you, dude.

Speaking of dogs and strange owners, why do I see so many people who are either homeless or obviously nary a pot to piss in, with humungous dogs? Wouldn't a large dog make it even harder to find two ends and make them meet?

Punch said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Punch said...

Well, there really are rights when it comes to owning dogs. Is in the constitution, Section 8, just before uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies.
They are lovely family pets, they will eat anything you put in front of them.
Actually they usually are provoked into attacking, some damn kid out there whoopin' and hollorin' and ridin' a bike all 'round and all, just what is a killer dog to think.
We must all learn to be more tolorant of pain and sufferin', think of the pit bulls in Haiti.
Peace brother
SPCA, pit bull sector.

mo.stoneskin said...

Mate I would be furious. I mean, I'm mad enough about the neighbour's cat which keeps going through the trash and scattering it about our patio, mad enough to shoot the damn thing, but if there was a pit bull living near my little daughter I would be beside myself.

Wife's friend had a pit bull ON THE DAMN STREET IN A PUBLIC PLACE DAMMIT go for her toddler and I've never recovered.

Can you report it? Is it classified as a dangerous breed over there?

The Plashing Vole said...

They're banned over here in the UK, not that it stops some thugs.
Doug: if you were homeless, you'd want a big angry dog for protection… it's a tough life out there.

the walking man said...

For different reasons but the same understanding I had to fence off the front yard of my house. I despise the shared driveway but fuck those neighbors who despise the fence because it makes it hard for their rotund slobular asses to get out of their cars. My fence solved my problem and i put it 1/2 inch inside the property line.

A guy across the street kept a Rottweiler that used to jump the fence and take the attack mode on my son when he was walking home from school.

The guy got spoke to once about his dog and when he got home and found I had beat the thing to death he understood I only say something concerning my families safety once. 6 months later the DEA took care of any lingering problems that may have been on his soul between us.

Steph said...

As an owner of Pitbull mix I say you have every right to be freaked out by this turn of events. Trust me, I never set out to own one but six years ago when my husband saw "Walter" on the animal shelter's website and said "Hey! This dog is going to be put down. He looks just like Pete from the the "Little Rascals", we couldn't let it happen. Duh....Pete was a Pitbull.

The shelter listed him as a lab-mix which he is a mix but as you said...he's a Pit. That will always be dominant. He's an amazing dog, best one I've ever owned, great with EVERYONE. But, that can mostly be attributed to tons of excercise and tons of discipline. If it wasn't for my husband, he would probably be a fuckin' bastard.

I honestly would be very frightened in your situation. Sounds like this lady has absoloutely no idea how to handle this sort of tenacious animal and therefore....that makes him dangerous. People should have to obtain a license to own these animals and I promise you that if the shelter would have told us "Walter" had Pit in him....he probably would've gotten gassed.

It may be legal for her to have it, but wherever she rescued it from should've been more responsible in who they let take it. She sounds like a complete marshmallow. Do you have a Homeowner's Association that you could at least report the front yard crapping to?

Doug said...

Mr. Vole, never thought of that.

The Peach Tart said...

Don't they have laws there about fences and such? I'd be pissed too.

Holte Ender said...

JJ I am with you on this, I have the scars to prove that sweet family pets, "don't worry, he won't hurt you" type of pets (this one was a Rottweiler) can and do hurt. Do what you have to protect your family.

Mr. Charleston said...

I've been through this thing several times JJ. The law usually requires owners to either A: fence their yard, or B: keep animal on leash any time outside. The problems are, A: Dogs can climb chail link fences, and B: A Pit Bull on a leash is nearly impossible to control by anyone weighing less than 300lbs. and the one you describe could easily jerk the woman off of her feet and the leash out of her hand.

I am currently keeping a young pit bull for my step-son who is moving from one college to another and I can tell you he is one powerful dog. He's a lovable dog who wouldn't deliberatly hurt anyone but their bite is so strong that any accidental bite can do major damage, as I found out by being accidently bitten while playing tug with him.

