A Jerk Sues Neighbor Because His Dog Destroyed His Expensive Drone, Embarrasses Himself In Court
There’s a conflict type in fiction that’s known as ‘Character versus Technology.’ Reality, however, is often stranger than fiction. We’ve got in store for you today a tale about a showdown between an animal and tech. More specifically—between a dog and a drone. Spoiler warning: the dog won. By a landslide. And he’s perfectly healthy.
In a series of riveting posts (here, here, and here), redditor u/DeadDrone999 shared how his dog completely destroyed his neighbor’s drone. The neighbor had been using it to annoy pretty much everyone in the area, intentionally flying it within other peoples’ property and harassing the pet.
However, that wasn’t the end of it, oh no. The author of the story revealed that he got summoned to court over this (not the other way around)! But things didn’t end well for the drone owner. He got what was coming to him. Check out the full story below, Pandas! It’s proof that justice exists.
One man’s neighbor kept harassing his dog with his new drone over and over again
Image credits: SoCal ThrillSeekers 360 (not the actual photo)
Eventually, the animal got hold of the expensive toy. The situation then escalated
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION (not the actual photo)
The entitled neighbor thought that he was being unfairly denied access to the OP’s property. What’s more, he wanted damages for losing his drone that he kept flying low over people’s backyards. However, the judge basically laughed away his claims, according to redditor u/DeadDrone999.
The author of the posts shared undisputable evidence with the court that his neighbor had been harassing his dog in the past. In the end, the OP got almost $2,000 from the neighbor to cover his beloved pet’s medical bills. What’s more, the drone owner was investigated for not having registered the tech and for not keeping to flying regulations.
“Turns out, him suing me was the best thing to ever happen. […] I had dozens of photos of my yard showing it was impossible for him to ‘accidently’ fly that low to my dog, videos of him harassing my dog in the past, and I had saved all my medical bills from taking my dog to the vet. $700 for an x-ray? Check. Another $250 to sedate him during? Why not, don’t want him being uncomfortable. Full dental exam with tooth cleaning/repair? $400. Then there was the cost of anti-anxiety meds and a secondary check-up, wet food for a week in case his teeth were hurt, and extra just for good measure. In the end,[he] ended up owing me almost $2,000.”
The amount of vet care that the OP’s dog required is astounding. We’re just glad that he pulled through all right. As the author said: “He could have killed my dog. I don’t have kids or a girlfriend, I just have my dog who is my best friend for the past 7 years. That dog has moved with me three times, was there when I graduated college, saw me buy my first house and my first new car. I love my dog.”
The exact rules and regulations regarding owning and flying drones will depend on the country and area where you live. Generally speaking, you have to register your property and know where you can and cannot fly. There are various no-drone zones that you should never, ever enter.
But even if these official regulations didn’t exist, it’s common sense not to encroach on your neighbors’ property with your expensive tech toys. We all enjoy our privacy. We all love our pets. And people can’t help but get angry when someone steps over these boundaries.
The Golden Rule is usually the best thing to keep in mind whenever you feel stuck on what you should and shouldn’t do. Put yourself in your neighbors’ shoes and think how you’d feel if someone behaved with you the way you do with them.
When dealing with nosy neighbors who might not have the same understanding of privacy as you do, it’s best to start off subtle and diplomatic before moving on to more open and direct conversations. After all, you’ll have to live next to those people for a long time.
It’s hardly worth it to start a massive feud that’ll last years and years (even if they’re completely in the wrong). Going for a more diplomatic approach can help you avoid additional stress in your life. If your neighbor can’t take a hint that you’d rather be left alone, just get on with your day and ignore them. Though if things escalate to harassment and spying, it’s well-worth turning for help to your local homeowners’ association, law enforcement, or even a lawyer.
The internet was horrified that someone would harass a dog with a drone. People gave the author of the post some advice on how best to proceed
The author of the story had an update for everyone about how things turned out after he was taken to court
Image credits: DeadDrone999
An absolutely classic case of playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes. What a douchebag.
