How to Proceed When Neighbor Killed My Dog

I clicked on your question all prepared to be sympathetic for your situation and irate at your neighbor. But I find that I feel exactly the opposite.

1. Yes, it is your fault if you can't afford to fix your fence. You can afford to keep two dogs, but not fix the place where they are safe? Nonsense. Your property is your responsibility. If you can't afford to fix it, reprioritize your spending.

2. His statement does not automatically mean he is guilty, nor is it proof that he did anything to your dog. Your dog probably got into some rat poison or antifreeze when he got out of the broken fence that you didn't think was important enough to fix. YOU killed your dog by letting it roam free and get into unsafe things.

3. You don't have a case. What you do have is a neighbor who is irritated with the fact that you don't take care of your property. If anything, THEY have a legitimate complaint against YOU. Fix your fence with the money you're saving in dog food and quit blaming others for your mistakes.

I am sorry about your dog because I am an avid dog lover and we have 3 dogs. I do not mean to come across rudely but I am blunt...

First off... what is it you want from the neighbor? Are you looking to sue him? What makes you think you have a case? You are the one not being responsible here.

Next... you have ZERO proof that the neighbor did something to your dog. You have "hearsay" which will be thrown out of a courtroom. The neighbor's comment was not an admission of any guilt and there is no confirmation that he killed your dog.

You don't know what killed your dog because you were not responsible and you allowed the dog to roam free. Who knows what he ate or got into that ended up killing him.

Next... you have a responsibility to keep your house, yard, fence, in good repair. You failed in doing that. You allowed the dog to get out, You knew the dog was getting out yet you did nothing to prevent it such as REPAIR the fence.

How is it "not your fault" that you can't repair your fence... It is completely your fault. You failed to maintain your property and you knowingly allowed your dog to roam. Your dog is your responsibility. If you can't be responsible for your animals, then you need to find good homes for them so they will be safe.

Where did the $$ come from for the vet visit? You have $$ for a vet (and they are costly) and you can't fix a chain link fence?

You are lucky animal control didn't come take your dog from you because he was not being controlled in the manner he should have been. You might want to make sure you watch your other dogs because if Animal Control has any truth to a case, they can and will take your dogs.

If you do find some sucker to take the case for you, beware because it might get turned around and bite you in the rear because you were the one not being a responsible dog owner.

Again, I am very sorry about your dog. If you can't take care of them, please re-home them so they can live a safe life.

Thank goodness you don't live in Texas. I told the neighbor, after they refused to fix their fence and their dogs came through, that if they didn't get it taken care of, I'd shoot their dogs. The police agreed with me. (The dogs charged my son when they broke through the fence.)

The responsibility is yours to fix your fence. You could try to take the neighbor to small claims but you would have to prove that he more than likely poisoned the dog. Chances are you'll lose that battle.

If it was pancreatitis, they get that NOT from poisoning, but often from eating the wrong kinds of foods - high fat, greasy, spoiled, etc. I am very sorry about the loss of your dog, but if your vet said it was his pancreas (and pancreatitis is an acute, often severe, inflammation of the pancreas, that can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and in some instances, death), that is not from any kind of toxin exposure. It's also not something that can be fixed easily with just medication, they often need to hospitalized, placed on IV fluids, etc. If your dog was running loose, it's just as easy for him to get into someone's trash and get sick from eating it. Or to lap up antifreeze that has leaked out of a car, or ingest rat poison that someone has put out with the intention of killing off rodents. I've seen dogs get sick with pancreatitis from accidentally eating those bird seed suet cakes because they are almost pure beef fat - and which a lot of people put outside in the winter for the birds. Without a necropsy and toxicology screen on your dog, you can't say for sure what exactly made him ill. There really isn't anything here that you can take to the authorities or to court, and make a case out of.

When I was in vet school on my pathology rotation, we did have a dog's body come in for necropsy and possible toxicology screen because it was found suddenly dead in the owner's yard and she suspected her neighbor of having something to do with it. The necropsy revealed that the dog's lungs and liver were riddled with cancerous tumors and the heart was full of heartworms. So much for trying to prove a poisoning case.

Your neighbor may be a jerk, but his behavior does not "confirm" anything - sure it looks suspicious, but on the other hand, all he knows is your one dog died and he's fed up with them ending up on his property and he's issuing a bit of a threat/warning in regards to the other dog. The truth is, no matter what shape your fence is in, it's your responsibility to keep your dogs in your yard - if that means taking them out on leashes, so be it. Keep your other dog leashed before something happens to him. And get your fence fixed.

