... stalker, harasser, creeper. You be the judge as to which category they belong in.

A brief history: I am a retired animal rescuer, I have a number of animals still under my care. These animals are inside my home ... the cats never go outside and the dogs are allowed out in my fenced and locked back yard for only a short time several times a day. I wish I could allow the dogs more playtime, as they are large dogs (one is about 45-50lbs and two are 60-65lbs), but I have people living around me who harass my dogs. So, for their safety, it is necessary to limit their outdoor time. Last year, in June 2006, one neighbor (and for legal reasons, I cannot say which one or give any names or addresses) filed a complaint with animal control about my cats and dogs. Long story short, her letter to animal control was completely fabricated and contained deliberate lies about my animals, myself, and even the ownership of my home and the services to my property. This was an attempt to deceive animal control into thinking there was a situation existing that, in fact, did not and does not. Animal Control, upon receipt of my rebutal letter and completion of their investigation, decided in my favor. For a number of months afterwards, I had no real problems with these neighbors, save for some occasional venturing over the boundaries of my property.

The current issue: More recently, these neighbors have resumed a more deliberate harassment of me and my animals. I now live alone, as my grown son moved out last September. The neighbors in question are a couple ... the woman wrote the complaint to animal control last year, but it is the man who has engaged in the physical harassment. He has not spoken to me nor has he attempted any physical attacks. His harassment has been limited to the utilization of my property for his own purposes (or rather the attempts to do so), trespassing, tampering, and petty theft. He has allowed his own dogs outside, unleashed, to come onto my property and eat the catfood that I put out for the neighborhood homeless cats (ferals, strays, and other peoples abandoned pets). I started picking the food up during the day. One night, he came onto my property and actually stole the catfood, bowl and all. I assume to feed to his dogs, or perhaps to just let me know he was going to do whatever he wanted to do. He has thrown trash in my garbage bin, trespassing to do so, including sharp objects that would have torn open my own garbage bags had I not noticed them. I suspect he tried to do something with my lawn mower (it's on my front porch) a few weeks back, as the mower had been moved from the corner where I keep it. During this past week, he has crossed over the fence into my locked backyard and removed a window screen and left a large chunk of concrete and a large brick in the middle of my patio. Whether or not he was trying to break in, frighten me, or just making it known that he can do whatever he wants is unknown. I have installed new floodlights in response to that behavior.

I have not spoken to this couple in well over a year. I do not trespass on their property. My animals, as stated above, are inside my home and do absolutely no harm to anyone. My dogs do bark sometimes, but all dogs do. It's their job to watch over the property.

The reason for the behavior of this couple is completely unknown. There are reasonable speculations, but nothing that can be proved.

The woman is hispanic (or part hispanic), 5'7" to 5'9" tall, moderately obese, long dark (dyed) hair, dark eyes. The man is hispanic, 5'8" - 5'10" tall, medium to slightly heavy build, very short dark hair, dark eyes, small amount of facial hair. Both are in the 25-30 year age range. There are two children, the youngest lives there, the older one visit's on alternating weekends.

While I have seen these people commiting the offenses with my own eyes, I have not been able to photographically capture their trespassing. I cannot prove it is them to law enforcement, therefore, while the police would take a report, there would be no action until I can provide proof. However, the more the trespassing and harassment persist, the more likely it will become that I will, in fact, get an opportunity to capture the needed proof.

Update (09.16.07): Last night, just after dark, I turned on my floodlights and let my dogs out for their evening relief. They ran down the sidewalk to the back yard and immediately made a hasty dash for the fence, excited and barking wildly. I heard the fence rattle, but do not know if it was the object of their attentions or the dogs themselves hitting the fence. I know for a fact it was not a cat, cats do not venture into my backyard because they all know about the dogs. I do not believe it was a dog, as my dogs lose interest quickly after another dog leaves the area. I cannot run, so, by the time I got to the back, I only saw my dogs with their attentions still excitedly focused in one direction. The direction this man comes from to cross over that same area of fence. If it was him, I hope he now knows that my dogs will enforce the "No Trespassing" rule when it comes to my property and unwanted guests. I hardly think it would deter him from further trespassing, however, since he knows my dogs are not outside very much.

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