Living with a dog that's constantly attacking me. What can i do.

[fireup6]

I'm 19 in California and living with my parents. I do not pay any kind of bills or rent (lucky me). My dad is the only one who works, and he pays the bills for everything.

A bout a year ago my mother found a dog on 4th of July and decided to keep him. It is against our rent/lease agreement, and the homeowner does not know.

Since then he has bitten me twice, bitten various friends and visitors that have came into the house. Bitten my mother, bitten my dad. There is pretty much nobody that he hasn't bitten by now.

The problem isn't the biting. It's that at completely random occasions he will run up to me and start agressivly attacking me to the point where i literally have to run away. I don't want to kick or hit the dog due to whatever legal consequences there may be for doing so, thus i have never layed a finger on him.

I can no longer safely leave my room without getting attacked and possibly bit by the dog. I have requested on numerous occasions for him to be kept in a room, on a leash, in the garage, or anywhere where he can't attack me when i try to walk around the house. The bad part is that the family seems to take the dogs side on everything, even though i haven't layed a finger on him in over a year. Simply entering a room he's in is enough to get him to run in and start attacking my legs.

He also barks non stop day and night, attacks the cats (who the homeowner is also not aware of), attacks visitors, and pretty much everything else that dogs can do.

What can i do? Because i can't do anything to stop him (short of hitting him which i don't want to do) i feel threatened every time i leave my room. Can i call the police if they refuse to restrain him? Is there some legal way i can stop this dog from being allowed to attack me day and night? I need some legal leveler that i can use to get them to lock him up. Otherwise they just don't care.

Thanks.

 

[sandyclaus]

I'm 19 in California and living with my parents. I do not pay any kind of bills or rent (lucky me). My dad is the only one who works, and he pays the bills for everything.

A bout a year ago my mother found a dog on 4th of July and decided to keep him. It is against our rent/lease agreement, and the homeowner does not know.

Since then he has bitten me twice, bitten various friends and visitors that have came into the house. Bitten my mother, bitten my dad. There is pretty much nobody that he hasn't bitten by now.

The problem isn't the biting. It's that at completely random occasions he will run up to me and start agressivly attacking me to the point where i literally have to run away. I don't want to kick or hit the dog due to whatever legal consequences there may be for doing so, thus i have never layed a finger on him.

I can no longer safely leave my room without getting attacked and possibly bit by the dog. I have requested on numerous occasions for him to be kept in a room, on a leash, in the garage, or anywhere where he can't attack me when i try to walk around the house. The bad part is that the family seems to take the dogs side on everything, even though i haven't layed a finger on him in over a year. Simply entering a room he's in is enough to get him to run in and start attacking my legs.

He also barks non stop day and night, attacks the cats (who the homeowner is also not aware of), attacks visitors, and pretty much everything else that dogs can do.

What can i do? Because i can't do anything to stop him (short of hitting him which i don't want to do) i feel threatened every time i leave my room. Can i call the police if they refuse to restrain him? Is there some legal way i can stop this dog from being allowed to attack me day and night? I need some legal leveler that i can use to get them to lock him up. Otherwise they just don't care.

Thanks.

What exactly are you expecting to happen here?

You could always contact the homeowners and let them know about the unauthorized pets in the house. Of course, your parents would probably resent you for that, considering they have failed to disclose the presence of those pets in the household, and would likely face a "get rid of the dog or move" result.

Or, here's an idea - you could move out on your own and find a place where the dog can't follow you. There's nothing stopping you from finding your own place to live - except for the fact that you'd actually have to pay your own way.

 

[fireup6]

What exactly are you expecting to happen here?

To find a way to live in this house without a dog that violently attacks me every day. If the people who own this dog don't want to restrain him, i want to find a legal basis under which i can force them into doing so. I want the dog to stop attacking me.

You could always contact the homeowners and let them know about the unauthorized pets in the house. Of course, your parents would probably resent you for that, considering they have failed to disclose the presence of those pets in the household, and would likely face a "get rid of the dog or move" result.

That's not really what I'm looking for as it's simply blackmail. Do this for me or i will rat you out. I'm looking for a legal basis under which I, a person who legally lives in this home, can stop the other people living in the home from creating an environment under which I feel threatened.

Or, here's an idea - you could move out on your own and find a place where the dog can't follow you. There's nothing stopping you from finding your own place to live - except for the fact that you'd actually have to pay your own way.

