Uh oh! Are your neighbors making your life difficult by calling animal control on you? While some people do have legitimate complaints, others just want to make a stink.
In this article, we’ll talk about what your rights are when it comes to animal control and what to do if your county animal officers come knocking.
What Are My Rights When It Comes To Animal Control?
Animal control can not enter your property without a warrant or your consent. Allowing them to enter your home allows them to use anything they see against you and there’s no reason to do it.
An animal control officer can ask you for paperwork on your pet’s vaccinations and their tags. You should supply these items and answer their questions honestly.
If your neighbor is a frivolous complainer, you’re probably not their first target. The animal control officer will probably be familiar with them and if you’re cooperative, you’ll likely just get a warning.
However, if you are breaking a city or county ordinance of some kind then you’ll need to take steps to correct the issue. Otherwise, you can expect more visits and potential fines if the complaints are legitimate.
What Should I Do To Protect Myself and My Dog?
If your neighbor has called animal control once then you can be that they’ll do it again. It’s best to be proactive and start taking steps to protect yourself and your dog.
However, if your neighbor’s complaints are legitimate then you should talk to them and take steps to correct nuisance behaviors like excessive barking, or a dog that escapes. These are legitimate complaints, and you can be fined, or your dog can be taken to the pound if you don’t fix the problem.
If you need help controlling your dog’s barking, then we have another article which can help you manage their bad behavior. Read this article to help stop the barking.
Start Collecting Evidence
Your first step should be to collect evidence that exonerates your dog of frivolous complaints. For example, if your neighbor is accusing your dog of excessive barking, start recording your dog when you’re at work. The next time the animal control officer comes knocking, you can provide them with proof that your neighbor is making something out of nothing.
You might also consider installing security cameras outside, because you’d be surprised at what lengths a crazy neighbor will go to get you in trouble or to harm a dog which they do not like.
Be A Model Citizen
Make sure that your dog is up to date on all of his shots, you have all his paperwork, and you’re obeying all laws. This goes a long way to make you look like the good guy, and to prove that your neighbor is making trouble for you for no reason.
Talk to your other neighbors
If you know which neighbor is complaining then you can try and get your other neighbors on your site. Having others in the neighborhood back you up can help convince animal control that your animal is not a nuisance like the caller has claimed.