So let me get this straight, you dog was going on his property, annoying him, he made it clear, you dog probably got poisoned on *HIS* property and you want to get the authorities involved?

I can pick up a rope at dollar general. I suggest you do so before your other dog ends up like the last one.

Your neighbor was a jerk because YOUR dog kept coming onto HIS property. Are you kidding me?? YES it is YOUR responsibility to provide a safe environment for your dog. If you can't afford to fix your chain link fence, then you have two choices. Keep your animals in the house and on a leash when you go out side OR you get rid of your animals. You are very lucky the neighbor didn't call animal control. He didn't say "I killed your dog" so you have NO evidence to say he did.

Personally, you need to take your money and fix your fence. You don't have any type of law suit.

I'm sorry about your dog.

Honestly, though, you're lucky your dog didn't escape and get hit by a car, or bite someone. You were in the wrong by not restraining your animal, and the poor thing has paid the price for your irresonsibility. Keep your animals inside, get a kennel, fix the damn fence... DO SOMETHING!! If you can't afford to keep your animals safe and secured, then maybe you should find someone that can. If you could afford the vet, then you could've afforded a fence!

In the meantime, take some accountability, because this all could've been prevented. Your neighbor was not a jerk, you were a bad neighbor when you ignored him time & time again. You have zero proof that he did anything. In fact, since your dog was roaming free, did it occur to you that maybe he consumed something he wasn't supposed to? I really want to feel bad for you and be nice, but the fact that you don't want to own up to your mistakes makes it hard.

Sorry, but I don't think you have a case here.

It IS your responsibility to keep YOUR dog in YOUR yard, whether you can afford to fix the fence or not. If the fence is broken, WALK him on a leash to relieve himself and take a bag with you to clean up after him.

Without a necropsy that includes a toxin screen, you can't prove that youe dog was poisoned, and what your neighbor said would not stand as a confession in court.

You're just going to have to keep your dogs out of your neighbor's yard.

If you can't afford to fix your fence and be a responsible pet owner, then you probably can't afford to have any pets.

The responsibility in this case is in your hands. You failed to properly control your dog. It is that simple.

You had the money to take your dog to the vet and buy medication, but you could not afford to make a repair to a fence?

Your neighbor told you to keep your dog off his property. You failed to do that.

Your neighbor made a thoughtless comment about your dog, which, I am sorry that he died. Unless you have the money for a necropsy (which here in California is about $400), you have no proof that your dog was poisoned. Just some words from an angry man. If you can afford $400 for a necropsy, you can afford to fix the fence.

Please get your fence repaired. If you cannot do that, then please take your remaining dog out on a leash until you do. There is nothing worse than walking in your backyard and walking in dog mess when you don't own a dog. I am a huge dog lover and I do NOT allow my dogs to defecate in someone elses yard.

Again, I am truly sorry for the loss of your dog.

I feel for your dog, but the blame for his death is placed squarely on YOU!! Please be a responsible pet owner and secure your fence, walk your remaining dog on a leash,or rehome it. And take some responsibility for your actions(or lack thereof).

I don't mean to sound heartless, but you say its not your fault you can't afford to fix your fence. It is your responsibility as a dog owner to keep your pets safe. You should have kept the dog on a leash. The dog could have been hit by a car. Your neighbor complained many times. You knew the dog was getting out. I'm sorry your dog died, but you were negligent. I don't think there is anything you can do. I hope you are keeping your other dog on a leash.

Updated

I don't mean to sound heartless, but you say its not your fault you can't afford to fix your fence. It is your responsibility as a dog owner to keep your pets safe. You should have kept the dog on a leash. The dog could have been hit by a car. Your neighbor complained many times. You knew the dog was getting out. I'm sorry your dog died, but you were negligent. I don't think there is anything you can do. I hope you are keeping your other dog on a leash.

You don't have a case. Your dog was able to get out of your property onto his due to your own negligence. Take better care of your property, and your dogs.

It's not your fault you can't afford to fix your fence? Ok. Whose fault is it then? Ugh. Sorry but that is exactly what is wrong with this country today, lack of personal accountability. Bottom line, YOUR fence, YOUR responsibility. YOUR dog, YOUR responsibility. How about you can't let your dog outside because the fence is broken? How about you supervise the dog when he's outside to make sure he stays in your yard? How about you get a board and some twine and block up the hole in your fence? How about you grow up and take some responsibility for yourself, your home and your dog? BTW, I highly doubt your neighbor poisoned your dog. Sounds awfully conspiracy theory to me and typical of someone looking to place the blame everywhere except where it belongs - on you.

