[MunchingonHay]

This is a rant and long be forewarned.


Let me set the stage for you.


I live in an apt complex that is on the border of the ghetto (gun shots weekly, this kind of thing). There is a 5 foot wall that runs the perimeter of the property and in the back corner, where my apt building is, is an iron fencing that butts up against a big oak tree where it meets the brick wall.

Within the property, just 15-20 meters from my apt stairs and within clear view of both my windows is a very large oak tree that has a chain link fence and its used as a small little turn out for dogs. Its about 25 meters round. We call this the complex dog park.

My dog, Riley was looking out the window and barked at the people out in the dog park. He never barks, more of a grumbler. So I watched these 2 people who I have never seen before with their 4 dogs. We have a 2 pet max in our apartments. 2 of the dogs were over 50lbs lab cross/pittie mixes ( I have a pittie mix, no discrimination here). Both of these dogs were in the dog park.
The other two dogs, a JTR and a small chi or something (no more than 3 lbs) were running around loose (outside of the dog park) with NO collar and no real recall.

I went outside to pack my car (which is about 20 meters from the dog park) for tomorrow and I saw my neighbor with his dog walking towards the dog park.....

Then all of a sudden the JTR comes creaming out from where every he was and goes after my neighbor's dog!! Gets her on her hocks and back end. I run up to chase JTR off my neighbors dog (who is leashed BTW). Then the two dogs in the park start lunging and aggressively going after the dog that just got tagged by their friend. Then the woman that owns the dogs starts screaming at me, "YOU B%^CH, DON'T TOUCH MY DOG YOU F&*(ING B*@$CH!! you get the picture. I for the record never touched the dog, just growled at it. you know how us horse people are good at that.

All the while the bigger dogs are lunging at us and my neighbor's dog.

My neighbor asked if they lived in the complex, but by then we knew that they did not. We asked them to leave as this is private property and again she starts screaming at us. "I AM LEAVING YOU B$&@H!! MY SISTER LIVES HERE! WE ARE ALLOWED TO BE HERE!! blah blah blah. I tell her that there is a leash law in the complex and that she should know that. I am sure there were other words exchanged but that is not important.

Then little JTR goes after my neighbor's dog again this time I am standing in between them and I crouch down and growl at the dog again. She again starts screaming, "DON'T YOU TOUCH MY DOG!!"
I told her I did not touch her dog, and that if she had a leash on dog she would have control of said dog. Now she is in my face, with her middle finger in my face, she then touched me. Right on the nose....and when she turned her back.....I pushed her.

Well she came back at me swinging and landed 3 blows to my face. The bridge of my nose, and two to my forehead. And she tore my shirt! I unfortunately, did not get to defend myself. I folded like a cheap shirt.

Turns out there is no sister that lives in the complex and they actually live behind the perimeter wall. Once I was over where the dogs were getting into it I recognized her from a few months ago when 2 of her dogs came on to our property and pinned another dog and dog owner against the wall.

I filed a police report and if I catch her on the property again they can arrest her for trespassing.

So how I have a shiner and a swollen forehead.

Guess that is what I get for sticking my nose where it does not belong, but I could not just stand there and watch my friend's timid dog getting beat up.

[LexInVA]

Yeah, that sounds like good ole FL to me. Ah the memories.

[twotrudoc]

We need to teach you how to swing if that's how your gonna roll. And, when you push someone you don't know- knock them the French toast down and good!!

I'm sorry you got beat up

[JLMet]

Well, I can't say I would have fared any better but I would have done the same thing, I can't stand irresponsible owners. Good on you for trying, most people walk away and pretend to not see these things happening. Does the building or any nearby buildings have any security cameras that may have caught this? I'm sure they don't since you probably would have mentioned it but if there are buildings nearby that do they may have caught it too for the police to charge her right away instead of having to wait for her to trespass again (although I'm sure you won't have to wait long). Wouldn't hurt to invest in some classes for "self defense" either Hopefully you'll heal up quickly, we horse people are like that!

[Lynnwood]

Talk softly and carry a big stick or mace ;p

[Chall]

Ouch. So sorry you got hit and that it is someone in the neighborhood.
Glad it wasn't on camera though, I *think* whoever touches someone else first is going to be the responsible one. Glad you have your original nose though, and that you can still smile.

[Nezzy]

i would have done the same thing. Good on ya for protecting the poor dog that was getting attacked.

[ellebeaux]

Yeah, that sounds like good ole FL to me. Ah the memories.

Yeah, me too

[NorthwoodsRider]

This is a rant and long be forewarned.

I filed a police report and if I catch her on the property again they can arrest her for trespassing.

What about assault? Surely just because you pushed her they aren't calling it a "consensual fight"?

[Acertainsmile]

Assault charges, do it now.

[MunchingonHay]

I asked about filing charges and the officer said that even though she touched me first I retaliated and pushed her which cancels it out. (even though I can claim it was self defense)

But there is record of her going after me. Since she ran away I did not get her name, but I do know where she lives.

And there is a case number and she is known to come on to the property and go after the tenets when they tell her to leave. She pushes her dogs though the iron fencing and climbs the tree to pop the wall. She lives behind my complex. I would not mind it if she used the park. But she does not lease her dogs and they DO go after other dogs. One out of every 5 tenets here has a dog, so someone is always walking their pet. Her JRT and two larger dogs are aggressive. I have seen it before. ( I recognized her when I approached from my car when her JTR went after my friend' dog the first time.)

I am going to ask the leasing office if the tenet that had issues with her before had filed anything. If so, I will have the two cases merged and that is just more evidence against her.


