# Annoying neighbors



## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

Okay this is and old problem and it has been solved. But I wanted to ask if we were in the wrong or if our neighbor was.

So we live on 75 acres and we have had problems with two of our neighbors. But this got way out of hand a few months ago. one of the two raises registered Nubians. She lives 3/4 miles North of us(Lots of wooded land between us). And we like to shoot on our land not in their direction or anything and only small calibers so it's not to loud. Well last year during kidding season my brother was shooting. Well we get a call a week later saying 3 of her does stopped labor(They were pushing) and lost the babies and we need to pay for each baby. She said they each had twin doelings and she sells them for $350 each as bottle babies. We told her no we weren't paying her that much because she should have called the vet the day they stopped labor. So then there was a week of silence from her then a call saying all three does died from mastitis!?! Now these are milking goats she sells milk, soap, and cheese from. So she says now we have to pay for all 6 doelings and the 3 does which she wanted $750 each for. So we tell her we wont pay the money. And another week go's by and then she says we shot her freezer and that will cost us $700. She gets the sheriff and she says he said it came from us(In a lawsuit) well we had the sheriff for other reasons and we gave him the lawsuit paper and he said TO US that she shot the freezer or someone that had access to her barn shot the freezer.
So we have a grand total of 5,050 
So what are every body's thoughts on the matter? The sheriff did tell her to stop bugging us and that we can shoot when ever we want.

Just wanted to add at the time her goats stopped labor we had babies born :storkgirl:


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

I just want to hear every body's unfiltered opinions!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

i have never had a animal stop labor because they were scared. Actually we had a coyote scoping out my goats when I was in the middle of kidding so sent my husband to take care of it and I had 3 in labor and they still kidded. Yeah they stopped pushing all of 3 minutes while they tried to figure out what was going on but still pushed them out just fine. If her goats did stop pushing she should have went in and saved them! I think your neighbors are going To complain about everything you do. You can either back down or try and play nice or double time it on shooting. If they call to complain I would just say since your goats are sissy lalas I figured maybe they would get used to shooting if we did it more often. Yeah not very grown up but might as well have fun with it


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like your neighbor is trying to find a way to make easy money.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I agree, they sound like they are looking for a free ride. As long as you have a safe shooting zone, they have no cause to claim you are shooting their property. Maybe they will move!


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## capracreek (Apr 5, 2016)

When you live in the country someone is always shooting something. If you have animals it is your job to care for them. If a doe stopped labor there can be a multitude of problems that could cause that so to prove it was the gun fire might be a little difficult. If a goat gets mastitis you get treatment. If she was watching and caring for them then I doubt seriously all three would die. That is wild. To wait a week to report the freezer really makes it sound out of line. I would make sure your brother knows NOT to shoot toward other property just to be sure nothing happens in the future. But at this point I would say she doesn't have a leg to stand on. 

Are you saying she filed suit against you??? If so you will have to respond in court, but that should be fairly easy and I would bring the sheriff in as a witness. If it is small claims you won't have to spend any money to get a lawyer. Good luck.


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## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

What was the problem with the 2nd Neighbor? How long have you lived there?

Sent from my SM-J700T using Goat Forum mobile app


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

She tried to file a lawsuit. But the sheriff is friends with the court and judge. And he said she told a lie about him in the lawsuit and had it thrown out of court.(The glory of a small town) He also told her not to bother us and that we can shoot on our land.

I wanted to add my brother is a range instructor.

The second neighbor is actually the first neighbor. She has Friesian horses and a lot of problems. We have lived in this house for 4 years but we moved to Oklahoma 5 years ago. It's a long story about why they hate us so much(I am willing to tell if you want to hear it).


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

She is just plain nuts.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

That is harassment. Ask if you can do anything about it and have a legal case here.

