It's 3AM where I am and I can't sleep. I came here to tell this story and get opinions and advice. It's kinda a long story. I appreciate anyone who hangs in there long enough to finish it.
A few of you may remember I posted a couple months ago about a neighbor who has 2 Rottweillers that he lets run loose. It's known that these dogs have killed several cats on our street. The neighbor himself recently saw his dogs kill a cat. 2 other neighbors witnessed it. We believe they killed our cat, although we can't prove it.
We called the police a couple times and they finally issued a citation. A few days later, someone walked into our garage and punctured 2 tires on my car. We made a police report and then put cameras all around the house.
Meanwhile, we'd gotten a new kitten. His name was Jojo. We raised him totally indoors till he was about 4 months, then we started to let him have a few minutes outside now and then, carefully watched. Eventually we could see that he was smart enough to hide or climb a tree if there was anything he thought the least bit wrong - like the sound of two out-of-control dogs snarling and barking. He was young, strong, fit, and smart. We thought he'd be okay going out now and again. He never wanted to stay outside long, but sometimes he definitely wanted to go out. I didn't have the heart to keep him cooped up in the house 24/7. He was never gone more than 1/2 hour. In mid-December he turned 7 months old. Still basically a kitten.
The guy continued to let the dogs out. We continued to report it. One thing to know, it wasn't just cats who felt threatened. These dogs would charge anyone who came near them, barking and snarling. They never hurt a human, but they were very aggressive. Neighborhood folks who used to walk our street quit. Two families that I know of stopped letting their kids go outside alone. This guy and his dogs basically had the whole neighborhood terrorized.
3 weeks ago we let Jojo out early one morning for his 1/2 hour out. He never returned. About a week later DH and I were in our backyard and this guy - there's only one house between him and us - came out with his dogs. He began screaming at us that we couldn't do anything because the dogs were not on our property. Except then, the dogs charged us. They came onto our property and came within a few feet of us. Neither DH nor I was armed at the moment (that has now changed.) DH started filming with his cell phone. The dogs eventually returned to their owner. Suddenly he yells, "Do you want your cat back dead or alive?" I yelled, "Do you have my cat?" He said, "I don't but somebody does." The he screamed again, "Do you want him back dead or alive?" and he went back to his house. We called police, nothing done but a report.
Next day, the neighbor who lives between us texted DH that the neighbor told him he had taken our cat because he thought it was a stray and he would like DH to drop by so he could tell him where Jojo was. DH and I smelled a set-up of some type. We didn't go to his house. Couple nights later he flagged DH down. He told him to drop the charges we'd filed against his dogs and he'd give Jojo back. My heart was broken but I wasn't going to let this guy bully us.
Two evenings ago, the guy flags DH down again and says, "Is there any particular way you want your cat to die?" DH got him on the dash cam saying that. He came home, called police again. They basically told us that the dash cam would not be admissible in court and there was nothing they could do about this guy's threats.
Yesterday morning - Christmas Day - I went out at about 9:30 AM to walk my dog. We live on a circle so I have to pass his house every day when I walk the dog. I passed his house and then I saw it. My cat Jojo. Lying dead in a gutter just one house up from this neighbor. I was in shock, shaking so badly I could barely punch the icon to call DH. Of course, the police came. And, of course, told us there was nothing we could do because there wasn't enough "proof."
Jojo is now in one of my freezers. I plan to have a vet examine him and tell us the probable cause of death. The cops have basically told us that the neighbor will get misdemeanor charges at best for violation of leash law. The cops have acted as if their hands are tied, or they just don't care. I'm not sure what's up with them.
DH examined Jojo carefully (I couldn't bear to do it), and said that the one gaping wound on him went all the say through and he believes it's a bullet wound. I know this guy has at least one gun. He also has a drinking problem.
19 or
Clearly this neighbor is sick in the head. He's a coward, a bully, and a sadist. Sad to say, we under-estimated him. But he had to know, somehow, that he could do this and get away with it. He had to know the cops either couldn't or wouldn't do anything.
I'm at a loss to understand why the police say, "There's not enough evidence to charge him with anything but a loose dog violation." I feel like the laws (at least here in Pennsylvania) are written to protect the perp instead of the victim.
I also feel very threatened now. DH and I keep our guns much closer to us. We now make a round at night to lock all the doors, whereas before we were careless of it. This guy is dangerous. He also has a son, around 19 or 20, who is following his dad's footsteps. The thing is, DH could take the neighbor if it came to a physical altercation, but he couldn't take the son also. DH is in his 60's and I'm in my late 50's.
Any thoughts, ideas, or opinions about this neighbor, how to best defend ourselves, and how to convince the police to do their job, are greatly appreciated.
