Really Really bad neighbor problem help please!!

[hqueen13]

I don't think I mentioned before that you may want to post 'Beware of Dog' AND 'No Trespassing' signs in your yard. In our county if both are posted and someone comes into your yard and gets bit by your dog, you are not liable. You may want to call the county/city and find out what the rules are that can help protect you on your property, and what you are legally allowed to do to defend yourself and your dogs.
Best of luck!

 

[pinkfox]

see i was told to put up no tresspassing signs, BUT NEVER EVER EVER put p a "beware of the dog" sign as it indicates you "know your dog is agressive" a simple "dog loose in yard" is prefered, it indicates the dogs presense without indicating its known to be agressive (its all in the word beware)

this was told to us after a nieghbors deaf dane mix bit a teen that jumped the fence to cut through the yard then kicked the dog...the dog bit and the parents sued, the argument being that the owners had BEWARE signs posts, so obviously "knew" the dog was agressive and so should have had it better contained (the 6 ft fence and the fact that the "kid" (almost 16) had jumped the fnece and kicked the dog while it was sleeping meant nothign) the dog was seized and put in a kennel for the "hearing" and unforutnatly being an older dog with seperation anxiety and being deaf, he didnt fare well...
the sad part is they lost the dog to stress (he stopped eating while in the kennel and by the time they got him home 2 weeks later after he was deemed "none agressive" he was so badly malnourished that his kidneys started shutting down)
and they had to pay the kids medical bills because they indicated knowledge of an agressive dog and since they had no signs stating no tresspassing (this was the suburbs and it was a LOCKED gate...) they were liable for the bite...because the kid was technically "not tresspassing" given no signs posted (this amazes me)
their Home owners insurance and their laywer advised no tresspassing signs AND changing the "beware" to a "dogs loose in yard" sign.

 

[hqueen13]

I believe that is what our county recommends, which is why I also said to call the county and talk to someone to ensure they're protected. I can't believe how people won't take the precautions that they should with simple things like that. In fact, we need to get signs for our yard here, we have been remiss in doing that, though our dogs are either in the house or supervised (due to being raised in a town house with ignorant kids that used to bait our dog to try to get the basket ball out of the back yard.

What a crazy case, I can't believe that they ruled in the kid's favor. How terrible....

All that much more reason to get the heck out of here and away from people!!