Sorry but you were irresponsible. I am sorry your dog died but he got off your property. It was your responsibility to keep,him home.

I love dogs so I'm sorry but you could afford a vet visit and medicine... Of course it's your fault you aren't fixing your fence. Whose fault is it if not yours? You could afford to feed two dogs... Your responsibility to keep them out of your neighbors' yard. He warned you many times. I think you have to let it go and keep your other dog away too. If you can't afford to fix the fence, then you have to give up being a dog owner.

I don't really think that what he said actually proves that he poisoned your dog.

Your neighbor has repeatedly complained to you about your dog getting onto his property. You knew it was an issue. Not having money to repair the fence is NOT a valid excuse. Keep your dog in your house and you won't have a problem. Your dog shouldn't be running around outside without anyone supervising it. It is your responsibility to keep the dog on your property.

I would not go to the authorities. You have absolutely no proof that he did anything to your dog. He's just going to come right back at you and point out how many times you let your dog loose.

I am truly very sorry for the loss of your dog. I know how much it hurts to lose a pet and how much you must be grieving right now. Honestly, work through your grief but do not involve your neighbor or the authorities. It's only going to make things worse.

Plus, take the money you could have spent on lawyer fees and fix the darn fence! It's a pretty lame excuse.

I am sorry for your loss but your dog is your responsibility and it IS your fault if YOU can not affoard to fix YOUR fence and keep YOUR dog safe.

You need to mourn, fix your fence and move on.

Because I delayed fixing my fence one of my dogs got out to the woods behind our house and was bitten by a brown recluse spider and subsequently died ... whos fault is it? The spider for biting my dog or me for allowing him to get out into the woods? Answer, mine. Had I fixed MY fence MY dog would be alive.

Sorry about your dog. I too am a dog lover. I imagine this was hard for your family.

No, I doubt you have a case. You have no proof this man did anything. You only have suspicion. His heartless comment is not evidence.

He, on the other hand, could probably prove that your dogs have been a nuisance. And many cities have very strict rules about disposing of an animal...if you are within city limits, he could also mention that.

I would take this as a hard lesson learned. Start tying up your dogs. Fence repairs can be pricy, but a stake in the ground and a rope are cheap. Get a leash and start walking the dog instead. This man is fed up with you not taking accountability. Your lack of planning should not be his problem.

I'm really sorry this happened, but the other ladies are right about the fact that it IS your fault that you didn't repair the fence. Don't bring another dog into your household until you do. A 50 pound dog is a large animal and the man does NOT want it in his yard. He took matters into his own hands in a really ugly way, but now you know the score.

Take the money that you spent feeding your 50 pound dog and save it up to repair that fence.

Dawn

Until you fix your fence, you need to pretend you live in an apartment and take your dog out on a leash every time he needs out. I don't have the lot that you have but I do have a fenced in backyard. I had to replace my fence a couple of months ago and during the days of tearing it down and completely replacing the fence, I would not let my dogs out back on their own, I took them out on a leash every time because they could have gotten through the section that was not standing during the transition. That is the only way you can keep your dogs safe and on their own property. I am sorry for your loss.

I don't want to beat a dead horse but you do realize that if your dog had gotten out and bitten someone and then sued you, the legal system would certainly have held you 100% at fault despite the fact you "can't afford to fix your fence"....as a pet owner, the law expects you to make reasonable effort to contain your animals on your property, knowing you had a broken fence and failing to find some way to restrain your dog makes you the only one at fault here. Sure, if your neighbor did something hateful like you think, that does make him a low life kind of person but I think you are out of gas on this one...sorry :-/

I would take steps to keep my dog firmly ON my property. We lost 2 cats to suspicious circumstances when they were in town at my grandmother's house, but our fault for allowing them to be outdoors. At the end of the day, it's not his problem that you can't repair your fence. You need to figure out some other way to keep your dog off his lot.

So sorry about your dog. I don't mean this cruelly, although it's not your fault you can't afford to fix your fence you are responsible for keeping your dogs in your yard. If you can't fix the fence, you need to keep them on a leash.

Your neighbor may have done it. He may have just spoke cruelly implying that your dog would end up dead like your other one (not necessarily that he killed him).

Unless you have proof, I would let it go.

