Nails on a chalkboard,....need advice

[nitropuppy]

Looking for some advice here. I moved into a beautiful apartment in Sichuan province. I was fully prepared for a change in noise levels. Hey, it's a city. Cities tend to be noisy. I don't mind the traffic noise or the endless blaring of car horns. The roosters that crow in the early morning are fine with me. It's a good alarm clock. Even the people that hollar up to their friends from outside don't bother me. (I guess they're too lazy to go knock on the friends door) The insane fireworks that blasted all night during Spring festival were celebratory. No problem.

But, what's really getting me wound up tight is another tenants dog. It's a yappy little mutt that never (I mean never) shuts up. It barks in a high pitch tone that is like nails on a chalkboard. It barks non-stop. The owner / tenant leaves the dog in a back room with the window open. The damned thing only stops barking when it's being fed. I don't even think it sleeps. I hear it all day, all night. Between 2-6 in the morning it seems to go into overdrive in it's barking fervor. Even if I put my music on, the sound of this dog permeates through. It has an almost perfect pitch that can even cut through metal. I can even hear it in the elevator when I'm going up or down. I'm going slowly insane.

The other 300 hundred tenants here don't seem to be bothered by it. Even the people living right next door. I can't imagine why. I've mentioned it to the management people. They went and talked to the dog's owner. He shut the window for 1 day. Then it was back to status quo.

I have paid for this apartment with a six month lease. I'm two months into it. But, I'm ready to just move out. I can't sleep and I'm going crazy with this dogs yapping. This mutt is mentally retarded. What are my options here?

Just move out and take the loss. Knock on the dog owners door, barge in and strangle this evil mutt. Hire a canine hitman. Or perhaps buy the dog from the owner and take it for a long ride into the forrest. Has anyone run into a simular situation? Are there noise ordanance laws here?

Why are the other tenants putting up with this? I need advice here. What can I do? What would you do?

[roddy]

I would give the management office another shot - they've gone round once, so they've accepted at least some responsibility for it. Keep steady, polite pressure on them, and hope they do the same down the chain.

Any idea what the dog licensing laws are there? There have been crackdowns in Beijing recently, if you were here you could probably get the dog arrested and sent to a workcamp.

[kudra]

Is the dog alone in the back room all the time? Does it go out, get exercise and attention? Hire a kid to play with the dog and take it for (long) walks, throw it a ball? Cheaper than forfeiting several months rent? Of course, it might have a screw loose as you suspect, in which case it's plan b.

[mr.stinky]

how about some late night cat, uh, dogburgling?

then console your grieving neighbors by inviting them over for hot pot!!

failing that, there are actually noise ordinances in some areas. the local

police might drop by for a chat if you so request.

[kenf]

Before you do anything too drastic how about trying earplugs. As a frequenter of youth hostels I understand that these are effective and comfortable to use against snorers though I have never tried them myself as I am usually the one doing the snoring. Ken.

[gato]

The owner / tenant leaves the dog in a back room with the window open. ..... I've mentioned it to the management people. They went and talked to the dog's owner. He shut the window for 1 day. Then it was back to status quo.

Ear plugs can be effective, but they tend to fall out as one shift around during sleep.

If closing the window helped before, I think getting your neighbor to close the window, at least at night, would be easiest solution and not too much to ask.

[onebir]

Hire a canine hitman. Or perhaps buy the dog from the owner and take it for a long ride into the forrest.

If the window's open, & not too high up, you could just throw some poisoned meat in. (& hope it doesn't find it's way into the human food chain...)

Or maybe sedative laced meat...

Seems like there's a potential dog whistle based solution too.

[nitropuppy]

I kinda like Mr. Stinky's idea. The dog somehow disappears. Then I invite the grieving neighbor over for a hot pot consolation dinner. Of course I'll have a very special ingrediant. Mmmm, this meat is "hao la". Hey, I can fantasize right?

[nitropuppy]

Well, we are three months into the insane dog barking. Both management, and the apartments security have talked to this selfish woman about her damned dog. She still lets it bark constantly. If fact, at times this mutt gets all the other dogs barking in unison.

Management and the security people are just shrugging it off like they tried but have no control. I got to say, I'm quite surprised at how many chinese people have dogs. My apartment complex is more of a kennel than a habitat for humans. Dog crap is all over the place and the other tenants all seem oblivious to the noise. It's unbelievable.!

Recently, I read that nearby Chongqing is having the police round up and destroy unregistered dogs. It's phrased as an anti-rabies effort. I read that simular measures are going on in Beijing and Guangzhou. I can only hope that Chengdu does something too.

I've tried to be polite. I offered to train the dog for this woman. She literally, physically pushed me away angrily. Seems she's more of a bitch than her lunatic dog. So, I guess my next step is to call the police and complain. I'll tell them that I suspect this mutt has rabies or that it is clearly insane.

But, what are my odds that I will just cause more trouble for myself? To the average person or policeman, I might seem like a whiny "lowei". But, it's the cumulative high pitch sound that is making life miserable. At times I'm so frustrated and angry that I am contemplating just snapping the dogs neck when she takes it out for a walk. What is the penalty for doing that? Could I get thrown out of the country for that? If it was just a fine of 500 RMB. I would gladly pay it. So, before I go over the edge with this noisey, insane, canine piece of garbage, what is your advise?