Woke up this morning expecting to see a nice black eye, but I have just a shadow of a shiner.

The good news is, my swollen forehead filled out all my little lines, I have the forehead of a teenager!

[twotrudoc]

LOL_!!

I have immature tendencies but how out of line would it be to paint ball her and her dogs next time?

[Coanteen]

I asked about filing charges and the officer said that even though she touched me first I retaliated and pushed her which cancels it out. (even though I can claim it was self defense)

I think you'd have a hard time claiming self defence since you pushed her after she had already turned her back on you. The cops are probably spot on in not wanting to charge assault since she'd just ask for a counter-charge.

Next time go out there with a camera (if you do choose to go to face her again) and don't make any physical contact.

[Alagirl]

LOL_!!

I have immature tendencies but how out of line would it be to paint ball her and her dogs next time?

LOL!!!

(and Munching....you need better Self Defense skills: the sorry excuse for human life should think twice before sticking a finger into somebody's face again.

I second and third and forth the idea of taking a big stick with you.

(get some advice on your legal situation. Seems unreasonable to me to have to suffer a serious injury for shoving. But then again, we do have some verkackta laws in some areas.

And while I don't want to look like a shmuck, I am guessing there is some unequal ethnicity going, so cover your hind when you engage!

[happymom]

Well I for one, will openly admit a pit bull dislike. I have three neighbors with them, all of whom swear up and down they are sweet as can be. Two have attacked people or children and the third is a replacement for one that nearly killed an old gent on the bike path and the people were told to gave him away. None of them are neutered.
I readily admit it is the owners and not necessarily the dogs, by I don't get their denial and I really resent their desire to own nasty dogs trumping the safety of others.
Florida is becoming a huge turn off to me. As soon as the market opens, I'm selling and going back to sanity.

[danceronice]

Yeah, the assault thing went out the window when you pushed her when her back was turned. While I don't have a problem with hitting back, don't do it when they're walking away as it's escalating, do it when they're coming AT you.

And two pits, a Jack Russel Terrorist, and a Chi, and of course it's the JRT who goes after another dog (though I would have had even money on the chihuahua, too--only dog I've ever had charge ME, as opposed to my pugnacious corgi, was a chihuahua and that was the ONLY dog where I genuinely felt like he was going to bite me just because.)

[skykingismybaby1]

[QUOTE=
I live in an apt complex that is on the border of the ghetto (gun shots weekly, this kind of thing). [/QUOTE]

I think the borders have changed..................

[JanM]

Maybe everyone in the complex with dogs should carry airhorns or very loud whistles, to call for help when this person comes back. And you know she'll come back, and probably with reinforcements. I think a notice needs to be sent to all residents about the incident, the description of the dogs, and to call police when the intruders come back. A nice cattle prod might be a nice addition to your arsenal, because it will discourage dogs and people. Make sure they're legal and nail whatever it is right in the nose, and I mean people too. Or if mace is legal there, they do make pepper spray or mace shooters that have a gun waist holster, and shoot at least 20 feet (OK, they use them on Dog the Bounty Hunter if you want to see an example).

I'm sure the woman has a criminal record that's fairly long, and I double the police couldn't find her if they tried. Be extra careful when you go outside, and I'm sure that woman will be back, with or without the dogs. Call the cops the second she comes on the property, and be careful. You did a very brave thing, but it's time for other residents to be alerted, and for others to be alert to the risk this person and her animals present.

[vacation1]

Ow. Sounds like an ugly situation, especially the part about the same woman's larger dogs pinning someone else and their dog against a wall. Good luck, and be a little more careful. Good for you for not scuttling off to hide in your apartment when something bad happens, but you also don't want to get shot by a crazy person.

[SaturdayNightLive]

This sounds like exactly the situation that that castle law was designed for.

Just kidding, sort of.

Stuff like this makes me crazy angry. I had a very similar encounter a few years ago with a girl in my apartment complex. I was walking my dog (on a leash) down the steps and across the lawn area to get to the sidewalk. All of a sudden a loose lab comes barreling toward us. I scooped up my dog (a 17 lb Shiba Inu) and start looking for the lab's owner. The lab is leaping up on me to get to my now snarling shiba, so I kneed it in the chest to get it to get off me. That brought the owner running - "DON'T KICK MY DOG!!!"

I was shaking I was so angry, but I really didn't want a problem, so I politely asked her to please control her dog. She responded with "It's your dog that needs to be controlled!" Yes, my 17 lb shiba who is ON A LEASH and CURRENTLY BEING HELD IN MY ARMS is the out of control one.

The girl then proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't have come down the stairs of my own apartment complex because she was playing fetch with her loose dog. Whatever. I gave her a dirty look and walked away.

Not two minutes later, the lab comes barreling up to me again, this time screaming owner in tow - "Now my dog is going to follow you! Why did you come down the stairs!?!" She continued to scream at me about how it was my fault that her dog wouldn't come and she had every right to have her dog loose, yadda yadda yadda...

I pretty well lost it. It didn't get physical, but unfortunately for the girl, I'm pretty familiar with law enforcement in the area. I called the cops. She was ticketed for violating the leash law, having an unlicensed animal, not having proof of rabies vaccination, and warned that I had a pretty good case for assault.

I didn't press charges, but I did get her evicted. Our complex has a pretty strict 20lb weight limit on pets and they were not impressed with the loose, out of control, 70lb lab.

Good luck, OP. I've come to conclusion that there is nothing worse than an entitled, bad dog owner.