Walking Man took the unfair (to him), but only sure solution, you are going to have to fence the dogs out.

Sue said...

I'm sorry. There is NOTHING worse then a bad neighbor situation, except a bad, mean, scary fuckin' dog situation. Hope you stay safe!

corticoWhat said...

Ethylene Glycol

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/210900.htm

Just sayin'......

jadedj said...

Doug---Robbers?

Punch---

Punch---Bow wow.

Mo---the problem in the states is, it is up to individual municipalities and there are many dog owner associations that lobby against such legislation. They label these measures as "Breed Specific Legislation", the argument by them against this is, we shouldn't hold all dogs of a breed accountable for a "few" bad ones. Miami has banned pit bulls all together. A small town 10 miles from my city has done the same, as has New York City (I think). But in many cities, because of political pressure, the best they can come up with is muzzle laws. My city has tried both and the city council has neen intimidated by such associations as the American PIt Bull bunch, to the extent that they now won't even consider such laws. My view is we do not need pit bulls, rotweillers, or dobbermans in urban situations...especially pit bulls.

Plashing---Good for the UK. Any sensible society would do the same.

Good reasoning regards homeless endangerments.

wm---In this state that is a felony, punishable by 1 year in prison...PRISON! And they do prosecute. We can kill, deer, little rabbits, wild turkeys and sundry other creatures of the wild...but dogs are off limits. Along with that absurdity is the fact that a biting dog gets three strikes before it's out...a fine, incrementally increased by $50, being the owners burden to bear. However, the up side is, if a dog KILLS someone, it's outta here.

Heidi---not to flip you off, but if I were you, I would be sleeping with one eye open. Pits notoriously snap, for no apparent reason. Hell, I had a Cocker once that flipped, and we had no idea why. Had to put it down. This is not to say the dog doesn't have a good dog reason for snapping, and is just being a dog, but so do rattlesnakes who are just being rattlesnakes. I don't even want to have to play either's mood against my family's safety.

The poop is the least of my worries, but there is a leash law and owners are supposed to follow along behind their dogs and pick up the loverly stuff. Enough reason for me to not own one of the things.

Peach---No fence law. If the dog is outside it is supposed to be on a leash. $50 fine if not. I see dogs all the time, not on leashes. Of course, even calling the animal control people in these instances, the damned dog and owner are in Borneo by the time the officers arrive. I know, it's hard to believe that people are not law-abiding.

Holte---I too have the same such scars. Twice bitten by "family" dogs, one of them mine, and I have never mistreated or intimidated any dog. Some dogs, like people are simply crazy. I will take whatever measures necessary to protect my wife and children.

C---your have hit the problem with pits. They are so powerful, and unlike many dogs who simple bite, but warn you before hand...pits do not. They go for broke...they go for the kill, after all that's what they were bred for. Their power and jaws are incredible. Pit bulls and children, as Punch pointed out, simply are not a good combination. I simply do not take owner's reassurances. All I can do is take a defensive position and be alert.

Sue---Thank you for the good wishes :)

corticoWhat---Enough said. Thanks for stopping by...I DO appreciate your thoughts.

Steph said...

Sorry you were bitten by your pets. :( That must've been extremely traumatic. It hasn't happened to me so I can't completely grasp how that feels. I imagine I wouldn't like or trust dogs very much.

Ken Riches said...

Nothing to say except scary, hope you find a fitful solution.

jadedj said...

Heidi---it has nothing really to do with me...it's about my children, and feeling secure that they are safe in their own space. Nothing more.

Bucko---Thanks for the well wishes.

Stephen said...

Whoa...hold your feelings back!
We have 17 dogs on our block, we have 2 Jack Russells...it is truly DOGTOWN. Everyone is very responsible. There is not a lot of barking, all dogs are cute & friendly, except my white trash next-door neighbor (who always has some animal carcass on his back patio), who lets his huge Rottweiler run loose. I feel your pain.

JenJen said...

I think I'd be a nervous wreck, too. OMG I can't even fathom....

jadedj said...

