So the story begins not when I find them in my back yard, but before… back to the Beginning. One week after the new neighbors move in, I happen to be collecting my mail from the Post Box down the street when I hear shouting followed by screaming that is eventually drowned out by the sound of skin hitting skin. The cries I try to ignore and mind my own business but as I am walking back again passing by the house, I notice the neighbor children listening and at that point I realized that I had to do the right thing and notify the authorities. The police arrive and arrest a young man who’s face was bloody and one would think our story ends here, but it doesn’t.
This same house had two miniature Doberman mixes, one of which escaped into the southern neighbor’s and was subsequently killed by their larger canine. The other one routinely escapes confinement in the back yard and tours the neighborhood pooping in yards and barking at all hours of the night. The owners replaced their deceased pet with 2 small canines that habitually escape into the northern neighbors yard who’s infant then picks up the excrement thinking it’s a toy (and yes it had been reported he tasted). The Northern neighbor had to return their puppies at 5am as they had escaped and were barking incessantly in a back yard they did not belong to. This past week, the Eastern neighbor had to call the authorities on this same house because they found it fitting to work on their vehicle (in their front yard) at 2am and it was beyond reasonable hours. Today, I found these 2 dogs in my back yard. Not knowing where they came from I tried my best to figure out what their situation was. Upon approaching these pups, I was met with fear and hostility. When I put out a hand to touch they winced as though they’d been hit and were preparing for a connection. Ribs were showing and hipbones protruding. When I put out a bowl of food I was not surprised a second was needed and a third was begun. The pups were filthy and from what I had observed, the home they were at was obviously not a healthy one. I called animal control who said they’d be out sometime before 11 and when they DID show, we opted to try and find a home rather than give them up to the county shelter. Soon after there was a knock at my door and this is where our story really begins.
It was the renters from 2 doors down claiming I had their dogs. I calmly told them that the dogs I had were not going to be released and I would feel more comfortable discussing my options with authorities. I tried to close the door and the daughter of the house called me “faggot”, a host of other colourful names, and swung at me. Luckily her brother(I’m assuming) was intelligent enough to pull her back an remove her from the situation and I decided at that moment to call the police. I explained that I felt threatened and that I would like a patrol unit sent immediately. While I waited for the patrol unit, the knocks became pounds and the pound subsided into knocks which resumed becoming pounding moments after realizing I’m not opening the door; only to be interrupted by my doorknob attempting to open and blocked by the deadbolt. By now my house was surrounded by 4 males, and 2 females who were now shouting not only at me, but ay my neighbors who were alerted to events by the pounding and the commotion and were keeping an eye on my house. Forty-Five minutes later the police still aren’t at my house and I watch as the father (I’m assuming, oldest of the group) jumps my fence into my back yard.
I am now alone in my back yard faced with a person larger than myself(I’m only 5’3) and I pick up the nearest object which happened to be a firewood log and take a defensive stance telling the man to “get off my property he has no right being in my yard”. The dogs immediately run away from him and it’s only thru coercion and an aggressive tone that the dog submit to his calls. When they get close he grabs them and thrusts them up over the fence to his waiting family. As he jumps back over my fence to rejoin his group, I follow and pop my head over the fence (standing on the raised planter) and a hand comes from the right and connects with my face knocking my spectacles off. Without visual correction I see no further than 16 inches so I immediately have to duck down to find my glasses. When I pop back up I climb the fence to see the entire group running home and the police coming down the street.
I file a police report and am getting nailed because I “took” their dogs. I reasserted myself and told the officers that I did not TAKE anything as that would involve me knowing and actually removing from premises, something I did NOT do. The officers took my statement and I told them that I would like to press charges on the young lady who used homophobic slurs and physically assaulted me pushing for classification as a hate crime. The officers were almost hesitant and attempted at every opportunity to talk me out of it. I stood by my decision and was floored when they said she and her witnesses said they say me attack her and she had scratches on her arm to prove it(scratches I watched her self inflict while the officers took my statement) and that she claimed to be lesbian. We were BOTH charged with battery and on June 26th I WILL have my day in court. The neighbors watched the entire altercation unfold and are willing to show up on my behalf, photos will be taken of the areas in question and her story will crumble… Justice WILL be prevail.
I understand that not all Section 8 tenants are like this, but truth be told, THIS is the reason section 8 does not live alongside other communities peacefully. It’s not a race issue, it’s a class issue. And the law is NOT on my side, they know it.
