“He said he’d get my dogs taken away—now he’s the one who’s been evicted”: How a quiet dog mom stood up to a vicious bully and protected her family

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Jul 15, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

You know, Karens really do take the biscuit (excuse the British expression), but what's worse than a Karen? A male Karen. It is like taking all the negative parts of a woman and combining them with the negative parts of a man. Emboldening their arrogance, increasing their entitlement, and worst of all, boosting their delusion.

And that is exactly what our heroine had to go through in a story that initially sounds like it would turn into a Disney movie, it is so sweet. But, we suppose, much like a Disney movie there is always a villain, and thankfully our heroine did indeed vanquish her foe. Leaving her to be the best dog momma she can be, and on every Mother's Day going forward, she can rest easy knowing that she has done everything she possibly can to protect her canine children. And while they might not be able to bring her gifts of gratitude, she will know they thank her in their hearts.
 

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  • 01
    Years ago, my mother and I had just moved to a new dog friendly apartment complex. We had 2 dogs, one was a bichon shih tzu and the other is a terrier poodle mix. Because of them, we were excited for the community dog park right next to our building. Also to note,
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  • 02
    our who building was filled with dog owners, each with dogs ranging from small to huge. Our apartment was on the first floor in the back of the building, all the way in the corner. It was a nice private area for us with how the apartments were situated.
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  • Wow, if we did not know that there was going to be some sort of conflict in this story, we would have assumed that this is the set up for a super wholesome Disney movie written off the back of the secret lives of pets. But alas, even in a Disney movie there need be a wicked witch…

  • 03
    Since one of our dogs is a terrier, he can be a bit barky when we are not home. Though when we are home we have a clicker to get his attention, which he has been train to stop barking and come to who ever has the clicker. Due to our work hours I was usually home in the morning and mom was home in the afternoon, leaving him alone for a few hours during the day.
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  • 04
    After a month of moving to our new apartment, we recieved a note on our door. It was from one of our neighbors. It stated, "Dear neighbor, I understand that you are new to this complex, but it is rude to allow your dog to bark. It is ruining my sleep before I go to work, and my job is extremely important. I don't care how you do it but shut your dog up."
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  • 05
    My mom turned in the note right away to the leasing office as she wasn't sure what to do with it. That is when the office told us not to worry because he had done this to every dog owner in the building. They did ask us to see if we can find ways to calm him down when we were not home.
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  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10530038016
    via Eudyptula via Adobe Stock

    Disclaimer: This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 07
    So we did. We found out the kids of the neighborhood liked playing with the power station outside our apartment and that is who he had been barking at. So we closed off that area for him when we went out and no one was home. We started playing calming music as a way to help as well.
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  • 08
    Another week goes by and this time we hear a knock at the door. We go outside, and we meet our angry neighbor. He explains that our dog has kept him up everyday and woke him up with his hours of barking. Both of us had been home that day, and our dog had been a good boy and had not had excessive barking.
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  • Ohh this guy is so busted! It is such a good feeling of vindication when you catch a lier who has been harassing you in a lie. It is almost like you can feel the beginning of the end of their reign of tyranny. And thankfully that was the turn point for our dog momma hero.

  • 09
    I still remember what he had told us when I explained that. "I know what I heard. If you can't control your dog, then I am going to call animal control and have them both taken from you. I did it before and have no problem getting rid of your dogs too. Then I'll get you kicked out for
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  • 10
    not following your lease, and I can do that because I am very rich and the apartment needs my money. So do something to shut your dogs up or else." After that and my mom apologizing for what had happen, we went back in. A few moments later, I walked out to get the mail and discovered from another neighbor that he had gone to 3 other apartments and made similar threats.
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  • 11
    After some convincing, my mom told the apartment what had happened. We were told not to worry, and if he did that again to please contact them. We also found
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  • 12
    out that the appartment had offered him an appartment way from the dogs, but he had declined since the dogs were the problem and not him. However, what he had done, my mom began to show signs of anxiety and bought a lemon spray bark collar for our dog. While, I didn't like this idea, it had put her at ease to go outside our appartment. We did make sure to only put it on him when we both were not home.
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  • 13
    A month went by peacefully, then once again we get a knock on our door. This time it was animal control. They had gotten an 'anonymous' report of a dog being abused and neglected in our home. They explained that someone has said that our dogs were barking because of neglect. My mom
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  • 14
    invited the AC lady inside and explained the situation. We showed her everything we could to prevent our dogs from being taken away. The nice lady noticed how playful and happy our dogs were and figured it was another false call. She explained that they had gotten a few of those from an anonymous concerned neighbor for other apartments in this building.
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  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10530037760
    via Anton Dios via Adobe Stock