I'm soooo sorry to hear about the death of your dog. How awful. But yes, it is your 'fault' that you can't repair your fence. As pet owners we are responsible for our pets . At whatever cost. Even if the neighbor is a jerk, its his right as a property owner to not have someone else's dogs on his property. I love dogs myself and I myself wouldn't want someone else's animals on my property. Thats just me. Again I'm sorry about what has happened to your dog. Try somehow to repair your fence so that your other dog does not get out. Do you have anything you can put up against the fence line to block the dog off ? Just something, anything. But please do it. As far as going after this guy for what you suspect he did, I'd let it go. Besh wishes.

You have money to pay the vet and buy pet medications but you don't have money to fix your fence?
You can't get some chicken wire to patch your fence or block the hole with some cinder blocks?
It doesn't have to look pretty.
But you want to pursue legal action.
Quit making excuses and fix your fence.
It's up to you to keep your animals safe on your own property.
If you can't do that, forget owning dogs and get some goldfish.

The Vet didn't say, your dog was poisoned.

When I was a kid, our dog was poisoned. Even my Dad knew that going by his symptoms. We quickly took our dog to the Vet. The Vet CONFIRMED he was poisoned. Our dog died. That same day. There were many dogs, getting poisoned in our neighborhood. Nobody could prove it nor knew who did it. It was a dog hater, obviously.
Our dog, had the same symptoms as your dog. My Dad knew it was poisoning. The Vet knew too, and right away.
There was no dispute that our dog had been poisoned.

In your case, the Vet did not say your dog was poisoned.

Why wasn't your dog on a leash until the fence got fixed? This should have been a must ! It's heartbreaking,but, your neighbor had had it.

Do not let your 5lb dog go off on it's own !!!

Keep your current dog on a LEASH !!!! Go outside w/ it until the fence gets fixed.

I am a DOG lover. Some people are not dog lovers. And it looks like your neighbor is telling you to keep this dog away. Please do not let your small dog run free!!!

I have a friend who has a very large dog and she bought a line that goes from one tree to another. The dog is on a leash and runs from one tree to another. There is about 50 feet inbetween the trees. She watches him out her window.

I do not know if you have a case or not with just his word.

So sorry about your dog! This could have been prevented though.

If you can't afford to fix the fence, can you afford some rope or chain to tie the dog up until the fence is fixed? It is your fault for knowingly allowing your dog to run your property when the fence was down. Good luck!

My sincere condolences regarding the loss of your dog.

I hope to God that your neighbor didn't do something as cruel as poison your dog. That would have been so wrong of him. But, what's even worse is that you could have prevented it. You COULD have made a temporary fix to your fence until you could have it correctly mended and you didn't.

If you were to try to sue this guy, you will not get your dog back. You will not get money for damages incurred to you. You will not even get to the point of a judge because you don't have a case. This man may or may not have poisoned your dog, you have no proof and no money to begin to prove it.

So with a broken heart, you need to mend your fence, and move on. You've learned an invaluable lesson here, that if you are going to own a pet it's your job to protect that pet...not your neighbors.

I am sorry about your dog, and while what your neighbor did is awful, it is your own fault. If you could not fix your fence then your dog should not have been outside. You can call the cops, but if you failed to be a responsible pet owner and your dog "accidentally" drank anti freeze at the neighbors after the neighbor repeated asked you to keep the dog off his property, I am guessing the police will tell you you have no case, and to fix your fence.

I truly am sorry for your loss.

I understand you are upset but you have no proof of any wrong doing. However your neighbor does have evidence. You allowed your dog to run off a leash and get into his yard. The fence is broken again your responsibility.

You need to get a leash and keep your dog on a leash whenever it is outside or have a dog enclosure to keep the dog in.

I am truly sorry about your dog. I love my fur babies and because I love them I leash them.

welcome to mamapedia!!!

I am truly sorry about your dog. I am a huge dog lover and if I had two acres of land - i would have more than one puppy dog!!

Sorry - but it is your fault you can't afford to fix your fence. You are the OWNER... could you have done something like put chicken wire in front of it? wood? ANYTHING? You might need to sacrifice something in order to fix it.

If you can't afford to fix your fence. You can't afford a lawyer. And to top it off- the courts would most likely tell you to get your fence fixed.

I'm sorry about your dog. I would be devastated if my dog died...however....you have no proof that your neighbor poisoned your dog. Your dogs have been going on his property - he is rightfully pissed. He made a comment in anger...

have you ever made a nasty comment in anger? If so...then you know where he is coming from.

Do what you have to do to get your fence fixed...if it means piling rocks up in front of it - do it. If it means buying chicken wire from Home Depot or some other home store like that - do it.