I've drunk 3 glasses of wine while I write this and I'm finally feeling sleepy. If you read this far, I greatly appreciate it. Thanks for listening.
A few of you may remember I posted a couple months ago about a neighbor who has 2 Rottweillers that he lets run loose. It's known that these dogs have killed several cats on our street. The neighbor himself recently saw his dogs kill a cat. 2 other neighbors witnessed it. We believe they killed our cat, although we can't prove it.
We called the police a couple times and they finally issued a citation. A few days later, someone walked into our garage and punctured 2 tires on my car. We made a police report and then put cameras all around the house.
Meanwhile, we'd gotten a new kitten. His name was Jojo. We raised him totally indoors till he was about 4 months, then we started to let him have a few minutes outside now and then, carefully watched. Eventually we could see that he was smart enough to hide or climb a tree if there was anything he thought the least bit wrong - like the sound of two out-of-control dogs snarling and barking. He was young, strong, fit, and smart. We thought he'd be okay going out now and again. He never wanted to stay outside long, but sometimes he definitely wanted to go out. I didn't have the heart to keep him cooped up in the house 24/7. He was never gone more than 1/2 hour. In mid-December he turned 7 months old. Still basically a kitten.
The guy continued to let the dogs out. We continued to report it. One thing to know, it wasn't just cats who felt threatened. These dogs would charge anyone who came near them, barking and snarling. They never hurt a human, but they were very aggressive. Neighborhood folks who used to walk our street quit. Two families that I know of stopped letting their kids go outside alone. This guy and his dogs basically had the whole neighborhood terrorized.
3 weeks ago we let Jojo out early one morning for his 1/2 hour out. He never returned. About a week later DH and I were in our backyard and this guy - there's only one house between him and us - came out with his dogs. He began screaming at us that we couldn't do anything because the dogs were not on our property. Except then, the dogs charged us. They came onto our property and came within a few feet of us. Neither DH nor I was armed at the moment (that has now changed.) DH started filming with his cell phone. The dogs eventually returned to their owner. Suddenly he yells, "Do you want your cat back dead or alive?" I yelled, "Do you have my cat?" He said, "I don't but somebody does." The he screamed again, "Do you want him back dead or alive?" and he went back to his house. We called police, nothing done but a report.
Next day, the neighbor who lives between us texted DH that the neighbor told him he had taken our cat because he thought it was a stray and he would like DH to drop by so he could tell him where Jojo was. DH and I smelled a set-up of some type. We didn't go to his house. Couple nights later he flagged DH down. He told him to drop the charges we'd filed against his dogs and he'd give Jojo back. My heart was broken but I wasn't going to let this guy bully us.
Two evenings ago, the guy flags DH down again and says, "Is there any particular way you want your cat to die?" DH got him on the dash cam saying that. He came home, called police again. They basically told us that the dash cam would not be admissible in court and there was nothing they could do about this guy's threats.
Yesterday morning - Christmas Day - I went out at about 9:30 AM to walk my dog. We live on a circle so I have to pass his house every day when I walk the dog. I passed his house and then I saw it. My cat Jojo. Lying dead in a gutter just one house up from this neighbor. I was in shock, shaking so badly I could barely punch the icon to call DH. Of course, the police came. And, of course, told us there was nothing we could do because there wasn't enough "proof."
Jojo is now in one of my freezers. I plan to have a vet examine him and tell us the probable cause of death. The cops have basically told us that the neighbor will get misdemeanor charges at best for violation of leash law. The cops have acted as if their hands are tied, or they just don't care. I'm not sure what's up with them.
DH examined Jojo carefully (I couldn't bear to do it), and said that the one gaping wound on him went all the say through and he believes it's a bullet wound. I know this guy has at least one gun. He also has a drinking problem.
19 or
Clearly this neighbor is sick in the head. He's a coward, a bully, and a sadist. Sad to say, we under-estimated him. But he had to know, somehow, that he could do this and get away with it. He had to know the cops either couldn't or wouldn't do anything.
I'm at a loss to understand why the police say, "There's not enough evidence to charge him with anything but a loose dog violation." I feel like the laws (at least here in Pennsylvania) are written to protect the perp instead of the victim.
I also feel very threatened now. DH and I keep our guns much closer to us. We now make a round at night to lock all the doors, whereas before we were careless of it. This guy is dangerous. He also has a son, around 19 or 20, who is following his dad's footsteps. The thing is, DH could take the neighbor if it came to a physical altercation, but he couldn't take the son also. DH is in his 60's and I'm in my late 50's.
Any thoughts, ideas, or opinions about this neighbor, how to best defend ourselves, and how to convince the police to do their job, are greatly appreciated.
I've drunk 3 glasses of wine while I write this and I'm finally feeling sleepy. If you read this far, I greatly appreciate it. Thanks for listening.
