Neighbor says our dogs are dangerous

[SchnauzerOwner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA state

We have lived in our house for almost 1 year; have never had any contact with these neighbors. They live two house down from ours, with one house in between ours and theirs.

Neighbor has written statements claiming my husband waited inside our house for her son to run through our common neighbor's yard, at which point he opened the door and told our two Mini Schnauzer dogs to "Get him." She ended her statement by saying our dogs chased him all the way home.

The truth is he was outside on our lawn with the dogs when the neighbors drove by our house, and parked in their driveway. One of our dogs was going potty and the other just sniffing around when the neighbor's son ran into the yard next to ours, did not stop and kept running up the stairs adjacent to our driveway, and back to his own home. My husband said "stay" to our dogs.

Last night my husband was served with a court hearing document and orders to stay 25 yards away from these neighbors! She has lied about our dogs attacking her son and my husband laughing while it supposedly happened (twice).

How can we protect ourselves from someone who completely lies and makes up stories like this?! We want her and her family to leave us alone - do we get a restraining order? What happens when she lies about my husband being closer than 25 yards and he goes to jail?

Please help. Our court hearing is 11/30th. Thank you.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? WA state

We have lived in our house for almost 1 year; have never had any contact with these neighbors. They live two house down from ours, with one house in between ours and theirs.

Neighbor has written statements claiming my husband waited inside our house for her son to run through our common neighbor's yard, at which point he opened the door and told our two Mini Schnauzer dogs to "Get him." She ended her statement by saying our dogs chased him all the way home.

The truth is he was outside on our lawn with the dogs when the neighbors drove by our house, and parked in their driveway. One of our dogs was going potty and the other just sniffing around when the neighbor's son ran into the yard next to ours, did not stop and kept running up the stairs adjacent to our driveway, and back to his own home. My husband said "stay" to our dogs.

Last night my husband was served with a court hearing document and orders to stay 25 yards away from these neighbors! She has lied about our dogs attacking her son and my husband laughing while it supposedly happened (twice).

How can we protect ourselves from someone who completely lies and makes up stories like this?! We want her and her family to leave us alone - do we get a restraining order? What happens when she lies about my husband being closer than 25 yards and he goes to jail?

Please help. Our court hearing is 11/30th. Thank you.

How about you keep your dogs leashed on YOUR property?

 

[Kiawah]

- Fence in your backyard, so your dogs can run free in the back, and the kids are out
- Keep the dogs chained or on a leash
- Put out a wireless underground dog fence, or wireless proximity dog fence, and signs, for less than 200 with an extra collar.

Your dogs stay on your property, and everyone's happy. You avoid a potential lawsuit when your dog's eventually bite him if you keep doing what you're doing. You've been officially warned with your court date, anything happens with the dogs now, expect the book.

 

[xylene]

- Put out a wireless underground dog fence, or wireless proximity dog fence, and signs, for less than 200 with an extra collar.

I agree with everything you have said, except this.

An invisible fence is a training tool.

It is not a positive animal control device.

I have seen dogs, both happy and raging charge through an invisible fenceline as if there was nothing there.

 

[Zigner]

Furthermore, an electronic fence will not meet the legal requirements of properly controlling/restraining the animal (it won't make up for the dog being unleashed).