Let it go. Learn from it. You have a neighbor who does NOT like dogs. You have a fence to repair.

Good luck.

Since you have no conclusive proof, you would probably need to dig the dog up and have a pet autopsy (can't remember what they're called). It would be very expensive.

You can try calling police, but without an autopsy, I doubt they could/would do anything.

I would definitely walk that fence line and make sure your little dog can't get out. It is your responsibility to keep your animals on YOUR property, regardless of your income or financial status.

I would be like your neighbor. It really makes me mad to see the neighbors' dog on my front lawn. Of course, they take their dog out for the specific purpose of pooping on the lawns in the neighborhood and they don't clean it up. In fact, they take the dog out in a stroller and when it has to go, they take it out of the stroller, let it do it's business and then put it back in the stroller and stroll on.

I do not like those neighbors!

I'm so sorry that your dog passed away. However, you don't know your neighbor poisoned your dog. He's probably just glad the dog is gone. In his shoes, I'd be glad too. I can't stand people who don't take responsibility for their pets. So... to repeat what other people have said: it IS your responsibility to get your fence fixed. And if you can't afford it, keep your dog on a leash or inside.

As far as getting authorities involved, it will probably end up costing you a lot of money. If your neighbor did poison the dog - that would be horrible. But I'm guessing that the police or animal control will not pay to have your dog enhumed and examined just on your word that you think your neighbor did it. You'll probably have to pay for all of that, and even if you found poison in the dog's system, you won't have evidence that your neighbor was the one who poisoned him. Please take the money you would have spent on that and fix your fence so that your living dog will be safer.

you don't have proof, and your dog was in his yard. it sucks that you didn't have the money to repair your fence, but that doesn't mean you're not responsible for your animal.
your neighbor sounds scary and dangerous, but i wouldn't want to live next to you either. irresponsible pet owners poink me.
this story sounds familiar. did you post it before?
khairete
S.

I'm really sorry about your dog. I am an animal lover, and I understand your pain.

That being said, it was your job to keep your dog off your neighbor's property, for the safety of your dog and the well-being between neighbors. I love dogs, but I once had a neighbor whose dog kept coming on our lawn. His dog peed on our grass and killed it and there was dog poop in our yard. We do not own a dog, and did not appreciate the dog poop and the killed grass. If we did own a dog, we would not appreciate another dog in OUR yard, bothering our dog.

You can't prove that your neighbor poisoned your dog. I doubt he did. If your dog kept getting free, he may have poisoned himself by eating some garbage or a poisonous plant.

I understand how you could be mourning the loss of your dog, but don't blame it on your neighbor, who had every right to be angry. As much as I love animals, I would be angry too. Please be more responsible in the future. I'm sure your dog lived a happy life, and for that you can be thankful.

It was your responsibility to keep the dog in the fence. Not being able to afford to repair it was negligence on your part. It sucks totally that he might have poisoned your dog, but there may be a case on his side, too. If you want, you could call the non-emergency line of your local police department and see if there is anything that they could even do.

Suing someone would cost a lot more than it would have to put some wire or boards up to fix a fence. I have a dog and when I let him in our enclosed yard I am looking at him every couple of minutes or so. Please watch your other dog and forget about going to court. And that was only a comment. He didn't say he killed the dog. I have seen our dog not feeling well and he is sometimes sticking his nose around where he shouldn't even in our own yard.

Threatening your little dog like that is disgusting and certainly in bad taste, but it does not confirm that he poisoned your other dog.

I'm really sorry not to be more sympathetic... but really? Your dog kept getting out because you couldn't afford to repair the fence? If you can't repair your fence you can't put your dogs in the yard. Period. Kennel them, tie them up, bring them in the house. Whatever you do about it, your inability to repair the fence does not absolve you of responsibility for the care of your animals.

Even if your dog DID ingest some kind of poison in your neighbor's yard, but it's likely that your neighbor did nothing wrong. He doesn't have dogs. He's not obligated to keep poisons out of the reach of pets. Your dog likely got into some kind of pesticide he had out for it's intended purpose.

It's very sad. I'm sure your pets are very dear to you. But you, not your jerky neighbor, have a responsibility to take better care of them. Save the money you would spend on this legal claim and fix your fence!

I really am sorry for your loss.

T.

