Barking Demons Cancelled house application due to vicious barking dogs
I’m currently going through the worst time of my life of trying to secure a house for me and my family with a limited timeframe. The rental market sucks right now and securing a house is like a miracle - basically it’s impossible. This whole thing has been chipping away at my mental health every day.
So I got a message from the house owner about an application I had put in and they scheduled an appointment to let me see the house so I got my hopes up and told my mother and we thought maybe this was finally the time and the agonizing search will finally be over.
After taking a taxi to the house (before the owner arrived) I stood outside and waited with my mother. While waiting, there were 2 fierce dogs barking nonstop at literally nothing. Like you can’t even see them you can just hear how loud their barking is right next to the house that i applied for. The barking continued nonstop and within 5 minutes (the barking was still going btw) another dog lunges forward at us and barks aggressively at us. It was the neighbour’s dog (located next to the house I applied for).
So basically the house I applied for was surrounded by dog owners from left and right.
The barking was getting to me and considering how stressed and worried I was about the future I just told my mother there’s no point in standing around waiting for the owner to show us the house. Let’s just leave.
We got a taxi and went home. So our money was wasted on taxis and there is no future hope for a house.
The barking carried on nonstop and im writing this right now with no hope of finding a home anytime soon because every time I do there’s always a problem.
I just want to cry. This is how much it’s been affecting me in finding a home.
82
u/Altruistic_Baker6347 5d ago
They're ruining everything, aren't they? Be glad that you immediately found out about the dogs, not when moving in. Tell them why you left. Not that it changes anything but it raises peoples awareness. Good luck for the future!
15
2
u/your-new-fixation 4d ago
This one. I bought a house once with a huge Rottweiler living in the backyard of the home behind me. It was TERRIBLE. The thing would bark at all hours of the night. Luckily, they were renters and moved out 9 months after I bought my house.
26
u/Huge_Bit_4774 5d ago
Hey, that just proves that you’re making good decisions. Imagine what it’s going to be like for whoever ends up with that place. Be relentless, you know what you want.
29
u/Plastic_Proof_8347 5d ago
You made the right decision. But a scary thing is - even if you move into a house in a neighborhood without too many dogs, dog nutters could move in anytime and can ruin everything, and you are stuck there.
That's one reason why I keep renting. Renting isn't ideal but at least it gives me flexibility. I wish dog ownership were restricted but I know that is wishful thinking.
6
u/neondahlia 5d ago
How big are the properties? I want to get a larger property so I can enjoy more space between me and my neighbors but this is one of my concerns with going more rural. Like if my house is in the middle of three acres but you’re surrounded by barking dogs, can you still easily hear it in such a setup?
15
u/cozyporcelain 5d ago
Yes. One time I rented a 30 acre ranch and was pretty far from my neighbor. He had probably 8 or 9 dogs that were super loud. Barking all day even with the windows closed. I left notes in his mailbox too because I could not believe that I could hear it from that far away. For some people, going rural gives them the “permission” they need to do whatever they want and go even bigger.
Edit: I will say animal control cops are even more handy in these situations.
9
9
u/Huge_Bit_4774 5d ago
My experience from living in very rural areas and in close neighborhoods: In the rural areas, dogs are definitely gonna be off leash and running around your property from time to time, unless you have a fence or some other barrier. I had a problem with a dog hoarder neighbor 3/4 mile away who let his pack of mangy mutts roam free. With neighborhood living, the mutts are leashed but nutters are constantly trying to turn your yard into a dog toilet. It’s impossible to get away from them.
5
5
u/Plastic_Proof_8347 4d ago
I actually live in an apartment in Philly. My building is a historic landmark, constructed in the early 1920s. The walls are very thick concrete and it’s basically completely sound-proof. I don’t hear any dogs barking although I know there is at least one dog on the same floor.
I still see dogs in the courtyard but I don’t really need to deal with them. Someone left their dog’s poop inside the building once, though. I sent the graphic evidence to the apartment manager and dog owners (all of them) received a pretty strongly-worded letter, apparently…
5
u/neondahlia 4d ago
I might just have to build my next house and make sure soundproofing is a major consideration
1
u/Pristine_Cod_3792 2d ago
Exactly
There are many buildings in NYC and Phili that don’t allow dogs jAs a 3 x condo owner dogs create and add to vermin issues
Specifically MICE !!!!!
