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#1
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The Neighborhood Battle (LONG)
It has been a long, difficult time for me, both this summer, these
past two weeks, and with roots in years ago. My neighborhood has been falling apart. And I have been trying to keep it together, especially to help the animals. We have the neighbor in our building who kept a cat chained up for eight years, and allowed her to die slowly and painfully, as her children watched, of feleuk. She also kept her dog chained up inside 24/7, and then outside, 24/7, where she finally broke our state's pathetic animal abuse laws and I was able to call the Humane Society. I had done it once, years before, on another neighbor in our building who had gone off for 24 hours, leaving her two dogs chained up out back, no food, no water, no shelter. Their chains got entangled, and one dog, desperately trying to get loose, jumped through an open storm door with no window or screen, and was hanging there, strangling, when I heard him. I called the Humane Society. Sadly, both dogs were determined to be dangers and were put down. We have the neighbor who keeps his elderly beagle chained up outside and passes out on his couch while the dog howls at 3 am. The dog has food and water outside now because, of course, I called the Humane Society. But he also has a habit of getting loose from his stake and running out into the street. Once, DH and I ran around at 3 am or so, trying to catch him. When we told the owner and asked him to call the dog, he shrugged and said "He's old. If he goes splat, oh, well!" We have the neighbor across the street who has two unneutered/unspayed cats, one of whom recently gave birth to three kittens and wasn't nursing. My next-door-neighbor found out about that, and came to me to ask for ideas. I gave him what info I had and searched out more, but I'm sure they did not take the mother cat to the vet as they should have, and I have heard nothing further of the kittens. A few weeks ago, I heard the chihuahua belonging to yet another neighbor howling for at least 10-15 minutes. I went down to check out what was going on and make sure the dog was okay. For my concern, I was rewarded by insults, obscenities and finally, a threat. The first neighbor I mentioned has always felt I hurt the little boy who "owned" the two dogs that were put down, and has never forgiven me for calling the Humane Society on that situation. As you can imagine, after I called them on *her*, she stopped speaking to me. And told her children I was "evil", and has told the neighbors who knows what? I had never even met the woman who threatened me. But my neighbor has. And I'm sure the woman who threatened me had her head filled with wrong ideas about me by the first neighbor. On top of all that, the first neighbor had a teenage girl living with her for a time, ostensibly to babysit. This girl brought a contingent of petty criminal teenagers with her into the neighborhood. Kids were smoking dope and drinking beer on other peoples' porches, things were showing up missing from peoples' yards and porches, and general havoc was being wreaked. I talked to the police, I talked to my landlord, and things got done. And my first neighbor got even madder. The other day, First Neighbor's daughter's friend was smacking the tree out front of my apartment with a stick. I yelled out, not knowing what kids were out there, "Don't hit that tree!" I could still see the stick waving around, so I went out on my porch to see who they were and warn them again. First Neighbor came out, and let loose a stream of insults and obscenities aimed at me. And this was the day after I went down to the Prosecutor's office about the woman who threatened me, and set up a mediation for First Neighbor and me. This has got to stop. I feel like a pariah in my own neighborhood, where I have lived for over 17 years. It is depressing, and frightening. I apologize for the long rant. All I am trying to do is help the animals in the neighborhood, and keep the neighborhood from becoming dangerous. And for this, I get screamed at, harrassed, lied about, and threatened. It makes me want to cry. First Neighbor and I have a mediation session scheduled for next week. I don't know whether it will help or not. Any purrayers that it does are welcome. I just want it to stop. I just want people to be kind to each other and to be kind to their animals. I guess I want too much. A very depressed, Ginger-lyn |
#2
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First Neighbor and I have a mediation session scheduled for next week.