My goats being around gun fire, those boom blaster things that keep crows from eating almonds off the tree's, to all kinds of sounds and things going on, never stop labor. 
They may stop if they do not want you too close, but shortly after you back off, will resume when you aren't there or farther away. 
I see it as, they were negligent, their fault, not yours. 
If a doe stops pushing and does not resume, shortly after an interruption, or nothing is presenting within 30 minutes, there is a kid in the wrong position, stopping her from continuing labor properly. Even a dead kid not moving in the birth canal can stop her from pushing, to an exhausted doe, pushing way too long. 
Plain and simple, the goats needed help. Nothing to do with noise. When a doe is in full active labor, started pushing, they do not stop unless something is wrong. The breeder seen this and should of intervened, not allow the goat to remain there without assistance and lose the babies. 
If they would of intervened quickly, they would of had live kids now. 
Also mastitis can be prevented if they watched and milked when needed, to dry them off. 

Shooting a refrigerator, you have enough against that with the sheriffs testimony. But hopefully it is on paper. 

These people are terrible people and must need money. 

Anytime they talk to you, record it, especially video it. Keep all records on what was said ect. You may have to disclose you are doing it though, depending on the law there.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I would disclose it even if you don't have to. If someone was recording every word I said I wouldn't talk to them.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

I do feel for your neighbor's goats, but not for your neighbor, who allowed deaths.

I don't know your laws. Here (South Central KY) if you live in the country then gunshots not aimed at you are the least of your worries.

I don't follow your note that the second neighbor is the first neighbor... What neighbor said and did what?

In my experience, labor does not stop. I've been in labor, it did not stop even when I really, REALLY wanted it to. No female animal of mine ever stopped labor, even when dangerous complications ensued, the does kept on pushing, even when I really, REALLY needed them to stop crushing my hand/wrist.

I do agree with @Jessica84. The solution I would offer is to shoot (safely) more often, not less, so that the does learn that shooting is safe for them.

And I would not pay them a penny. Those prices the neighbor gave are breathtaking to me.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I doubt she even lost the goats, she is just trying to get money she has no business getting. What a nasty, money-grubbing bag she is. So glad the Sheriff is on your side!

Keep a log of any contact she ahs with you. Use one of those notebooks where you cannot remove the pages without leaving bits of paper behind. Don't skip lines. Date and time every entry. Who, what, when, where, why and how. If you have a partial entry so that there is a blank space, draw a line through it and initial it. These types of notes are usually admissible in court in case you ever have to go that route.


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

What I meant by the second is the first is that the one with the goats is two plots/houses to the north of us and the one with the horses is the next one over from us.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I have a neighbor who shoots every day. We live in the country and he is allowed to shoot as often and whenever he wants. I will say that the daily shooting is extremely annoying and is something that I find disrespectful, and it is continuous. That being said, I've never said anything to him, because he has the right to use his property the way he wants. The only time I did say anything was during deer gun season, alerting him to the fact that there are alot of people in the woods during that time. My does have been in labor and kidded during shooting, multiple times.
We've never had any problem.
If she thought she was having issues during gunfire, why not place a call and ask you to stop shooting for a while. It's obvious she had your phone number. I'm sure you wouldn't have minded if it had been handled in a tactful thoughtful way.
Given that she has no proof of having contacted her vet for the labor or mastitis, she does not know what the cause is of her problems. She did not contact you at all until she basically submitted a bill, she has no right to complain now.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Good points.


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## darth (Jun 13, 2017)