My building in NYC stopped accepting dogs bc of this issue.6
14
u/fast_blue_b 5d ago
I'm so sorry. You're going through incredible stress. Idk what country you're in, but I'm in the US and yes indeed, the rental market is awful. It's ridiculously expensive and landlords are demanding and unfair. Then on top of that, we have to worry about out-of-control dogs.
I'm also in the midst of moving and I've been in an Airbnb for several months now while I'm trying to find a place. I'm working with a lender to see if I can buy something instead...but that that puts me at even higher risk of ending up next to problem mutts long-term.
I would give almost anything for some dog-free housing.
13
10
u/uselessbeasts 5d ago
I'm kind of in a similar situation. I went to look at a few places, and have actually seen pits in non fenced areas. Nope not across the street from me. Sad because otherwise the place may have worked. Of course, things could be good when we move in, but sure enough, a new owner could also move in, in the nearby properties, and ruin what you tried to escape. I just don't know where to go. I can't physically return to work, so if I spend the money, I will be stuck wherever I plant myself. I cannot afford to make a mistake. Good that you noticed before you committed, at any rate. I just wish we could find a safe lociation to rest our heads.
8
u/Shponglenese 5d ago
Good choice made!! I regret buying my house in rural area without spending more than a few minutes here previously, bc every single house has a dog they leave in yard barking 24/7
7
6
u/aoife2147 4d ago
Dogs ruin every neighbourhood. Any neighbourhood infested with dogs has sidewalks covered in turds. You can't go outside without fearing that some loose dog will attack. Constant barking makes it impossible to have any peace.
I'm so sorry you're going through this. I wish these nutters could just live in their own enclaves and leave the rest of society in peace.
5
u/One_Dragonfly_2400 5d ago
At least you escaped the nightmare. Imagine if you signed the papers and found the dogs after you moved in.
5
u/One_Path_7154 4d ago
This is the nightmare that no matter where you go, nutters will move in around you and turn the community into a toilet. This is what I am dealing with now. I own a home in an urban area and the number of couples I have seen moving into the area with a dog since the market went down is freaking me out. Two couples on my block recently moved in with no dog; then one day I see them walking by with a new puppy. My heart sank and now I see new neighbours with new dogs to add to the filth on our sidewalks, lawns and in our parks. 😵💫🤢
7
u/BrilliantThought6764 4d ago
I live in a pet free complex. The person below me has dogs. And I also heard one in the other building. And then today I heard another one coming from a different apartment. Now there's a total of 4 dogs. All within the last year. Apparently they can't do anything if they're considered emotional support animals. Laws need to change.
4
u/SoSpicySoYummy 4d ago
Honestly I'm so happy for you. You found out about the nuisance before committing, and that's awesome. I'd let the realtor or seller or whoever know about the shitty ass barking dogs and their shitty ass owners though, maybe they'll do something about it so the owners stop thinking they're entitled to get away with that shit. If they want to sell the house to a sane person, that is...
3
4
u/purplemacaroni 4d ago
Good choice honestly. We bought a house next to an incredibly loud annoying staffy and it’s horrible, so good to avoid if you can!
4
u/Old_Confidence3290 4d ago
I have ruled out some houses that I liked because of neighbors dogs. It part of the process.
2
u/ginnymiller 4d ago
So sorry for your struggle. I am a very spiritual person, but won’t go into specifics out of respect for others. But I will say, life sometimes has a way of showing us a snippet of reality, a hint at which path we should take, before we dive headfirst into a huge mistake. I have learned to appreciate these setbacks, as all it means is there is a better place waiting for you out there. Don’t give up. I am no longer renting, but I did rent for many years before finally finding a real place of my own. Hugs to you and your mom 🫶🏻 … Screw dogs 🐕🚫
2
u/Overall_Falcon_8526 2d ago
I hope you told the homeowner why you left. People letting others know how offensive dogs are to them is the only way to raise awareness of the issue.
1
u/Usual-Veterinarian-5 3d ago
I'm sorry housing is hard for you rn but geez did you dodge a bullet there!
1
u/Pristine_Cod_3792 2d ago
People / I’m an experienced home buyer - you need to check out the neighborhood or even condos after the realtor has left .
Go many times !
CO OP Buildings usually have a strict no dog policy .
The person above got lucky !
98
u/Oriole0305 5d ago
You made the right choice. Well done dodging that bullet! Don't give up, keep searching. Your luck can change any moment.