I don't know whether it will help or not. Any purrayers that it does are welcome. I just want it to stop. I just want people to be kind to each other and to be kind to their animals. I guess I want too much. A very depressed, Ginger-lyn You've got mega-purrs from the Highland contingent. I'm so sorry to hear about that situation. Sometimes we *have* to look out for other people's animals. There are all together too many people out there who just have no idea what it really means to care for an animal. We'll keep our fingers crossed that the situation will resolve itself in a positive fashion, and quickly. I kind of wish there were laws requiring some sort of common-sense test before people could own animals. Dan |
#3
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"Dan and Nancy Mahoney" wrote:
I'm so sorry to hear about that situation. Sometimes we *have* to look out for other people's animals. There are all together too many people out there who just have no idea what it really means to care for an animal. Next door's dog, a beautiful pure bred spaniel of some sort used to howl and cry all day. It sounded absolutley heartbreaking. Eventually I had to confront the neighbours - at first they though I was complaining about the noise, but finally convinced them it wasn't the noise as such that was bothering me, it was the welfare of the dog. They said it was because the dog had seperation anxiety and that while the dog, Bella, was being treated with "happy pills" the only real way to train her out of it was to go out for increasingly long periods so she'd get used to her people not being there. I didn't konw whether to believe them or not, as I really don't know them, and asked if it was OK with them if I could go into their yard and check on Bella if she started crying. Thankfully they agreed. And yes, I am pleased to report that Bella has lots of toys, food & water and a nice kennel out there, and now only howls and cries if her humans aren't home by the time it gets dark. And she's also used to me coming into her yard to give her a pat and reassure her. They seem to be good neighbours. But I couldn't have lived with myself listening to Bella's heart wrenching cries and howls without checking up on them - and thankfully they understand where I'm coming from. I can only hope they'd do the same thing for Fluffy if for some reason we were out and she started crying. Yay for good neighbours. Yowie |
#4
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Sorry to hear it's so bad right now. Let's hope things start improving.
-- Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv |
#5
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Many purrs and prayers - and some helpful energy - on their way, Ginger.
I really hope that the mediation goes well. Yowie "Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message ... It has been a long, difficult time for me, both this summer, these past two weeks, and with roots in years ago. My neighborhood has been falling apart. And I have been trying to keep it together, especially to help the animals. We have the neighbor in our building who kept a cat chained up for eight years, and allowed her to die slowly and painfully, as her children watched, of feleuk. She also kept her dog chained up inside 24/7, and then outside, 24/7, where she finally broke our state's pathetic animal abuse laws and I was able to call the Humane Society. I had done it once, years before, on another neighbor in our building who had gone off for 24 hours, leaving her two dogs chained up out back, no food, no water, no shelter. Their chains got entangled, and one dog, desperately trying to get loose, jumped through an open storm door with no window or screen, and was hanging there, strangling, when I heard him. I called the Humane Society. Sadly, both dogs were determined to be dangers and were put down. We have the neighbor who keeps his elderly beagle chained up outside and passes out on his couch while the dog howls at 3 am. The dog has food and water outside now because, of course, I called the Humane Society. But he also has a habit of getting loose from his stake and running out into the street. Once, DH and I ran around at 3 am or so, trying to catch him. When we told the owner and asked him to call the dog, he shrugged and said "He's old. If he goes splat, oh, well!" We have the neighbor across the street who has two unneutered/unspayed cats, one of whom recently gave birth to three kittens and wasn't nursing. My next-door-neighbor found out about that, and came to me to ask for ideas. I gave him what info I had and searched out more, but I'm sure they did not take the mother cat to the vet as they should have, and I have heard nothing further of the kittens. A few weeks ago, I heard the chihuahua belonging to yet another neighbor howling for at least 10-15 minutes. I went down to check out what was going on and make sure the dog was okay. For my concern, I was rewarded by insults, obscenities and finally, a threat. The first neighbor I mentioned has always felt I hurt the little boy who "owned" the two dogs that were put down, and has never forgiven me for calling the Humane Society on that situation. As you can imagine, after I called them on *her*, she stopped speaking to me. And told