Obviously I'm looking for a middle ground. I don't want to have to move out. I also don't want a dog to physically injure me. Looks like i want to have my cake and eat it too.

I don't believe that living somewhere for free means i forfeit all my rights. If exercising these rights will make them kick me out, then that's what will have to happen.

 

[Eekamouse]

Haven't laid a finger on the dog in over a year? Was there a time when you did hit the dog?
You should get a job and move out on your own if you don't like your living conditions with your parents. Heck, they may have gotten the dog to passive agressively let you know it's time for you to get out. It certainly wouldn't surprise me considering that they don't care if the dog attacks you.
You're being selfish and lazy and it's time you stopped mooching off your parents and started standing on your own two feet. You're not going to find a legal way to force your parents to bend to your will. If the dog is truly vicious and has attacked as many people as you claim, animal control would have already paid your parents a visit. I think you may be exaggerating about its behavior.

 

[fireup6]

Haven't laid a finger on the dog in over a year? Was there a time when you did hit the dog?

No. I have never hit the dog, or otherwise done anything violent towards him. Around the time we got him (a little over a year ago) i had a positive attitude towards him and pet him occasionally. One day while petting him he decided to bite my hand with no warning. He bit through my hand, there was blood everywhere, and i still have the marks. I haven't touched him since.

You should get a job and move out on your own if you don't like your living conditions with your parents. Heck, they may have gotten the dog to passive aggressively let you know it's time for you to get out. It certainly wouldn't surprise me considering that they don't care if the dog attacks you. You're being selfish and lazy and it's time you stopped mooching off your parents and started standing on your own two feet. You're not going to find a legal way to force your parents to bend to your will. If the dog is truly vicious and has attacked as many people as you claim, animal control would have already paid your parents a visit. I think you may be exaggerating about its behavior.

I did not ask for life advice. I asked if there was some legal basis under which i can force the owners of this dog (parents) to restrain him so he stops attempting to attack me, this includes calling animal control. I'm not sure if i have any legal basis for doing so, which is why i came here.

If you're unable to provide the legal advice that i asked for, leave the thread. Same goes to sandyclaus.

 

[sandyclaus]

I suppose you could pay for behavior modification training for the dog (Cesar Milan works with aggressive dogs, but he's probably pretty expensive). Or you or your friends could call Animal Control and report a vicious animal. Those are LEGAL remedies that could help to solve your problem.

However, any of the above, as well as the reporting the dog to the homeowners, are likely to result in resentment from your parents. That's why I suggested that you move out on your own, because once you take a legal route, I can almost guarantee that your parents are going to kick you out anyway.

I honestly don't see a situation where both you and the dog get to remain living at home.

 

[Eekamouse]

Likewise to you. If you don't like the dog, kiddo, move out and stop leeching off your parents. The dog has more use for them than you do. The dog at least is earning its keep by protecting them and guarding them. You want to run go tattle to someone to make your parents do what you want. Keep up with your present attitude of expecting them to bend to your will and they'll be kicking you out soon anyway.

 

[fireup6]

I suppose you could pay for behavior modification training for the dog (Cesar Milan works with aggressive dogs, but he's probably pretty expensive). Or you or your friends could call Animal Control and report a vicious animal. Those are LEGAL remedies that could help to solve your problem.

It's not my responsibility to pay for training somebody else's violent animal. Even if it is adversely affecting me.

I'm not sure what calling animal control will accomplish, considering that they will only have the testimony of one person (mine). What conditions are necessary for them to take action? Multiple reports? Reports from multiple people? If it would accomplish anything, i would have no problem calling them every time he attacks me.

However, any of the above, as well as the reporting the dog to the homeowners, are likely to result in resentment from your parents. That's why I suggested that you move out on your own, because once you take a legal route, I can almost guarantee that your parents are going to kick you out anyway.

I honestly don't see a situation where both you and the dog get to remain living at home.

Likewise to you. If you don't like the dog, kiddo, move out and stop leeching off your parents. The dog has more use for them than you do. The dog at least is earning its keep by protecting them and guarding them. You want to run go tattle to someone to make your parents do what you want. Keep up with your present attitude of expecting them to bend to your will and they'll be kicking you out soon anyway.

See:

If you're unable to provide the legal advice that i asked for, leave the thread.

