Why is this happening?

I have debated whether or not to publicly put this on my blog, but something has been heavy on my mind this week.

March 19, I got a knock on my door. To my surprise, it was an animal control officer telling me that they had received a complaint (didn't tell me who from) that some was accusing me of being cruel to my dog, I don't feed her, and that she barks "ALL DAY" they said. I said, "ok, we're working on the bark part because she has just started training to not bark," so that was understandable. However, she didn't bark in the evenings whatsoever, and therefore, she wasn't violating any sound ordinances. That was the least of their concern, they were more concerned that someone claimed I don't feed my dog, and I was cruel to dogs.

I firmly told the officer that SHE IS FED. She is fed PLENTY. Two meals (with gravy - every time), we give her our healthy table scraps, and she is also taking a vet prescribed vitamin daily. However, she does appear to be on the lean side no matter what we do. Daisy sees a vet, more than my entire family goes to the doctor per yer - COMBINED. We've had her examined for worms or another reason that she might be small, and all the vets say the same thing; she's just thin, but healthy. This is totally normal.

Back to my story; the officer said, "yes, she looks like a healthy dog, maybe someone just doesn't like you."

Yes, someone JUST DOESN'T LIKE US. I've been renting this home since September 2008, and I have never heard even one complaint about her bark, or her weight until just two weeks ago. I did have a neighbor not so kindly put us in our place about Daisy going poop on our yard when we first moved in, and I think it could be this neighbor that is getting me so frazzled at the moment.

I was of course, very displeased that someone would think I had it in me to be cruel to my dog. Daisy is a very spoiled little dog, despite how much she makes me crazy at times. She even sleeps under our blankets, IN our bed with us when she is cold (would a cruel dog owner do that?). I passed it off as, "well, they just don't know me," and tried to forget about it over the next week.

Then, this weekend, the mail started coming. It looked like someone had went on the internet, google-d "free and trial offers," and started to mail things to my address. However, instead of my mail saying "Laura Munn," in it's place it said, "Cruel to Dogs" and "Shut your dog up," and mean mean things that were personally meant for me to read. I have recieved magazines, trial bottles of vitamins, catalogs, and for now all free stuff, but ALL with degrading names on their labels.

Day by day, the mail keeps coming. I feel completely violated and stripped of my personal confidence to live here. It seems like someone is watching us, and I need to watch my back. I'm home alone all day, so it is frightening to think that someone hates me so much to mail me such heartless things. What if they hate me enough to hurt me or Ellie?

I asked EVERY close proximity neighbor. I have told them about the icident I had with the police only a couple weeks ago, told them I am a good dog owner who feeds my dog, apologized for the bark, told them about the mail, and if they ever had a problem to talk to one of us personally and I was going to call the police. It had to have been someone close enough to see Daisy from their back door, or the few times during the day light that she might have been out long enough for someone to see her and be annoyed by her bark.

During this process I found out I'm not the only one getting the harrassment mail. Another neighbor is getting things sent her her home that are cruel. Some of her mail seemed more cruel than mine. She was relieved to find out that it isn't just her - and now she isn't a lone with her worry. She is thinking about selling her house. I'm worried if this worsens, I might be leaving earlier than I had hoped as well. I think someone is trying to get me to move, and I'm not going to stick around long enough for them to really hurt me or my family.

I have an idea of who it could be and I have called the police. They can't do much, but I needed to cover my bases. It's in their records. Not sure what I'm going to get in the mail tomorrow, but I'm scared to look. As far as for now, I will follow the advice a friend of mine got from her mother who works for the postal service.

First, keep everything you get that is addressed to you with the cruel names -- especially the junk mail and anything with handwriting on it.
Second, have your neighbors do the same and document each incident as well.
Third, my mom says to keep calling the police and let them know you understand that they may not be able to do anything, but you want it documented that you called and complained. You could even request to speak with a detective.
Lastly, if you feel like this is getting out of hand, go to the postal service website www.usps.com and there should be link there that you can click on that will take you to the Postal Inspector's page where you can file a formal complaint. The Postal Inspectors are the LAW!

I guess I don't really have a point of posting this blog, other than to tell you how very scarey this is to me, and get it out in the open should anything more happen. Telling as many people I can about it also so they can watch out for us maybe, and if they hear of someone who knows anything to let me know. I hope everyone knows that I'm not cruel to dogs. This accusation is ripping my heart out. I don't have it in me to be cruel to anyone or anything.

I doubt my harrassment mail will stop. Once your "name" is out, it's out everywhere so I expect to get much more mail addressed to "Cruel to Dogs." I will be upset every time I see it, but words can't hurt me. I am bigger than this.