so..im at work..and the Sherriff shows up at my door

[wolfdogs]

so...im at work..and the Sheriff shows up at my door
while im at work......49 miles away.

my wife answers the door after seeing the cruiser in the driveway.

she opens the door and says "yes officer?" he says "what do you know about that dog across the court"?

now picture this: we live in court. across from us we face the backyard of a rental home. the recent renters have what looks like a yellow lab/boxer mix. they chain it up in the back yard during the day....and chain it up in the garage at night with a cardboard dog house , a box.......... and its a carport..open sides...

when they first moved in... one day my wife noticed the dogs chain was completely rapped around two bushes against the house.... he had about two feet left... it was in July..it was over 90....his water bowl was a good 15 feet away. after two hours.... our neighbors who live closer came out ..i was in the driveway...he said "ken...lets untangle this dog"...i said .."you got it..times up". so we did. that was a Sunday.

the next day, on the way to work at 5 a.m. i put an unmarked letter in their mail box that my wife wrote... saying "yesterday your dog was left unattended on the chain in the back yard (they have no fence), some neighbors untangled him, he only had a couple of feet of chain left and could not reach his water or the shade. you may want to relocate him during this type of weather to a safer area." that was it.

the following day..they bought those cheesy "no tresspassing" signs from Home Depot and posted 4 around their yard. nice.

it happend again the next weekend. they were gone all day sat. sunday morning early, on the way to tennis... i put in their mailbox a brochure from the Humane Society explaining the dangers of tying a dog out...with a rope or chain..and how to prevent accidents...

on 4 different occassions, i have been in the driveway working on the car...when i witnessed their 9 or 10 year old son, in the backyard, throwing rocks at the dog....who was cowering... and one time hitting him with a stick. all 4 times i yelled at him to stop...or i was going to call the authorities... hoping his mom or dad would hear it.......... two times the windows were open. nada......nothing.

move back to today: then the Deputy says "that dog was stolen today...and everything points to this house" (implying us).

my wife was in shock......... she explained our rescue operations, and why dogs concern us, what had happend with them, and told him "no way would we steal someones dog......."..... he just stood there..playing bad ass..and said it again "everything points to this house" she said..."when did this happen?" he said around 10 oclock this morning..." (now folks..we are talking broad daylight with the lady home...husband at work..in the middle of their wide open non fenced back yard........) "the chain was cut" the deputy says.......

(dont forget......being animal rescue folks..this is hard for us to swallow..but we were doing the best we could with being intrusive but to help the dog)

my wife said 'would you like to come in'? he did. he searched the whole house! questioned us about our dogs... when they go out..etc. my said the guy was a dick and half .... asked if Keona was friendly...(she was crated for this)...my wife told him yes...but not so good with strange men... not finding a trace of the dog... he said 'do you know your neighbor to the right well"? (hell yes..wev'e known him for 17 years..he's a retired 1st Sgt. with a police dept one county north of us...Narcotics squad and swat leader..). deputy left and went next door........ later mike, my neighbor called us laughing... he said the deputy questioned him about us...he told him "buddy...those are last people in the world that would steal a dog......hell, they take better care of their own dogs than most people do their kids...not to mention, donate 1,000's of of hours a year helping dogs be saved.....legally........she belongs to a major golden retriever rescue operation and hell, he's the president of one of the largest wolfdog organizations in the country.......the deputy says "yes..i saw that wolfdog..it looks mean"...Mike laughed..."mean!!!!!!!!!! she licks my face off when i go over there..he uses her for education with children ....come on officer...whats going on here.. again: "everything points to that house"...

he came back over...told my wife to have me call him when i get home from work (its now 3pm..and i leave at 3pm on every other friday..)

she called me on the cell and gave the story. i was pissed...... i mean.......REAL PISSED.............. i called him the min i got home.

to sum it up..he backed off his badassness.... i flat ass told him.. "do you think......knowing that stealing a dog is a felony..i , we, would jepordize our rescue operations, my career of 36 years in the U.S. Govt., by walking over and stealing a dog in broad daylight in a neighborhood with neighbors home!!!!!!!!!!! whats going on ? have you called Animal Control? maybe he got loose... if not..while you are at it..ask them about me...us.. i was just there sat. for 2 hrs helping them with two wolfdogs they picked up... when did it make folks a suspect to care about the welfare of animals? you all but accused us of stealing, this bit about "it all points to this house"....

he had called animal control... they told him the same thing as our neighbor. .. he apologized to me...told me to please tell my wife he's sorry.... he was trying to be "hard diplomatic"...whatever that means...

now the good part: those people told him we dropped off three letters in their mailbox...all three said we were going to steal their dog if they didnt take better care of it....and they saw us drop them off..... (but they could not produce the letters..they threw them away "in anger".) he said "there truly is something strange going on here... that chain does look like it could have been pulled apart.... not cut.... ill get back to you and let you folks know.. please dont stop what you are doing... " that was refreshing...

my wife is calling our lawyer on Monday........ this is bull shit. the deputy is our witness......this prick's gonna pay... maybe a n animal loving judge will force him to donate to our rescue....... if our lawyer says it wont work.........it wont. thats ok.

me..........i wanted to go over there and kick the guys ass...... but thats only asking for jail time........ maybe someday i can catch him someplace alone..........just him and me.....