The stream of a watering hose will bring down most hobby-level drones. Watering your garden just as a drone flies by (too low) is not a crime.
"you sprayed my drone with water!!!" "Huh? No, I was watering my plants by pointing the stream upwards and simulating rain"
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Obviously different jurisdictions have different laws, but for the most part drones are legally perilous to fly over other people's property. Landowners do usually have "air rights" up to the lower limit of civil aviation - meaning if a drone over the property is low enough to avoid charges for violating airspace, it is trespassing. Because drones tend to have cameras, it is also very possible they can violate voyeurism laws. If it can be proven a drone's camera could see into a bedroom or bathroom while trespassing, suddenly it's a very serious crime which will likely result in incarceration. So it's probably best to never fly a drone somewhere unless you have permission from the property owner.
So in this situation it’s on the drone owner for flying low enough for a dog to destroy it.
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Drones have cameras on them. Press charges against him for voyeurism/espionage.
This ended beautifully! Another story for the book of F Around and Find Out. God bless us one and all. *heart emoji*
Drone guy needs to read up about laws involving drones. In the US you do have rights to the air above your property, otherwise someone could just hang stuff over your yard and not get in trouble for it. It is usually 10-20 feet depending on the jurisdiction.
Add another zero - Arkansas, for example, assumes air rights for landowners to 500' elevation or 150' above ground level, whichever is greater (so if your house was built at 400 feet above sea level, your air rights would extend to 550' above sea level).
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Drone owner is stupid, he deserved exactly what the judge ordered him to do. Keep taking pictures and notes just in case he decides to be an idiot again. Hope he likes paying for his antics.
So keep taking pictures of him to see if he's trying to take pictures of you? Kinda weird
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Good on you, OP! Just please keep an eye on your wonderful doggo because if that guy is still your neighbor he might be harboring resentments.
Note sure what country you're in, but in the US, you're required to have a remote pilot's license and register the drone, no matter the size. It's a minimal cost but I had to get one when I bought my son a drone for Christmas several years ago. It's ILLEGAL to fly over someone else property. Drones have cameras and that's an invasion of privacy and trespassing. Drones are regulated by the FAA plus other federal, state, and local laws. Once he flew it onto OP's property, he's a criminal. https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators
Good lord people. It is most certainly not illegal to fly a drone over peoples property. In this case he was flying it way too low and this is cut and dry. But if someone is flying a drone at least above the trees or your house, in most cases it is completely legal and you can be charged with a federal crime if you try to interfere with it in any way. There is also a weight limit and anything below it is exempt from registration.
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Oh my god the poor dog in the comments of that post… like the neighbor kids keep trying to maim the dog and the parents tried poisoning the dog.., I hope the neighbors AND their precious, angelic puppy-murdering kids rot in hell :(
Actually, you do own the air above your propery, up to 500 ft., according to FAA rules. FAA rules also state that it is illegal to shoot down a drone.
Guess it's a good thing the dog didn't have a gun.
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I would be tempted to take it a step further and ask for a civil harassment order against the neighbor.
Shoot them down call the press say you just shot down an UFO and make the news.
In the US, you don't own unlimited air rights over your property. However, it is recognized that public air space doesn't begin until 500- 1000 feet above ground. Therefore, flying a drone over someone else's property so low as to be snatched by the neighbor's dog, is punishable. We've been slow at drafting laws that specifically target drones, but someone in my area was recently prosecuted for flying a drone to peep in windows.
Moron deserved to get his wallet cleaned out and investigated for being a total POS with an expensive toy. I would knock on him even more but I wouldn't want to drone on and on about it... XP
I'm not sure where you are but where I am it is not legal to fly a drone over other people's homes. Having said that, he had been asked tonstop previously and knew what he was doing was annoying to you and your dog. If he hadn't carried on and persisted with his stupidity, he would still have his precious drone. Ignore him and put up a camera so you can watch in case he tries to do anything to your dog. The guy seems a bit loose.
You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. This "drone operator" sure is one real winner, indeed. Glad the doggo is fine, too.