Stephen---we too have a ton of dogs on this street, none of them however what I call "power" dogs. I don't think any of the other neighbors are aware yet that the pit is here. It will be of special interest to the two across the street who own miniature type dogs.

The carcasses are most likely stray cats being fed to the Rottweiler..."yum, yum, me like kitties".

JenJen---I am definitely taking a defensive position.

Anonymous said...

Oy. Hope that, come spring, your new neighbors do get a fence.

jadedj said...

Elizabeth---fence is in the works, however there is still the factor of getting the dogs from the house to the fenced backyard when there is no direct route...that's what scares me. I can't trust that she will leash them to do that, when it's a mere 6 feet or so from one to the other. I would feel a lot better if I saw some muzzles, even more so than leashes.

intelliwench said...

Are the cats all accounted for?

I'm thinking the three dogs thing explains the single thing pretty well. I hope things with the fence work out before bike-riding, chalk-drawing weather gets here. Or there.

jadedj said...

intell---All except for the one I threw in her backyard. The howler. The one that is trying to kill me.

Yes, but three?

Harlequin said...

this was a great description and I loved the internal dialogue, with completely justifiable sentiments therein. I am hard pressed to find anything to disagree with .... and I hope there are some solutions besides good will in the offing since the weather cannot stay cold forever, and your daughter will most certainly be at risk. Good luck with this one.

PENolan said...

JJ
If pit bulls have been banned in NYC, nobody told the drug dealers at the bodega across the street. They seem to take turns lording over the corner with various kinds of attack dogs - some of which could be part hyena now that you mention it.

Since all y'all seem to have covered the dog issue thoroughly, I'm going to move on to Boyfriends. If the new neighbor is this dingy about dogs, just imagine the men she'll try to rescue and turn safe with her love. I'm not saying they'll be perps - but they might be drunks who don't watch where they're driving.

Can you arrange to have her house infested with bedbugs or something so she'd have to move? Something like an arsonist?

jadedj said...

PE---Thanks for clearing that up for me. I thought I had read that NYC had banned them, but obviously my old man thing kicked in...wait, what were we talking about?

Since writing this, I have noticed that she leaves at about 6:30 in the morning and returns at about 7 p.m. 5 days a week. What runs through my mind is, those dogs are cooped up in there building up frustration. Which also means, no time for boyfriends, drunk or no. Not good. Wait, maybe a drunk, drugged boyfriend will run over the pit...or kill it with his bare hands. Hope lives eternal.

jadedj said...

Harlequin---Sorry, didn't mean to skip over your comment. Anyway, thanks for the well wishes, probably going to need them...unless of course a drunken boyfriend saves the day.

PENolan said...

I believe somebody floated the idea of banning them, but drug dealers have rights too.

As for boyfriends - there's always time for boyfriends. The trouble is finding one . . .

jadedj said...

PE---I'm forming a plan here. JJ's lonely hearts club.

Kyle Leach said...

JJ, I'd be scared to. You're being a concerned, involved parent, something I wish more people were. Watch that neighbor like a hawk and throughly warn the kids. If she is willing to make some of the poor decisions that you have outlined, I tremble to think what else she can come up with.

jadedj said...

Kyle---This problem is paramount in my mind. For sure it is going to alter our at-home summer life style. Thanks for your concern and well wishes.

Lisa said...

I would be a nervous wreck near a pit bull even though mine has a little bit in him,But being he is a Scotty too he is friggin adorable and 27 lbs.
Me thinks you should report it so she has to license it as a dangerous dog and who knows maybe it will need to be evaluated.
I can say though a single woman as well as a homeless person does need protection although our Scotty mix will not even allow a leaf to blow by the house without his say so he is always on the alert.
Maybe you can find out who carries her homeowners insurance and report it to them. I know they can raise your rate for that. Maybe it would be too high and she would be forced to get rid of it.
Good luck I would be beside myself as well.See I can be sensible.

jadedj said...

Lisa---thanks for visiting and thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, most them don't apply in my town. As to protection, I certainly wouldn't deny her that, but I believe three large dogs is a bit excessive.