***** Quick caviat; I don't hate dogs. I have owned two myself. But, I trained them and was a responsible owner. But, a sick animal needs to be destroyed. Plain and simple. So, any PETA people, just don't bother crying to me about cruelty and animal rights. I'm not listening.

[zhwj]

You'd probably be better to move than take the effort to kill the dog yourself, since I'd expect you'd find it hard to continue living in the community anyway once your dog-owner neighbors know you as "that crazy guy who strangles dogs."

At least give the police a try, particularly if you can go in person to the local station. You might luck out and find a sympathetic officer. You could also tell the building management that you are going to the police station on such-and-such a date, and the news might filter down so that the woman sends her dog off to visit relatives down south for a few months.

[roddy]

Yeah, while you're clearly not at fault (we assume . . . perhaps you snore at a really high pitch ) and you shouldn't have to move, if you've exhausted all reasonable solutions you might just be better off cutting your losses and running. It would leave a bitter taste in my mouth, but if it's a choice between that and knowing you are a dog-murderer for the rest of your life.

[banjo67xxx]

As a dog-lover myself I hate to suggest this, but if the problem is as bad as you say ...

My wife says that if you grass to the police about people who keep dogs (I presume she means unlicensed) then they'll give you about 200RMB reward money.

If they turn up when the lady is not in, they'll break the door down and kill the dog on the spot. If it turns out she has a license they'll say "sorry" but wont give her any compensation.

I'd give her advance warning that your going to call the police, so she can have her dog license to hand when they turn up.

[Lu]

I'd not give her advance warning, so that she isn't home with a licence and the dog will in fact be killed. It doesn't help to have it yapping with a licence, the OP won't sleep any better with that.

(Ok, not sure if I would really do this, don't think I would want to be responsible for a killed dog, but I have never been in this situation.)

[imron]

See here for what happens to people who kill noisy dogs.

[nitropuppy]

Hey Imron, is this meant to be an intimidation or a threat? I just want clarification here. Why don't you say exactly how you feel, instead of hiding behind a veil of someone else's perceptions or arguement. Perhaps you and the PETA gang should read what the Police and Authorities in Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing and other major cities are doing. They see this as a growing problem. A health problem. Rabies and crazy animals are infecting and biting humans in large numbers. It is getting out of control.

Just a few weeks ago, Chengdu news profiled how the police had to use ten men to hunt down 1 crazy dog. They chased this vicious mutt all day. It had ripped into a 4 year old and badly mauled her. Almost killed her. It had bitten numerous people, previously. They finally cornered the dog and bashed it's brains in. They showed it dead, in a pool of blood, on the 6 O'clock news. Brought a big smile to my face.

As for the insane mutt that barks for 18 hours a day, (not a problem anymore)....... I did the proper thing. I bought the dog from the lunatic lady who owned it. (very cheap too) Once it was legally mine, .......well, lets just say it won't wake anyone anymore. And the neighbors who know what I did, they have all thanked me profusely. In their eyes, I'm a peacemaker, not a horrible person.

Whether you like it or not, putting all western guilt and anguish aside, you must understand one fact. We humans, are the highest order here on the planet. And that might not be saying much.(Granted) But, I don't see dogs or dolphins going to the moon. So, if they don't behave, if they get out of control, they will suffer the consequences. And, If they taste good, they get eaten.

****Note; If you think I am over-reacting to your post, tough. I just don't like uninformed guilt trips layed at my feet. Try walking a mile in that 4 year old girl's shoes. (if she's still able)

[adrianlondon]

If you think I am over-reacting to your post, tough.

Wouldn't make him wrong though, would it. Maybe you should take his post as simply an interesting news story with some relevance to this thread.

[imron]

Nitropuppy, before I posted that link, I had no idea of what had happened in your situation and I was simply posting a link to an article I thought relevant to the thread. It was not meant to either threaten or intimidate, nor was it a judgement of you in anyway. I'm sorry if it touched a nerve.

As for how I feel, I think the person linked to in that article went about things the wrong way. There are far better ways to solve the problem than setting dogs on fire in the middle of the night and then beating them when they try to escape. The reaction of your neighbours, compared to the reaction of the neighbours in the article is perhaps good evidence of this.

I also think there is a big difference between a noisy house pet and a stray dog that mauls young children. Being the "highest order here on the planet" hopefully enables us to make that distinction and deal with each case appropriately.

[nitropuppy]

No problem Imron. And thanks for the clarification and apology. And you're right, it did sort of touch a nerve. So, I also apologise to you for my terse response. And I totally agree that setting fire to an animal is sick and cruel. If an animal must be "put down", it should be done humanely. ie; quick, and painless.

Perhaps, my nerves are still a little frayed from that ridiculous situation. And while it's now more quiet here, I'm still using a stick to pick the dog crap out of the waffle grid on the bottom of my shoes. The place is still a minefield. Instead of Booooom,.......it's SQuiiiish! "ugh, awww craaap" But, at least I'm sleeping better.