This is what really pis*es me off about drones. They're cool, you can get great aerial pictures. But where's the cutoff? I don't want people flying drones over my back yard either. Even if I don't have a pet. When does a person's right to fly a drone, trump my right to privacy? Even if I'm just moving my lawn, I don't want someone watching me. To me, that's akin to peering in my windows. You have a reasonable expectation of privacy in your own home, but what about your own back yard? Dude trying to be an AH just because he thought he could get away with it. Karma. Proof that common sense, good documentation and justice can prevail. Love it.
Drones over 249g must be registered and then all future drones that require registration all have the same number.
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My first thought was that he may not have been messing with the dog (just his excuse when caught) but actually trying to look in her windows or record her.
Just love the story about the drone . Dogs really don’t like to have strang things fly or go threw there yards . My dad had an Astrailian Shepard and it would bring down ducks that tried to land in his pool , It got to the point that it went after and got birds . And ne she was not trained
Y'all must be hurting for clickbait if you're doing an "article" on a five year old post.
What a stupid and horrible person, causing all this upset and bother to his neighbour and his dog.
My drone count is 4 and one of them belonged to the sheriff's department. I didn't get into trouble for any of them. The sheriff was not thrilled but the drone was unmarked. Kids in my neighborhood fly these stupid drones all up in everyone's business.
Drone "pilots" like this screw everything up for the rest of us. There are all sorts of restrictions on where and how you can fly and most of them are as a result of dumb s##t like this. If he tries to sue you, get the back police reports and ask for a jury trial. Then get him for all your legal expenses too. Hats off to your dog for taking your idiot neighbors drone out of the airspace.
Stupid people like the AH are what give drones a bad rap. Really dude, that low is illegal.
Makes me worried the neighbor would throw poison laces meat over the fence as revenge.
Ha Ha, Score! Glad your doggie is OK, he could have been seriously injured.
I am SOOOO happy for your outcome. Hope the neighbor magically moves elsewhere
If it was as much as he said it was, it may not have required registration, even if it was a good idea to register it. While you technically don’t own your airspace, there is a rule that says reasonable height, as in don’t interfere with others. Clearly your neighbor failed at this. Also, the use of a camera can open other legal issues.
You do own your airspace to a certain height, and it's not just a few feet off the ground
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Just an FYI, most small claims courts allow claims of between $10k and $50k and you don't even need a lawyer. Don't forget you can also sue for mental and emotional distress - I know I would if my best friend for seven years were being tormented by that drone on MY property. I would have brought a ton of video recordings documenting the incidents. Lastly, cruelty to animals is a felony practically everywhere. Not to mention your neighbor failing to register his drone with the FAA and failing to follow the rules. At risk of sounding like I am piling on, who wouldn't under these circumstances?
Uhhhh, seems like your numbers for the amount in "small claims court" are way off. Just in my county, for example, the MAXIMUM in small claims court is $6000
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Licensed done pilot here... It's a little disturbing how many people on here are suggesting shooting down drones that fly over your house. In the US, at least, you don't own the airspace above your house. Shooting down a drone that flies over your house, in national airspace, is a federal crime and the pilot can most certainly sue you for damages and you could end up with a felony. In this case it's a different story due to how low he was flying in order for the dog to catch it, but in general it is illegal to shoot down or damage drones in any way. You do not own the airspace above your property. The law is on the pilot's side, not yours if you choose to shoot one down just because it's over your property.
In the comments, some neighbour tried to make a dog drink anti freeze. If that happened to me, I'd cook their kids and feed them to my dog. Chop up those little Karen c***s.
It's hilarious to me that people think they can stop you from flying an rc plane
It's literally illegal to do so over someone else's property to a certain height
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Isnt there a stand your ground law there where you could shoot drone down.i mean you yanks shoot off guns for anything why not this
Well obviously this clown that was flying his drone was a total Libtard! I would have just killed him n disappeared his body n drone. No one harrases my dog or cat! Nice job on the score in court too! Well deserved.
An absolutely classic case of playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes. What a douchebag.
The stream of a watering hose will bring down most hobby-level drones. Watering your garden just as a drone flies by (too low) is not a crime.