OTHER THAN THAT MS. LINCOLN....HOW DID YOU LIKE THE PLAY?


happy friday...im on my 5th coors light already.

[BrdWAtti2d]

Yanno, bad crap happens to good people and the truly bad ones get away with the garbage you described. Just so you know, I think I can speak for most of us, no one here would blame you for kicking this guy's ass and a few of us would love to help. But, we know you won't. Let's hope what goes around comes around.

[raroZ28]

It isn't legal to file false claims against people and make up stories of letters that never existed. I'm sure you were embarrassed to have them come into your home, search it, talk to your neighbors, etc... Defamation of character, slandering your name, etc...

I would definitely go after the douche bags. They're probably trying to set you up.

[FroSSty]

It isn't legal to file false claims against people and make up stories of letters that never existed. I'm sure you were embarrassed to have them come into your home, search it, talk to your neighbors, etc... Defamation of character, slandering your name, etc...

I would definitely go after the douche bags. They're probably trying to set you up.

+eleventy billion!!!

[Blazer]

Ken do not kick his ass. Take him out. Or send him down south so we can have fun with him. We will show him how to do the 357mag dog dance.
Blazer

[MarkFL]

these people are simply humiliated to have their incompetence noticed and are lashing out like the immature, half-developed adults they seem to be. how a situation such as you described can ever come about bewilders me to no end.

now I am no expert by any means, but I would wager dogs like to be tied out just about as much as we would.

[wolfdogs]

^^^^ we and GRREAT and most other rescues will not allow adoption if the new owners dont have fence... tying out a dog, especially a wolf dog.. makes them feel trapped... and they become vicious... fear biters...

[Wild Willy]

Hmm- so, the kid is throwing rocks and hitting a chained dog? Sounds like the parents have recreated their own lack of integrity- Sad to see they don't raise their child any better than the dog-

How come you never have a video camera when you need one?

Don't let the jerk drag you into anything, the sheriff is already suspecting you- still, it would be satisfying to see him fall down a flight of stairs a couple of times-

Really sad- sorry about your idiot neighbors. I doubt that they will ever learn, even when the kid is in juvenile detention or worse-

[wolfdogs]

dogs back. the county shelter found him wandering...broken chain still hanging from his neck. the people picked him up at the shelter and never bothered to call the sheriff and tell them. we found out cause the ACO is a friend. the people never came over to apologize either..no surprise..the cop called though...and apologized for the "inconvenience"....

[MarkFL]

dogs back. the county shelter found him wandering...broken chain still hanging from his neck. the people picked him up at the shelter and never bothered to call the sheriff and tell them. we found out cause the ACO is a friend. the people never came over to apologize either..no surprise..the cop called though...and apologized for the "inconvenience"....

sorry the dog came back...would be better off somewhere else it seems.

at least the cop apologized though.

[Rhode Island Red]

So this is the burr that's been biting your hide. I kinda knew something was amiss. I am VERY glad you kept your cool .

If this guy took advantage of the law, to get you in trouble I say 2 can play that game. No need to get in a yelling match as there are more effective means. Get all the neighbors who've witnessed their abuses and go to the law about them. Gather proof (that can be used in the court of law, or by the local animal control officer for him to start an investigation) of their abuse of the dog that can be used, go to the ASPCA, the law, and etc. with the proof.

No conviction may occur, but it will be unsettling for those closed-minded W@#$@#$! knowing that their neighbors have gone to the law on them, and the law watching them (It'd would be great if the law would send someone down there on a regular basis ) . Think about it, they'd always have to think "Are we being watched?" from here on out, always under suspicion by the law and neighbors. They'd never be at ease ...

I hope you and Mary can figure out what your lawyer can get them for, and then sick the law on them! Call it Karma!

[TraceZ]

sorry the dog came back...would be better off somewhere else it seems.

at least the cop apologized though.

Look at the bright side...

Now you can kidnap the dog and not even be a suspect. There's no way they'd get the police to hastle you again!

[DJ Taso]

That cop sounded like an asshole. I know you had nothing to hide by letting him in the house, but you did not consent to a search so what he did was unlawful by searching around. I mean he can look but he can't search without a warrant. But enough about that..

Poor dog, but I bet you for those couple of days while it was gone it was in a much better place than that hell hole you described.

Too bad I wasn't your neighbor, Ken. I would of thrown my badge over my neck and my trusty 45 on my hip and you on my side and we would of walked over there together and told them 'very nicely' "Either provide better living conditions for the animal, or we're taking him".

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

I hate seeing dogs left for days on chains with a bowl of water near their pens. Drives me nuts when I see it...I'd like to leave the owner tied to a fence and see how well he copes with hot days and cold nights. Inconsiderate animals!!!

Keep up the good work Ken...I'll bail you out if you decide to take a swing at this jerk.

[wolfdogs]

thanks yall. our lawyer gave mary a reaming out today about letting the cop come in........... also told us we dont have a case since we were not charged. im just telling mary to let it go.

i'll run into that dude someplace sometime.....and ive been know to piss people off pretty bad with words........ let him take the first swing....then ill crush him like a bad habit..........