her children I was "evil", and has told the neighbors who knows what? I had never even met the woman who threatened me. But my neighbor has. And I'm sure the woman who threatened me had her head filled with wrong ideas about me by the first neighbor. On top of all that, the first neighbor had a teenage girl living with her for a time, ostensibly to babysit. This girl brought a contingent of petty criminal teenagers with her into the neighborhood. Kids were smoking dope and drinking beer on other peoples' porches, things were showing up missing from peoples' yards and porches, and general havoc was being wreaked. I talked to the police, I talked to my landlord, and things got done. And my first neighbor got even madder. The other day, First Neighbor's daughter's friend was smacking the tree out front of my apartment with a stick. I yelled out, not knowing what kids were out there, "Don't hit that tree!" I could still see the stick waving around, so I went out on my porch to see who they were and warn them again. First Neighbor came out, and let loose a stream of insults and obscenities aimed at me. And this was the day after I went down to the Prosecutor's office about the woman who threatened me, and set up a mediation for First Neighbor and me. This has got to stop. I feel like a pariah in my own neighborhood, where I have lived for over 17 years. It is depressing, and frightening. I apologize for the long rant. All I am trying to do is help the animals in the neighborhood, and keep the neighborhood from becoming dangerous. And for this, I get screamed at, harrassed, lied about, and threatened. It makes me want to cry. First Neighbor and I have a mediation session scheduled for next week. I don't know whether it will help or not. Any purrayers that it does are welcome. I just want it to stop. I just want people to be kind to each other and to be kind to their animals. I guess I want too much. A very depressed, Ginger-lyn |
#6
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I just want it to stop. I just want people to be kind to each other
and to be kind to their animals. I guess I want too much. A very depressed, Ginger-lyn I just want it to stop. I just want people to be kind to each other and to be kind to their animals. I guess I want too much. A very depressed, Ginger-lyn I'm sorry you're having suuch a rough time with the sorry excuses for humans that you have for neighbors....but.... YOU GO GIRL. *Someone* has to "speak for those who cannot speak for themselves." Bless you for having the courage to do that. You keep it up. Is there a humane society with an abuse team in your town? Sherry |
#7
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#8
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What an awful situation, Ginger-lyn...my heart goes out to you for all your
efforts to help the animals. Is there a chance the SPCA could step in and help you? In any case, purrs that the mediation will help resolve some of the nastiness and give you a chance to breathe; we'll be purring for you. And sending many supportive hugs. Christine "Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message ... It has been a long, difficult time for me, both this summer, these past two weeks, and with roots in years ago. My neighborhood has been falling apart. And I have been trying to keep it together, especially to help the animals. We have the neighbor in our building who kept a cat chained up for eight years, and allowed her to die slowly and painfully, as her children watched, of feleuk. She also kept her dog chained up inside 24/7, and then outside, 24/7, where she finally broke our state's pathetic animal abuse laws and I was able to call the Humane Society. I had done it once, years before, on another neighbor in our building who had gone off for 24 hours, leaving her two dogs chained up out back, no food, no water, no shelter. Their chains got entangled, and one dog, desperately trying to get loose, jumped through an open storm door with no window or screen, and was hanging there, strangling, when I heard him. I called the Humane Society. Sadly, both dogs were determined to be dangers and were put down. We have the neighbor who keeps his elderly beagle chained up outside and passes out on his couch while the dog howls at 3 am. The dog has food and water outside now because, of course, I called the Humane Society. But he also has a habit of getting loose from his stake and running out into the street. Once, DH and I ran around at 3 am or so, trying to catch him. When we told the owner and asked him to call the dog, he shrugged and said "He's old. If he goes splat, oh, well!" We have the neighbor across the street who has two unneutered/unspayed cats, one of whom recently gave birth to three kittens and wasn't nursing. My next-door-neighbor found out about that, and came to me to ask for ideas. I gave him what info I had and searched out more, but I'm sure they did not take the mother cat to the vet as they should have, and I have heard nothing further of the kittens. A few weeks ago, I heard the chihuahua belonging to yet another neighbor howling for at least 10-15 minutes. I went down to check out what was going on and make sure the dog was okay. For my concern, I was rewarded by insults, obscenities and