"you sprayed my drone with water!!!" "Huh? No, I was watering my plants by pointing the stream upwards and simulating rain"
Load More Replies... Obviously different jurisdictions have different laws, but for the most part drones are legally perilous to fly over other people's property. Landowners do usually have "air rights" up to the lower limit of civil aviation - meaning if a drone over the property is low enough to avoid charges for violating airspace, it is trespassing. Because drones tend to have cameras, it is also very possible they can violate voyeurism laws. If it can be proven a drone's camera could see into a bedroom or bathroom while trespassing, suddenly it's a very serious crime which will likely result in incarceration. So it's probably best to never fly a drone somewhere unless you have permission from the property owner.
So in this situation it’s on the drone owner for flying low enough for a dog to destroy it.
Load More Replies... Drones have cameras on them. Press charges against him for voyeurism/espionage.
This ended beautifully! Another story for the book of F Around and Find Out. God bless us one and all. *heart emoji*
Drone guy needs to read up about laws involving drones. In the US you do have rights to the air above your property, otherwise someone could just hang stuff over your yard and not get in trouble for it. It is usually 10-20 feet depending on the jurisdiction.
Add another zero - Arkansas, for example, assumes air rights for landowners to 500' elevation or 150' above ground level, whichever is greater (so if your house was built at 400 feet above sea level, your air rights would extend to 550' above sea level).
Load More Replies... Drone owner is stupid, he deserved exactly what the judge ordered him to do. Keep taking pictures and notes just in case he decides to be an idiot again. Hope he likes paying for his antics.
So keep taking pictures of him to see if he's trying to take pictures of you? Kinda weird
Load More Replies... Good on you, OP! Just please keep an eye on your wonderful doggo because if that guy is still your neighbor he might be harboring resentments.
Note sure what country you're in, but in the US, you're required to have a remote pilot's license and register the drone, no matter the size. It's a minimal cost but I had to get one when I bought my son a drone for Christmas several years ago. It's ILLEGAL to fly over someone else property. Drones have cameras and that's an invasion of privacy and trespassing. Drones are regulated by the FAA plus other federal, state, and local laws. Once he flew it onto OP's property, he's a criminal. https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators
Good lord people. It is most certainly not illegal to fly a drone over peoples property. In this case he was flying it way too low and this is cut and dry. But if someone is flying a drone at least above the trees or your house, in most cases it is completely legal and you can be charged with a federal crime if you try to interfere with it in any way. There is also a weight limit and anything below it is exempt from registration.
Load More Replies... Oh my god the poor dog in the comments of that post… like the neighbor kids keep trying to maim the dog and the parents tried poisoning the dog.., I hope the neighbors AND their precious, angelic puppy-murdering kids rot in hell :(
Actually, you do own the air above your propery, up to 500 ft., according to FAA rules. FAA rules also state that it is illegal to shoot down a drone.
Guess it's a good thing the dog didn't have a gun.
Load More Replies... I would be tempted to take it a step further and ask for a civil harassment order against the neighbor.
Shoot them down call the press say you just shot down an UFO and make the news.
In the US, you don't own unlimited air rights over your property. However, it is recognized that public air space doesn't begin until 500- 1000 feet above ground. Therefore, flying a drone over someone else's property so low as to be snatched by the neighbor's dog, is punishable. We've been slow at drafting laws that specifically target drones, but someone in my area was recently prosecuted for flying a drone to peep in windows.
Moron deserved to get his wallet cleaned out and investigated for being a total POS with an expensive toy. I would knock on him even more but I wouldn't want to drone on and on about it... XP
I'm not sure where you are but where I am it is not legal to fly a drone over other people's homes. Having said that, he had been asked tonstop previously and knew what he was doing was annoying to you and your dog. If he hadn't carried on and persisted with his stupidity, he would still have his precious drone. Ignore him and put up a camera so you can watch in case he tries to do anything to your dog. The guy seems a bit loose.
You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. This "drone operator" sure is one real winner, indeed. Glad the doggo is fine, too.
