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When Should You Call the Police About Your Neighbor's Aggressive Dogs

By Ed Frawley

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A couple of days ago, Cindy got an email from a woman who was seriously concerned about her neighbor's aggressive dog. She asked for advice on what to do.

To: Ed Frawley

From: Soon-To-Be Retiree

I just moved to a new rental where the neighbor shares the yard with me. She has a 8 month old pitbull and I have a Rottweiler mix. The other girl on the property has 3 dogs. The pitbull attacked one of the 3 dogs last week and would not let her go. The owner finally got her loose and she, the owner, had to get stitches and her arm is really bruised. The dog lived, but her neck was very swollen and she is still having a hard time swallowing. I am afraid for my dog and the other dogs. The owner of the pitbull got a shock collar but the dog still runs around freely and can come into the house I live in through the doggy door. Do you have any suggestions on how I can approach these 2 women and knock some sense into their heads?

Cindy relayed this email to me. Having been a K9 handler for 10 years, I have a clear idea on a protocol to follow. I've also served as an expert witness for the prosecution on a murder case in Kansas in which a pack of 4 Rottweilers killed a 9-year-old boy where the owner was found guilty and spent years in prison.

The basic concept of what to do starts by contacting the owner of the aggressive dogs. On a good day, the owners take measures, and the threat is over. Unfortunately, more times than not, the owner comes up with excuses. "My dog would never bite." "My dog accidentally got out. It won't happen again." That's where I mention how concerned I am.

Tell the owner if their dog bites you, you're going to sue him. And if you sue him, he will lose his homeowners insurance. If this is a rental property, you need to contact the homeowner. If you don't know who that is, go down to city hall and ask the register of deeds. If you can find out what bank has liens (loans) on the property, you threaten to contact the bank. Trust me, banks understand the seriousness of potential lawsuits.

Let the owner know of your concerns, in writing. If there is resistance, tell him he has a legal responsibility to solve this problem. When you write a letter, send it via certified mail. Every level of correspondence needs to be sent via Certified Mail. Certified mail takes on a level of seriousness. At that point, you need to start to take photos and videos of the dogs acting inappropriately. Make a written log with dates and times.

Next, call the police. Tell the responding officer exactly what your concerns are. Tell him the times and dates these things have happened, especially if it is a reoccurring issue. If it's just one incident, that doesn't matter. Most importantly tell him you are seriously concerned about the safety of you and your family. Get the officer's name and badge number. If possible, get his business card and phone number. Ask the officer if he will give you a copy of his incident report. This is where you will get a sense of how serious he is taking the problem.

If the officer resists, it is time to go up to the next level and you need to tell him. Ask for the name and contact information of his supervisor. Be polite, but firm. The officer needs to know you intend to take this issue as far as it is necessary until you feel the problem is solved. Don't make this about revenge or punishment. Make it about safety for you, your family, and your dogs.

Now, if the supervisor does not cooperate, then it's time to go to the Chief of Police or the County Sheriff. Tell the Chief or Sheriff that you are going to go to the District Attorney and the Mayor and/or the president of the city council. When you go to elected officials, be polite but let them know how serious this is and if you don't get their help in finding a solution, you intend on going to the news media.

Elected officials listen to issues that may cost them votes. If anyone questions the seriousness of a dog bite, have a look at these very graphic photos people have sent me. The majority of these are bites on owners trying to break up dog fights, or photos of children getting bit.

Odds are, you will eventually get help at one of these levels. It's not an easy process but at the end of the day, you are looking out for your family's safety and that's what matters most.

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About Author

Ed Frawley

Ed Frawley is the founder of Leerburg. He has been training dogs since the 1950s. For 30 years, Ed bred working bloodline German Shepherds and has produced over 350 litters. During this time, Ed began recording dog training videos and soon grew an interest in police service dogs. His narcotic dogs have been involved in over 1,000 narcotics searches resulting in hundreds of arrests in the state of Wisconsin. Ed now solely focuses on producing dog training courses with renowned dog trainers nationwide. If you want to learn more about Ed, read about his history here.