My Neighbor’s Pet is a Nuisance and I am Reaching my Boiling Point!
We all deserve and have the right to quiet use and enjoyment of our property. Neighborhood
nuisances come in all forms but there are three very common ones that include our pets and fall
into our responsibility as a pet owner.
The Problems:
1. Excessive barking – Continual or excessive barking is disruptive, nerve-wracking, and
clearly a sign that something is wrong with your dog or his environment or his routine. Is your
dog healthy? Is he bored? Is he stressed or frightened? Please see past Critters 101 article on
our website entitled “Barking Dogs” for more tips. If you can’t figure out the problem, maybe I can
help, call me. Chronic violators can face fines up to $500.
2. Doggie poop – Effective December 2003 the City passed an ordinance making it mandatory
for pet owners to scoop their pets’ poop. Please see past Critters 101 article on our website
entitled “Here’s the Poop” for more information. If caught not picking up poop the fine ranges
from $75 - $300.
3. Non altered outside cats – Effective December 2007 the City passed an ordinance making it
mandatory for persons feeding outside cats to have them spayed/neutered. Please see past
Critters 101 article on our website entitled “Mandatory to Sterilize Stray Cats” for more
information.
Course of Action:
1. Talk to your neighbor. There is a good chance that the pet owner doesn’t know a problem
exists. Don’t wait until the problem is 6 months old and you are boiling. Resolving the problem
could take a little patience so start communicating while you have some. Before you talk however,
determine, if you can, what the problem is or when it occurs. For example, does the dog bark
excessively when yardmen are around? The key to the solution depends on the problem – work
together on this. Remember the pet has a problem and he is trying to let someone know. If you
are the pet owner, please keep in mind that your neighbor is not the problem; more than likely your
pet has a problem and you need to figure out what it is so you can make it better for the pet,
yourself, and all those around you. If one person is complaining outright then there are probably
others complaining that you don’t know about. The person letting you know is trying to help solve
the problem.
2. Write a letter to your neighbor. If and when you decide that talking is getting nowhere or
communications have broken down with your neighbor, or perhaps you are just more comfortable
writing than talking in person, then we suggest you write your neighbor a letter explaining what is
going on from your perspective. If you are a pet owner that gets one of these letters please bear in
mind that your neighbor is trying to communicate a problem to you the best way he knows how.
Again, your pet probably has a problem that you need to address.
3. File a complaint. If you have done the above steps and feel like the pet owner is not trying or
has given indication that he has no intention of trying then you should file a complaint with the
local police department at 713-222-3131. The police will try talking with all parties and resolving
the issue. If the problem persists and the pet owner receives a citation, much like a traffic ticket,
they will have to appear in court and make a plea; this is where fines and court costs could come
into play. If you are the pet owner and your neighbor files a complaint then the police will now
determine if the complaint is legitimate and if so they will urge you to resolve the problem. If you
do not resolve the problem then the police will probably file a complaint with the prosecutor and
you will end up at the courthouse with your neighbors called as witnesses. Steps one and two
above are much easier and cheaper and less likely to have bad feelings attached.