 

[You Are Guilty]

I thought the prior posters were clear, but just to be sure, there is no law that says you can dictate to your parents how to run their household. Your options are either:
a) get the dog trained
b) call animal control every time it bites you
c) report the dog to the landlord
d) move out
(These are not mutually exclusive).

Although, while typing this, I also thought of one more, so add:
e) buy an anaconda and bring it home. I don't think the dog will give you much trouble after that. (Of course, then you will have to buy a gator to get rid of the anaconda, but it's a small price to pay really).

 

[fireup6]

there is no law that says you can dictate to your parents how to run their household.

That's a rather large exaggeration of what i was asking for, and i don't believe that their being my parents has any legal significance.

If I'm the owner of a home, and i rent out a room to somebody. Do i have the right to create an environment in the home which puts that person's safety at risk? Booby traps and poison darts everywhere?

From my understanding, people who live in a home, even for free, have certain rights. For example, i can't be forced out of the home without a 30 day's notice. (correct?) I think there should be a law against creating conditions in which people you live with, regardless of whether they are family or pay rent, are put into dangerous situations.

I'm here trying to figure out if such a thing exists.

b) call animal control every time it bites you

Does it have to bite me for me to call animal control? I specifically avoid the dog so that i don't get mutilated. Can i call animal control when it starts running at my legs attempting to bite me?

Although, while typing this, I also thought of one more, so add:
e) buy an anaconda and bring it home. I don't think the dog will give you much trouble after that. (Of course, then you will have to buy a gator to get rid of the anaconda, but it's a small price to pay really).

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Banned_Princess]

That's a rather large exaggeration of what i was asking for, and i don't believe that their being my parents has any legal significance.

If I'm the owner of a home, and i rent out a room to somebody. Do i have the right to create an environment in the home which puts that person's safety at risk? Booby traps and poison darts everywhere?

From my understanding, people who live in a home, even for free, have certain rights. For example, i can't be forced out of the home without a 30 day's notice. (correct?) I think there should be a law against creating conditions in which people you live with, regardless of whether they are family or pay rent, are put into dangerous situations.

I'm here trying to figure out if such a thing exists.


Does it have to bite me for me to call animal control? I specifically avoid the dog so that i don't get mutilated. Can i call animal control when it starts running at my legs attempting to bite me?



Sounds like a plan.

C'mon kid, you are not getting it. If you own a home, and rent a room, and you have a violent dog, rest assured that tenant will report the dog and move out. (which are also your only options.)

I would call the cops every time, at some point animal control will take the dog and dispose of it. Also there is nothing in the law that says you cant hit a dog. If a violent dog was coming after me every I left my room, I would start bringing a golf club with me every trip to the bathroom. One taste of that the dog would never come near me again.

Did you ever say what state you are in?

 

[swalsh411]

The dog see itself as dominant over you. This won't change in one day but it can change.

I don't normally recommend violence towards animals but you're not going to seriously hurt a medium or large dog by kicking it unless you are wearing steel toed boots or get a runing start like charlie brown kicking the football. Animals do respond to pain and sometimes that is all they respond to. If this dog were in a pack (and dogs are pack animals) you can bet the alpha dog would put it in its place.

If you are absolutely opposed to striking the dog then get a spray bottle and fill it with about 1/3 vinegar and the rest water. Spray it directly in the face as many times as it takes to make it back off. This will bother the dog but will not hurt it.

 

[nanu156]

Ummm... Really??

You are 19, so you should move out. If you have already requested that your parents get rid of the dog and they said no, then your next legal option as a legal adult is to move.

I suppose you could report them for violating their lease, then they could throw you out, you could resist this and make them legally evict you i suppose. In the end you are risking getting them evicted (for reporting this) or making them angry enough at the insubordinate, non-rent-paying adult that is living there free to they toss you.

So get your own apartment, find a roommate. Roomates.com is a great place to find subleases.

They have no obligation to feed or house you as you are an adult.

Oh and you are right, they can't just toss you, legally they must evict you. Do you want them to evict you? would it be better if you just moved so that you don't damage the relationship between you and your parents who love you enough to support you?

You probably do have legal tenancy rights, exercising them would likely make them use their rights to legally evict you... In the end I see exercising them as a BAD PLAN.

 

[Zigner]

Move - yeesh.

 

[xylene]

I hate dogs.

Report the dog to the landlord, the relevant animal control authorities AND move.