I had had dogs myself so please know that I love them, BUT I have been on the other side of dog nuisance (not the poisoning!). We also live rurally and lots of folks own dogs and then let them roam to sh*t in our yard, to dig up bushes we just planted, to jump all over my kids (a big happy unknown dog or a small very yippy one can still be scary to a small child). I have brought dogs back to owners on ropes, I have asked them to keep them in their own yards, I have called the dog officer and had the dogs picked up which caused the owner to have to pay a fine. I have been bitten by dogs while running on the street by "their" yards, I have had a neighbor tell me their little fear-aggression beagle that just nipped my ankle "just needs love". Not once did an owner ask me if they could pay to replace my dead bushes, or if they could come scoop the sh*t out of my yard, or the dog pee off my wood pile, or can I clean that wound for you. I love dogs but it is the owner who is not responsible and makes me feel like a jerk when I ask them to please obey our town's by-laws about dog control that I dislike.
But someone who poisons a dog is vile and criminal, but unless you caught it on camera or he confesses on tape, you probably do not have a case.

I'm so sorry about your dog. I know it was a hard loss. You won't be able to prove anything at this point. However, as a responsible dog owner, you have to make sure your animals are properly restrained so they can't get out. It's for their safety as well as for the safety of others. You don't want an aggressive dog to enter your yard either.
Get some field fencing from the hardware store. It's cheap and works until you can make more permanent repairs.

You have no proof that he did something.......

and you are responsible for the fence on your property.... you ARE the one that was responsible for your dog's safety.

There were a lot of other ways you could have been a responsible pet owner than repairing the chain link fence.....

Our dog figured out he could get OVER the fence... and was getting out frequently... we kept him inside at all times, except to go out and relieve himself. Unfortunately, he would sometimes jump the fence (only at the gate) if we weren't watching closely enough.

We got an electric pet fence (not very expensive, really... not the expensive underground ones) and strung wires in front of the gate.

He no longer gets out. I can leave him out for long periods of time without worrying that he will go over the gate. (Hopefully he won't figure out how to get over the REST of the fence... if so, we will have to work on something else, or maybe string electric wire inside our chain link fence).

The electric fence is not harmful... my kids used to play with it all the time, seeing what would ground them and keep them from getting shocked... it is a very mild shock, but it is enough to deter the dog from climbing over the fence.

Now, if we could just keep the darn deer out of the backyard, we could garden more easily!

Sorry about your dog... however as others have pointed out you are responsible for making sure your pets don't stray into the neighbors yard. If you can't afford to fix the fence, don't let them roam the yard.

As for any legal claims... it really depends on your local laws. There are parts in the country where it is legal to shoot a stray dog if you encounter it on your property. It is certainly legal to set out poison traps for rodents and other pests in most municipalities... your neighbor can simply claim that your dog was only poisoned because he got onto his property and got into a perfectly legal rat poison on he set out on HIS property.

It sucks that some people are so cruel, but on the other hand it's also not ok that they should have to deal with your dogs roaming their property... if I was your neighbor that would piss me off as well - and I love dogs!
Good luck.

The same thing happened with our neighbor and our cat, he poisoned him and killed him. But Animal Control and police cannot do a thing because we have no physical evidence, just his history of threats and what his son and grandsons told us, who are young minors. Yet, we all know he did it, he admitted it to his family.

So very sorry for your loss.

This is just terrible. I am so sorry! I don't have a real answer for you. I imagine you could call the police and ask your questions to get accurate answers.

In the meantime you can protect your pets. You know it is not safe to let them out in the yard alone, so use a rope or a leash or whatever you have and start walking your dogs. Those of us that live in cities without yards have to do this. It's to protect your dog until you can figure a way to fix your fence.

I see that many people agreed with me that you can protect your dogs by keeping them on a leash until you are able to fix your fence. I am sorry, however, that so many are blaming you for your dogs death. Yes, it would be wise to take responsibility, but if your dog was poisoned that is the fault of the person who did the poisoning. I am sorry to see so many people casting stones at you. I am sorry for your loss.

You aren't managing your responsibilities as a homeowner or a pet owner - yet your neighbor is the jerk here? You also do not have proof that your neighbor poisoned your dog, only circumstantial evidence.

Actually, it is your fault if you can't afford to repair your fence. If the upkeep on your property is too expensive, try renting. We don't own a house because we do not have the financial resources to maintain one. Period. Until we can afford a mortgage AND plumbing/snow removal/property taxes/repairs, we'll be renters. We are also a single-cat household, as we cannot reasonably budget for the life cycle of more than one animal right now (or more than one child, for that matter). Just something to think about.

you call the police - you don't need money or an attorney to report a suspected crime.