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All,

Our dogs killed our next door neighbor's girlfriend's dog this evening. It was a small dog that liked people but hated other dogs. He's been taunting our dogs since she brought him over to my neighbor's home about 2 weeks ago. He was making so much noise at our dogs this morning that I pulled them back inside after I fed them just to shut him up.

There are holes under the fence between us that his own, larger dog keeps digging. I have back-filled those holes more times than I can count and he and I discussed putting some rebar in there to stop his dog from digging but we never got around to it. His old roommate had a sweet Labrador mix that came under the fence once and everything was fine. I came home from work to find the 3 dogs playing happily.

But tonight, after all the relentless taunting, the girlfriend's little dog came into our yard via one of the holes. No one saw how it happened but our dogs killed him. The carcass, which his girlfriend saw first, was not a pretty sight.

They are not mad at us. They understand that the responsibility for all of this is in their hands. However, they are very upset and we feel bad.

Is there a way that we can tastefully show our sympathy? Or would that do more harm than good?

Brian,

That is a difficult situation.

This is a forum to maybe the best sanctuary for dogs, cats, and other pets > http://www.bestfriends.org/

They occasionally have professional as well as people putting many hours adopting pets.

They took Michael Vick's dogs and some of them may be tameable (although the hellish environment may make some of the permanently unadoptable :( )

Try joining their forum and describe your situation

My $0.02--Show some sympathy-specifics will necesarily depend on your relationship with your neighbors. It doesn't sound like it was particularly your fault or your neighbor's--it sounds like it was mainly a case of dogs being dogs.

Better than words, I think, is taking some action (jointly with your neighbors?) to prevent re-tunneling. You might want to consider burying chicken wire.

The thing about animals is you have to take some measures to avoid certain problems. A joint effort on the fence sounds like a good idea.

Yeah, I like that idea -- after the initial shock wears off, offer to split the cost of supplies, schedule a weekend for the two/four of you to work on the fence, and maybe even spot them beer and pizza. It'll give you a chance to "bond" over the loss in a constructive manner.

I agree with what everyone has said. While beer and pizza won't negate he past, they do go a long way towards mending it.

I am sorry for all those involved.

Brian, I feel so bad for you and your wife, and for your neighbors. I know you just well enough now that you saying 'you feel bad' is probably the understatement of the year. I will give your predicament some thought and prayer, and ask my wife for her thoughts on this as well... she's usually pretty good at coming up with the right kinds of things to say and do in really rought situations.

Brian, I will add my prayers to the mix as well. Like Ken, I really don't know what the "right" response to this is but I do know that whatever you do, an open heart and arms will make it "right."

I do think that working on the fence together with your neighbor is a good idea as it promotes dual ownership of a solution and avoids (with tact) the "It's your fault!" pitfall.

Do remember that there really isn't anywhere to rightfully assign blame for this -- don't blame yourself and help your neighbors avoid blaming themselves as well. None of you could have forseen this.

Brian, I will be praying too.

I have fostered homeless cats...like to think I saved a few, but at least one got sick and died. :(