I have lived here for almost 10 years.
First year my big rich next-door farmer did go in and help himself to my standing hay. He used the words: you dont have any animals so I took it. ( I was just to call contractor and make sileage for the animals I was to buy, had just shifted in months earlier) Did not want to argue with neighbour and did just let it go. He had made bales of it! That year with no hay my husband did let neighbour graze his cows for free 3-4 times.
Neighbours calfs used to get in thru our fences on a daily basis we never argued with him but did call when we spotted them down the road, his wife did just hang up. His dog did round up my animals several times and I had to catch it in action. His dog has been up my driveway and sitting in my garden attacking my old dog.
My neighbour took down the fence when he was building and he did not erect it for 2 years even though council told him to do so and when he finally put it up it does not have the same quality.
I have grabbed his calfs on my driveway and just lead them back. I did spot one of his milking cows down the road as late as a week ago.
Now I have one escape sheep, one. It has gone thru the wire that he did take down many years ago and did not put up properly again.
I have tried and tried to fix this fence but I am not strong enough to do this.
This morning I did find a nasty hand written note from my rich neighbour about that he was going to take care of my sheep if it was found in his paddock one more time and when it was found on the road instead it was to be me having to pay for car accident. Is he going to put it on the road??
This neighbour knows what I have gone thru, hubbie that has died.
I do not want to write a note and return about what he has done because then I will have to see my solicitor and cant afford that. He would probably use that note to sue me.
I have one escape artist sheep and he has had all his cows grazing my property and calfs going thru my garden and his dog rounding up my animals,,
I have never said one bad word or even spoken with him.
Suzanne, dont muck around, Ring animal control, when anything next happens. He can not put any animals on the road, With your escapee sheep, get rid of it, its obvioulsy a problem sheep, What has happened in the past doesnt matter when AC gets involved, they focus on what the call is at the time. Im in a hurry as i have to go to Tauranga, but you do have rights.
She has two lambs as well so I have to take them out at the same time. I am trying to find someone that comes and kills her. Have sent some texts to a farmworker that aint that far away,see if he does things like this, waiting for him to reply.
Suzanne, do what bev says. Your neighbour is not permitted to kill your animal or to put it in a position where it can be injured, no matter how many times it gets out. If it gets injured because of him or his dogs then get Animal Control to take him to court.
The law implies that if you have an animal that gets out, then you have to fix the hole that it got out from. The animal is legally permitted to get out again, but not through the same hole if it has not been repaired. The Fencing Act gives you ways of getting the fence fixed, and if you can show that the fence was broken by him then he has to do it all. If you cannot prove that he broke the fence then you will have to share costs.
So start by contacting your local Council's Animal Control Officer, and getting their advice. Note that in some Districts (hopefully not yours) the officer doesn't know all the law, or is scared of the other person, so tell us how you get on.
It was a perfectly ok fence until neighbour did take it down some years ago when he was building things without building permit spot on the boundary(!). It took authorities many years to clean up after this, they just gave up and gave him a permit as if it never had happened and the fence he has erected is not same quality as it was.
When I have complained about his dog the authority said they did not want to act since this is a big farmer.
My sympathies - it just takes one neighbour to ruin all the benefits of rural living / lifestyle farming.
On suggestion is to starting documenting things that happen - where, what, when etc. Like his stock getting onto your property, or on the road, and also document any contact with your neighbour - notes, discussions, actions. Take photos or get proof of what his animals have been doing.
Have you got friends / family who are able to support you with this and back you up where necessary? This is important because you need a few other eyes to back up what you say is going on.
5 acres, husband, daughter, son, me, about 12 sheep and their lambs, currently no ram (yay!), 2 Galloways, about 35 chooks, 3 cats and 2 budgies.
SarahM;332350 wrote: My sympathies - it just takes one neighbour to ruin all the benefits of rural living / lifestyle farming.
On suggestion is to starting documenting things that happen - where, what, when etc. Like his stock getting onto your property, or on the road, and also document any contact with your neighbour - notes, discussions, actions. Take photos or get proof of what his animals have been doing.
Have you got friends / family who are able to support you with this and back you up where necessary? This is important because you need a few other eyes to back up what you say is going on.