    Disclaimer: This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 16
    The AC lady left, telling us that if they are threaten again to try and get it on record. This event had turned my mom into a paranoid person who became afraid to leave the house, thinking that if she did, then she would lose her pups.
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  • 17
    Normally I am the calmest person in my family, never really letting anyone get to me, bit this neighbor had did this to hurt us. So I did my research and discovered a few things that could legally help us. With new information on certain laws and leasing terms, I formed a plan.
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  • 18
    During a weekend that my mom was visiting my aunt in a different state, I began my plan. I started it by printing out a few things and then sat outside with my phone and a speaker. I began to play a video of a dog barking really loud. I had figured out which appartment was his thanks to a few neighbors who also were tired of being harrassed. I sat there looking across the courtyard to where his apartment was.
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  • 19
    I waited with a huge smile on my face, and as I hoped for, he stormed out and headed over to where I was. I turned off my video and turned on my recorder without him noticing. His face is red with anger as he looks at me sitting there with a smile.
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  • 20
    "I'm sorry can I help you?" I ask him you. I fing told you what I will do to your family if you didn't stop your mutt from ruining my sleep. Now, I'm going to get them taken from you and get you kicked out for not doing as I said. I gave you a chance. I hope when they take your dogs that they are and you and your mom live inside a cardboard box."
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  • 21
    I give him a fake 'oh dear' look and say, "So you are saying that I am not allow to make loud noises including my dogs barking between the hours of 7am and 11pm? And that I went against the law by doing so?"
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  • 22
    = "You know you did." "And you are telling me this from my porch? At 2 pm in the afternoon." "This won't be your porch once I tell the leasing office." "Oh noes. That is a very serious threat for my dogs and my family, isn't it." yes it is!"
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  • 23
    I give him a huge smile and turn off my recorder from my phone. The neighbor is confused now and I ask him to have a seat, I have a few things to show him. I pull out my papers and hand him the first one. It was the county's noise ordinance laws. In our county, a dog's bark was considered the same amount of sound as a loud appliance, so they can bark between the hours of 7 am and 11 pm.
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  • 24
    Before he could talk, I pull out another paper. This one states that it is against the leasing terms to threaten another neighbor and after one warning that the apartment complex had the right to revolt their lease.
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  • 25
    He looks at me with an understanding of what he had done now. I silence him and pull out one last paper. This one was another leasing term I had found. This face after reading this one had made him turn white. This last one talked
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  • 26
    about how it was a complete violation of leasing terms to go onto another renter's property and threaten them or their property. This includes the renter's outdoor area. Those found guilty of this violation will have their lease revoked immediately and be forced to leave the apartment with in a set time.
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  • 27
    The scared look on his face was priceless as I silently got up and walked back into my apartment. After he finally left, I called my leasing office and explained what had just happened and agreed to email the recording to them right away.
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  • 28
    A week later my mom came home with some news that she had learn from the leasing office. The man had been evicted from his apartment and would be leaving later that week. I found out that my actions had caused the other dog owners of the building to come forward and admit what he had been doing to all of them. After that
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  • 29
    there was never another complaint and I threw away the lemon spray collar. My mom still gets anxiety attacks once in awhile, but has been getting help to ease those worries. As for me, I don't regret what I did, I just feel bad that it had to come to this.
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