This is what really pis*es me off about drones. They're cool, you can get great aerial pictures. But where's the cutoff? I don't want people flying drones over my back yard either. Even if I don't have a pet. When does a person's right to fly a drone, trump my right to privacy? Even if I'm just moving my lawn, I don't want someone watching me. To me, that's akin to peering in my windows. You have a reasonable expectation of privacy in your own home, but what about your own back yard? Dude trying to be an AH just because he thought he could get away with it. Karma. Proof that common sense, good documentation and justice can prevail. Love it.
Drones over 249g must be registered and then all future drones that require registration all have the same number.
Load More Replies... My first thought was that he may not have been messing with the dog (just his excuse when caught) but actually trying to look in her windows or record her.
Just love the story about the drone . Dogs really don’t like to have strang things fly or go threw there yards . My dad had an Astrailian Shepard and it would bring down ducks that tried to land in his pool , It got to the point that it went after and got birds . And ne she was not trained
Y'all must be hurting for clickbait if you're doing an "article" on a five year old post.
What a stupid and horrible person, causing all this upset and bother to his neighbour and his dog.
My drone count is 4 and one of them belonged to the sheriff's department. I didn't get into trouble for any of them. The sheriff was not thrilled but the drone was unmarked. Kids in my neighborhood fly these stupid drones all up in everyone's business.
Drone "pilots" like this screw everything up for the rest of us. There are all sorts of restrictions on where and how you can fly and most of them are as a result of dumb s##t like this. If he tries to sue you, get the back police reports and ask for a jury trial. Then get him for all your legal expenses too. Hats off to your dog for taking your idiot neighbors drone out of the airspace.
Stupid people like the AH are what give drones a bad rap. Really dude, that low is illegal.
Makes me worried the neighbor would throw poison laces meat over the fence as revenge.
Ha Ha, Score! Glad your doggie is OK, he could have been seriously injured.
I am SOOOO happy for your outcome. Hope the neighbor magically moves elsewhere
If it was as much as he said it was, it may not have required registration, even if it was a good idea to register it. While you technically don’t own your airspace, there is a rule that says reasonable height, as in don’t interfere with others. Clearly your neighbor failed at this. Also, the use of a camera can open other legal issues.
You do own your airspace to a certain height, and it's not just a few feet off the ground
Load More Replies... Just an FYI, most small claims courts allow claims of between $10k and $50k and you don't even need a lawyer. Don't forget you can also sue for mental and emotional distress - I know I would if my best friend for seven years were being tormented by that drone on MY property. I would have brought a ton of video recordings documenting the incidents. Lastly, cruelty to animals is a felony practically everywhere. Not to mention your neighbor failing to register his drone with the FAA and failing to follow the rules. At risk of sounding like I am piling on, who wouldn't under these circumstances?
Uhhhh, seems like your numbers for the amount in "small claims court" are way off. Just in my county, for example, the MAXIMUM in small claims court is $6000
Load More Replies... Licensed done pilot here... It's a little disturbing how many people on here are suggesting shooting down drones that fly over your house. In the US, at least, you don't own the airspace above your house. Shooting down a drone that flies over your house, in national airspace, is a federal crime and the pilot can most certainly sue you for damages and you could end up with a felony. In this case it's a different story due to how low he was flying in order for the dog to catch it, but in general it is illegal to shoot down or damage drones in any way. You do not own the airspace above your property. The law is on the pilot's side, not yours if you choose to shoot one down just because it's over your property.
In the comments, some neighbour tried to make a dog drink anti freeze. If that happened to me, I'd cook their kids and feed them to my dog. Chop up those little Karen c***s.
It's hilarious to me that people think they can stop you from flying an rc plane
It's literally illegal to do so over someone else's property to a certain height
Load More Replies... Isnt there a stand your ground law there where you could shoot drone down.i mean you yanks shoot off guns for anything why not this
Well obviously this clown that was flying his drone was a total Libtard! I would have just killed him n disappeared his body n drone. No one harrases my dog or cat! Nice job on the score in court too! Well deserved.
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