Sadly documentation is of no use,
specifically since his dog has been up in my garden having a go at my dog and also been left barking outside my bedroom window where my husband was lying in sever pain dying of cancer,, the authority did not want to act since big dairy farmer.
I have turned the other side all years and alone I have no power whatsoever.
Suz, I have asked steve on several times after you have posted your frustrations about neighbour, and he's never heard about it, he knows who you are because of your good looking dogs and your cars
If you had talked to Don or Dennis, they wouldnt give a flying F .. pig.
Best advise, see the dog, catch the dog and ring animal control.
Doesnt matter if he is in the next paddock over, his dog is at your property and he hasnt his dog under control, do not give it back to him no matter what the verbal crap out of his mouth. Infact i would go as far as putting a trespass notice on him so he can not step on your property.
I have turned the other side all years and alone I have no power whatsoever.
I mean this in the nicest possible way Hestia. I do know you've had a rough time.
But now it's time to put on your 'big girl pants' and deal with your problems.
You have no joy with the ranger? Then get on his bosses case and keep going up the ranks until it's dealt with. Your neighbour is an Ass? Treat him like one. Stop requesting 'he do something' and just 'tell him'. Disputes tribunal for the fence. Stop moving his stock for him, simply tell him to remove them.
Your neighbour is treating you like this because you are letting him... again and again and again. You do have power The power to react appropriately to your asshat neighbour. What you don't have is the power to turn your neighbour into a nice considerate person, so for goodness sake stop trying.
Strange how much you've got to know, Before you know how little you know.
Well said Drifter. My interpretation of Bev's thread is that you are not making any complaints so how can you expect to be heard. Big rich farmer has absolutely nothing to do with anything! He breaks the Law - you catch his dog and ring Animal Control to pick it up. If you have a problem with them not pursuing it, then contact Bev!
However Suz - you have to stop being the victim in your life and fight back. I know how hard things have been for you and have tried to help in the past but it does get hard to keep listening to complaints if you are not going to "put on your big girl pants" and take your control and power back.
I think you are feeling powerless because you are scared that anything you can do will cost money which you don't have but in this instance - it will cost you nothing. Animal Control have to respond if you have the dog caught and tied up on your property and that is just a phone call.
Glad to hear the wayward sheep is getting the chop - see you can do it! Just one step at a time and you will find you are stronger than you are allowing yourself to be. I say this all with a big heart and caring about how badly you are feeling but perhaps you should talk with your Doctor about depression and/or Counselling. Easy to run away from but maybe that is the next step to get you back on top of your world. Do you remember who Suzanne was at 20?
I did fight back when neighbour did build on boundary without permit.
Neighbour did win, he was given a permit 3 years after since he had put so much money in to what he did!
I did ask for help when his dog sat outside our window and barked when hubbie was sick.
The highest of authorities said that we do not argue with big rich farmer. Wish I had that mail reply but that computer gave up.
Seriously, I did fight that much at the hospital for hubbies just basic treatment so I was called in to a meeting and told to stay out of trying!
Now I am just trying to stay out of things since I have no energy.
But new problems that hit me, I do fight straight off since I do not want any more of that. I was a weak shadow at 20, today I am strong but need a new base where I feel safe.
Hestia - good to hear. Can you please take my suggestion of Counselling seriously. My daughter recently went through a heartbreaking experience and of her own accord went to Counselling. I picked her up from the first session and it was obvious she had bawled her eyes out for over an hour. The outcome though (and a couple of more sessions) was huge.
We, as her family and friends could do nothing as she wasn't listening. To talk with a total stranger (but you have to get on!) who is trained to help you put things into perspective can be huge.
The lack of energy is also a very big indicator of depression so please go and see your doctor and even if you don't want to take anti-depressant pills, get him/her to refer you to a Councillor. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Please!
I did get counseling,,so far I have made three people burst out and cry and I had to comfort them,,people that work with support as professionals.
I tried anti depressants to be able to sleep but nothing happened.
I still wake up several time every night even though I do not need to go up and give medication anymore. I got sleeping pills that I take when I see that I cant go to sleep but have not slept more than 4 hrs per night last 2 years. I so wish I could have a good nights sleep,,go to bed and wake up 8-10 hrs later.
I have a plan, a really good one,,someone is waiting for me and giving comforting words,,but I have to sell the house.
