Everyone has had a bad neighbor at least once, but one Reddit user shared a story in the r/AITAH subreddit that really takes the cake.
They shared, "I … have spent years creating a beautiful backyard garden. It's not just a few plants; I have a carefully designed space with rare flowers, a small fountain, and a vegetable patch. … I put a lot of time and money into maintaining it. [...] My neighbor, let's call him Mike, has a large dog named Rocky."
After the poster identified himself as a 24-year-old man, he explained he had recently returned home one day to find that Rocky had dug under his fence and destroyed his backyard. When he confronted his neighbor about the situation and asked that they reimburse him for damages, the neighbor apologized but refused to pay him back, saying Rocky was a dog and that these things happen. The neighbor added that the original poster should've had a better fence.
Other Redditors were rightfully aghast at the situation.
One user commented, "That's not how anything works. The human is responsible for the conduct of his pet."
Said another, "Mike is really lucky none of the plants or fertilizers in your garden were poisonous. I'd document everything, file a police report for property damage, and maybe call your insurance provider. See if you can get them to go after Mike. They're ruthless."
The original poster's destroyed yard — featuring a vegetable patch that saved them money on groceries and reduced the amount of atmosphere-heating gases given off by food delivery vehicles, as well as rare flowers that may have encouraged pollinators and helped the local ecosystem and protected human food supplies — sounds like a tragic loss.
Having a bad neighbor when trying to live a more sustainable life can prove challenging, especially when they (or their dog) come along to destroy one's efforts. Unfortunately, people are limited in how they deal with neighbors like this one.
In this case, most commenters mentioned filing for property damage and going to small claims court, which is likely the only way to go. Some also asked about the leash laws in the neighborhood that could also see the neighbor penalized.
One Redditor summed it up well when they said, "Part of being a responsible dog owner is taking responsibility for any damage they cause, and either repairing or replacing damaged property."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes 💯 
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