Hi, I don't know if any of my points will be valid overseas but I live this dream daily so one or two may help. First, I lost a foal when my neighbour took joy flights over my property in his helicopter. My mare fell banging her hip and side on the way down, went into labour two weeks early, foal was stillborn. My solicitor said I need a vet to do an autopsy to find cause of death. No vet would take it on and said just get over it. Another neighbour poisoned a couple of my goats and one was thrown and broke her leg. Another neighbour poisoned and killed six of my horses. My point being, I was told animals are not 'belongings' therefore you have more power to sue someone if they shot your freezer than if they wipe out your stock. I tried several groups and even the RSPCA said there's nothing I can do. I have lived many places in my life and every time something would happen due to a rotten neighbour I would pack up and move hoping my next place I would be left alone. Not so. I currently live next to a complete nutcase. Everyone here is a few hundred acres apart but still live like they are a room away from each other. My neighbour actually wants everyone around him to sell up and leave so he can be in peace. Not sell to other people...just go. It doesn't matter where you live or how far apart you live, some people think the view they see and the distance they can hear belongs to them. If you are doing no wrong on your own property and they moan, challenge them. Tell them to take it to court if they deem fit. Then lodge a counter suit for harassment. It will cost them more than they think it will. It is up to them to prove you did the things they are accusing you of. If you waste your time living so you don't upset your neighbours you will waste a lot of your life. I doubt she would have a leg to stand on in court if she took these silly claims to a solicitor.


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## 15WildTurkey (Apr 13, 2015)

I've never been a "kid wife" but I have given birth. The idea of a noise stopping me in the pushing phase of labor made me snort coffee out of my nose. I think it's pretty much the same for most mammas 2 or 4 legs. Her goats needed help and she let them down.


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

Here in the U,S,(Or more specifically Oklahoma) we have grazing laws if some one hits your cow/goat/pig/horse/extra.... they have to pay you for it. But I get what your saying.

For now nothing is going to happen. We want to leave them be as best we can. And if they take it to court we have friends that will help us. 
The only reason I bring this up is because they are chasing a good neighbor out because we gave her a horse. She says she might be looking to move soon. My mother "Jokingly" said if they move she will buy their house and set up a gun range in the back.


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## darth (Jun 13, 2017)

That's funny. I love how you have laws regarding animals. Here it's every man for themselves. I like your people!


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

@darth I'm really sorry this has happened to your animals. Where I live the only people rich enough to own a helicopter is the government, from one of the military bases nearby, or one of the hospitals nearby. We do have problems with poisoning, and trapping (coyote traps do get my dogs and my goats), and "hunting accidents" But my animals don't have to fear from helicopters. Try hard to keep your fences in good repair so your one neighbor has no excuse to take his ire on your livestock. I'm so sorry for you, and them.


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

If she did, indeed, watch these goats stop labor, lose all their kids, and then die of mastitis she is a truly horrible goat owner that has no business having animals. I would be doubting she actually lost a single goat. Someone like that is just as likely to make up outright lies. I haven't had goat babies yet, but like someone else said, I remember my own labors and can't imagine how noise could stop labor. Something would have to be wrong for it to just stop completely.

It's just amazing to me how difficult it can be trying to live in close (even closeish) proximity to other humans. At least with 4 legged predators you can predict their behavior somewhat.


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

I doubt she actually lost any animals... if she did it was from neglect.

Does she have papers on the alleged lost goats? Anything to prove their worth? Existence? Proof of death?

If she sells products doesn't she need to be licensed and inspected?


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

Yes she had papers on all her goats. I don't know the worth of them. Proof of death NO. And I know the ones she says died. I helped her with them a few years ago and know them by name(They were every old). Yes she has license to sell and I don't know about the inspection thing.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Assuming she did lose them, without a vet being called and involved, a host of things could have happened including poor management, chlamydia, infection, etc. She may be looking for someone to blame other than herself. I would only communicate with her through my lawyer.


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## FeldpauschFrench (Jun 25, 2013)

Wow, so at the exact moment that you were shooting, she happened to have three does pushing. and all three of them stopped labor and never re-started, and all three had twin does? That is so statistically unlikely that it is almost UNBELIEVABLE. I can't believe a second grader would tell a story like that and expect to be believed, but hey, maybe your local judge would take her word for it and convict you without any proof... If she really did lose nine or more does of varied ages in the course of a few days, I think she needs to be looking at a more serious cause of death than a few loud noises nearby!


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

And if noise were a problem, we would NEVER have kids born during a thunderstorm.....lol


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

So true.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

goatblessings said:


> And if noise were a problem, we would NEVER have kids born during a thunderstorm.....lol


Wouldn't THAT be nice....


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