finally, a threat. The first neighbor I mentioned has always felt I hurt the little boy who "owned" the two dogs that were put down, and has never forgiven me for calling the Humane Society on that situation. As you can imagine, after I called them on *her*, she stopped speaking to me. And told her children I was "evil", and has told the neighbors who knows what? I had never even met the woman who threatened me. But my neighbor has. And I'm sure the woman who threatened me had her head filled with wrong ideas about me by the first neighbor. On top of all that, the first neighbor had a teenage girl living with her for a time, ostensibly to babysit. This girl brought a contingent of petty criminal teenagers with her into the neighborhood. Kids were smoking dope and drinking beer on other peoples' porches, things were showing up missing from peoples' yards and porches, and general havoc was being wreaked. I talked to the police, I talked to my landlord, and things got done. And my first neighbor got even madder. The other day, First Neighbor's daughter's friend was smacking the tree out front of my apartment with a stick. I yelled out, not knowing what kids were out there, "Don't hit that tree!" I could still see the stick waving around, so I went out on my porch to see who they were and warn them again. First Neighbor came out, and let loose a stream of insults and obscenities aimed at me. And this was the day after I went down to the Prosecutor's office about the woman who threatened me, and set up a mediation for First Neighbor and me. This has got to stop. I feel like a pariah in my own neighborhood, where I have lived for over 17 years. It is depressing, and frightening. I apologize for the long rant. All I am trying to do is help the animals in the neighborhood, and keep the neighborhood from becoming dangerous. And for this, I get screamed at, harrassed, lied about, and threatened. It makes me want to cry. First Neighbor and I have a mediation session scheduled for next week. I don't know whether it will help or not. Any purrayers that it does are welcome. I just want it to stop. I just want people to be kind to each other and to be kind to their animals. I guess I want too much. A very depressed, Ginger-lyn |
#9
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Ginger-Lyn, it is a sad truism that there are more horse's asses in this
world than horses. I know, I live next to one whom I discovered poisoning animals, but that is another story. People, including me, are often very free to give advise when they are not going to bear the consequences. That's a way of saying that I would likely deal with the situation more aggressively than you might feel comfortable with. Whatever course of action you pursue must be something you can live with, and I think that includes not compromising your principles. Ammongst all of the other things you have done and plan to do, might I suggest speaking to a lawyer and determining, if you might have cause for a civil suit or restraining order, with some of these bad actors. For sure I wouldn't go into a mediation without a firm idea of what I would demand of the other party and, if possible, discussing it with an attorney. It may well be that any such agreement you reach could, in effect, be a binding contract, having the weight of law. I, and many others here, wish you the best. Have courage and keep your wits about you ;-) Sincerely, Jack |
#10
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On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:45:31 -0500, "JHBennett"
wrote: Ginger-Lyn, it is a sad truism that there are more horse's asses in this world than horses. I know, I live next to one whom I discovered poisoning animals, but that is another story. People, including me, are often very free to give advise when they are not going to bear the consequences. That's a way of saying that I would likely deal with the situation more aggressively than you might feel comfortable with. Whatever course of action you pursue must be something you can live with, and I think that includes not compromising your principles. Ammongst all of the other things you have done and plan to do, might I suggest speaking to a lawyer and determining, if you might have cause for a civil suit or restraining order, with some of these bad actors. For sure I wouldn't go into a mediation without a firm idea of what I would demand of the other party and, if possible, discussing it with an attorney. It may well be that any such agreement you reach could, in effect, be a binding contract, having the weight of law. I, and many others here, wish you the best. Have courage and keep your wits about you ;-) Sincerely, Jack Thank you, Jack. I know you are right, and I am so sorry about the horrible neighbor you have. I hope there is legal recourse there to stop him/her. Thanks for the suggestion about speaking to an attorney. I may be able to ask my landlord's ex-wife (who is an attorney who *despises* Neighbor #1) for some advice. I know I need to have a clear idea of what I want from the neighbor going into mediation, and I do. I am sure she will not be willing to do what I wish, but all I can do is ask. Thanks for the suggestions and support. Ginger-lyn |
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