The Neighbor

This story is about the neighbor with the dog that attacked our puppy Penny Lane - read about her attack here.

The week of the attack our neighbor was out of town. She drove back early Monday. She came over to our house to talk and at this point I was already pissed because the dog was still there; was still next door. I was pissed and sickened at the thought that her friends could just go about their weekend as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. I  was sick to my stomach to think that after the attack, they actually had to wash the blood from the dogs mouth. I had to wash the blood from my plants and our little white fence.

Our neighbor came over to talk and the first thing that came out of her mouth was, "sorry, my dog bit your dog..." Hold the door, did you just say "bit"?! I was furious at that point, I said (everyone that knows me, knows that I don't have a filter when I get pissed - I will stick up for myself, my family, and my friends!) NO, your dog did NOT bite my dog - it brutally attacked and was trying to kill my dog! She looked confused and in shock that I was mad and that I got a little snippy with her! She just stood there. I continued my rant. I was like, "do you realize your dog pulled Penny THROUGH the fence?" She said, yes and the next thing that came out of her mouth was the last thing I wanted to hear - I walked out of the room. She said, "It's Penny's fault, she was too close to the fence!" After me storming out of the room - my MIL started talking "money" because the cop said that she should be responsible for the cost to get Penny well. When she heard the word "money"  she turned into a bigger bitch. She took a step back and said, " I don't think so, I will not pay anything!!! She said her peace and then walked out our door!

Let's just say she did not end up paying ANYTHING except the cost of Eric's co-pay for the doctor and his prescription. Wow, 25 bucks!

Fast forward to almost a year later.

It was June 2009, and I was 8 months pregnant. Ever since the attack, we have been nice before letting the girls outside. Either Eric or I would go outside, clap our hands and bark like a dog to make sure the neighbor dog was not out. If he was, we wouldn't let the girls out. Does she do anything like that, to check if our dogs are out - NO. She just let's the dog out and the barking attack happens. I had to run outside, try to bend down and get Penny and Lucy to go inside. All while praying the dog doesn't get over our fence.

Well, I didn't pray hard enough! It was a Friday night, we had met some friends at the bar, had a great time but I was ready to go home. Once we got home, we did our regular routine and then let the girls out when we were in the all clear. Less then 2 minutes later, the barking attack happened. Eric went out immediately, did his deep authority voice and the girls came right to him. I was just letting them inside and coming out to see what Eric was doing when all of a sudden, he was walking around the corner of the house and the neighbor dog was running towards us. He slammed the door on the girls and I. The dog didn't even think twice about Eric... he was looking for Penny and Lucy. Eric finally got inside and we were both shaking. I was overly pissed but thanking God that Eric was home and we got the girls in safely. I just keep saying, "wow, we had someone on our side!"  As I was on the phone with the police, I heard a knock at our door. I answered and there was our neighbor standing there. I said in a somewhat pissy voice "we called the cops", she said she understood and went about looking for her dog who was running around in the neighborhood.

When the police officer pulled up in front of our house, the dog was still running around the neighborhood. The officer, was shinning his flashlight at the dog making sure it wasn't going to attack him. I was watching the situation unfold from my front door. As I was watching the drama happen, the dog all of a sudden was running around the police officer and his car, barking. The cop drew his gun and pointed it at the dog. The officer was yelling at my neighbor, "get control of your dog", she was trying. In my pregnant hormonal rage, I was praying he would shoot the dog because everything could go back to normal and once again I could feel safe in my own backyard.  I hated feeling and thinking like that but I was just over the whole situation. I cried myself to sleep enough, it was time the situation was over with! The neighbor finally got a hold of her dog and the cop came and explained the situation to us. He said that she will be ticketed for the dog jumping our fence and running loose in the neighbor. Considering this was the second incident, she was also told she either A) had to get a new, taller fence, one that could hold her dog or B) have the dog always on a chain when it was in  her backyard. After hearing those restrictions she decided to get rid of the dog - finally, but that was easier said then done!

My neighbor wanted to find a no kill shelter to take her dog to. Totally understandable. We were okay with that. She was just taking forever to do just that. I was ready to pop and so over the whole situation. One day I was laying on the couch, trying to be comfortable when I heard a knock at our door. I answered and there she is crying. I was seriously like, wtf?! Seriously. I said, in my kind, sweet voice - "what's wrong?" She replied, "I'm trying to find a home for him, it's so hard. I don't want him to be killed!" I said, I understood and told her we knew she was trying but to keep us updated! Well, a few days went by and that damn dog was still there. Eric called her to get an update and she was so depressed sounding. He said, it was so pathetic. She said, that she took him that morning to a shelter in a nearby town, but her other dog (a sweet English Bulldog) is going through major depression! Ha. Seriously. She was totally trying to put the guilt trip on us but let me tell you, it didn't work. Not after everything we had been through. We both said to each other, her dog will get over it!

Well, I found out what shelter she took him to and wrote the shelter's general manager and in-take manager just to let them know exactly what kind of dog he was. I just let them know of the attack that happened and that he HATES little dogs. So I pleaded with them to NOT let him go to a home with small babies or animals, just in case. I never wanted what happened to us, to happen to anyone else!

Well, the story is not over. Oh no, it goes on, so bear with me just a little longer. Fast forward to January of this year. Again, one evening we got home, we let the girls out and Eric heard barking. He went out to see what the problem was and there was... a German Shepherd in her yard... Mind you, this one belonged to a neighbor across the street, but STILL! It had been over a few times as a puppy and we never had any problems with her but now she is getting bigger and has started to jump up at our fence. Well, low and behold the two seconds after Eric got into the yard, here comes the German Shepherd OVER the fence. Yes, you read that right. Another damn dog jumped our fence! Thank God this dog is a very well trained dog. She just wanted to play, while Penny and Lucy were scared out of their minds. I've never seen their trails that far under their belly's as that moment. Luckily, we got the girls inside and nothing happened! The cops were called again and once again the neighbor got in trouble! Since that day, a big dog as not been seen in her yard! I think she finally listened to the cops!

Well, two weeks ago, before I started feeding Claire, I let the girls out. They were out maybe 10 minutes, while I was finishing up Claire's feeding. I put Claire down and hurried to the backyard. I hate that they bark but they are dogs. I got into the back yard, called their names and they came right away. I was about ready to walk inside when I heard her voice saying, "Can I talk to you?" I thought, 'great!' I said, "I guess" and as soon as I said those two words, she let me have it. She wanted to know why Penny barked at the fence? I thought, 'really, your asking me this question?' I said, "she's a dog and she got attacked by your dog at that fence." She got rude and said, "I gave the dog away!" Lady, I know you did but Penny is a DOG and doesn't know and never will understand that. She barks because she thinks he's over there! She went on to complain about them and that they shouldn't be left out in the yard if they are going to bark - well, I blew up. This lady had 2 years of built up anger within me and I basically and not too sweetly, let her have it. Let's just say, she will probably never talk to me again and in my mind, that's okay!

Well, I can only pray that our next house will have two nice neighbors. Not one that is slightly psycho! At least our first house was not boring. It has a TON of memories both good and bad!