# Help dealing with neighbors



## Pitlover101

Hi All!

Not sure if this is the right thread to post in, but think it's most applicable.

Okay so my neighbor's cat died about two days ago (internal damage, no blood or bite wounds) and she came banging at my door saying that it was my dog that somehow caused the cat to get scared and somehow fall from the top of the shower (I'm uncertain to her exact claim, but now it's all over Facebook and people are blaming me and my dog for no reason). Her cat was locked inside her flat with no way to get out and I keep my dog in the garden area which is completely fenced (a brick wall also separates my garden from hers, so my dog wouldn't even be able to gain access to her garden, much less the inside of her flat). I don't think she can take any legal action as the worst that my dog could have done is bark loudly.

Now she has gotten the other tenants riled up coming to me saying that my dog will bite them and they want written confirmation as to claiming damages should any incident happen (note: my dog's been trained since 8 weeks old, is a friendly soul and I am sure not to let her roam about, I take her for daily walks at a safe place away from the complex to ensure that she will not disturb anyone in their home environment).

The landlord has no issue with my dog and is happy for her to stay there (even after the neighbors complained to the landlord, he confirmed that my dog and I were in no way at fault and that there was no negligence on my part). It is the neighbors that are the cause of my troubles now, making her out to be a vicious dog attacking everyone. I try my utmost to be a responsible pet owner, making sure that my dog doesn't go out to the other people or disturb them, she hasn't had a fight or even done much more than growl at cats outside. I know I should have expected this response as an APBT owner, but it still gets to me that people now attack (figuratively) me and my dog for things that didn't even happen...

Any advice you guys can offer with regards to dealing with my neighbors would be greatly appreciated.


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## EckoMac

Security cameras would be my first step if the dog is kept outside for long periods of time. 
Cameras to cover the full yard with date stamps. So if anything ever comes into question like this again, you can show your dog sleeping peacefully in the yard at the time of the incident in question. It will also show if anyone comes around the yard with ill will towards your dog. 

I personally do not allow my dog outside unsupervised. Too many people want him.


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## dogma

So, let me get this straight - somehow, YOUR dog in YOUR home managed to make her cat, who wasn't even outside, fall INSIDE its own home and hurt itself enough badly enough to die? That smells worse than rotten fish and I can't help wondering if someone in the cat's household injured that cat. I think your dog became a convenient target to blame for someone else's abuse.

I would be asking ANY neighbor making noise about my dog HOW the neighbor's claims could have possibly happened, when dog and cat had NO contact with each other. I would also be notifying the neighbor with the dead cat that you will be contacting your lawyer about her obvious lies and attempts to make you lose your residence, and you will sue unless she retracts her hyperbole and apologizes - publicly.


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## Pitlover101

Thanks for the words of advice! I've been considering getting cameras since my pup is sometimes scared when I come home, and now after this it might be needed because (as EckoMac said), people may have ill will towards my dog. I've heard people bitching about the landlord allowing such a "dangerous dog" even though she literally just chills every day. There's a dachshund that barks and howls the entire day and runs into the other tenants' flats, but obviously it's the pittie that gets the hate even though she doesn't bother them. My flat isn't too big on the inside, so I'm reluctant to leave her inside during the day, but might have to resort to that in the end. 

Dogma, I KNOW RIGHT! It's absolutely ridiculous; I couldn't believe the claims she was coming with and how the other neighbors just immediately sided with her because of this dangerous and vicious breed that I own... (cat people make me crazy sometimes!haha) I don't want to cause too many issues since at the end of the day I do have to live next to these people, but if they keep coming at me with these accusations I will have to stand up for myself and my dog at some point.

I'm just extremely thankful for how understanding the landlord is, which is the most important thing I guess. He didn't pay much attention to their claims (after investigating and seeing that the claims were ridiculous) and told me not to worry. (Apparently they complain about everything though). 

I just hate having this terrible relationship with the people living around me always seeing their glares even though my dog and I haven't done anything wrong. My bf says that I should learn to toughen up more


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