Okay, so for over a year now we've been getting complaints, cops coming to our door. Complaints like "your dogs barked for 10 minutes today, not all at once, a few minutes here and there, and someone in the neighborhood can't handle that, so they complained and here we are". Four times the cops have been at our door in the last year because of this, each time they've come, they've assessed and they found the complaint to be a bunch of bull.

This summer we made a huge boo boo, we got a trailer (that's not the boo boo), and I took the kids camping. Rod and the dogs stayed home. Rod worked nights. Well the dogs didn't do well being home without mommy. Our beagle went nuts, destroyed our house (two sets of blinds, the drywall by the door, and the screen on the window). One day Chewy the beagle barked for over an hour, and the cops were called. They came to the house and because Rod was at work we got a fine.

After that we got more fines, two for our trailer, and others.

We figured out who the complaining neighbor is, but (and I'm not sure about this because there are only three other people I'm actually close to in our cul-de-sac, and least on a "come over and have a drink, let's talk"basis) so far we were the only ones getting complaints.

Well today I found out we weren't the only ones. Another neighbor had the cops called because apparently her son was playing his drums until 11pm and the neighbors were annoyed. Another neighbor got a complaint because of the way their car was parked. Another neighbor got a complaint because they didn't pick up their garbage cans minutes after garbage pickup because they were at work and couldn't do it until they got home.

We've all compared notes, and we now know who's complaining, and we all realize these people are cop crazy, call the cops about every little thing they don't like.

Here's the fun fact. Her two dogs bark more than any dogs in the neighborhood. But we don't complain, because that's not who we are. Their son's (he's in his late 20's) truck is parked on the street in a no parking zone, but we never complain, because that's not our style. I've never called the cops on anyone in my life.

Right now I'm ticked though, and I'm getting to the point where payback is sounding really great.

Would you all do it, or would you continue to pay hundreds in fines, and watch your other neighbors paying hundreds in fines, for bull you're not even doing, they're not doing, while the people complaining are breaking laws left right and center without any fines to their names?

I can really get these people, and they really deserve it. But would that make me a bad person?

Pull together a neighborhood delegate and pow-pow with the complaining neighbors? Not confrontational, but "let's work this out."

Alty, how long have the offending neighbors lived there?

Almost 2 years J.

I would say to get a letter together telling them to cease and desist all legal activity against such and such addresses (all of you involved), because they are guilty of the same actions they are reporting. Let them know that if they continue reporting these minute issues, all of you will file a harassment suit against them. If you all are in agreement with that. If not, at least let them know that all of you will begin reporting them.

Send this letter Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested (if you have that in Canada).

Bad, is a relative term and at times it takes being at the bottom of an issue, for them to respect others.

I have no idea why a fine for dogs barking during the day time. Those types of citations can not hold up, due to the way laws are written, most disturbing the peace have hours, evenings, and also require certain db levels of noise.
I really think a good attorney could have easily beaten that one.

But at times if the one person wants civil justice, they need to also live under the civil justice

Alty, not a fun situation. Often people are blind to their own doings even when they do the same thing they call others out for. Does sound like they have a thing for police involvement.
If you do decide to move forward with either talking to them, writing them, or calling the police, have documentation, pictures when possible (for example truck parking), of the concerns so it doesn't become a he said/she said situation.

What Doula said. I would add that an uninterested party such as an attorney or constable(not responsible for your neighborhood) should receive copies as they occur to demonstrate the pattern of harassment.

I would talk nicely first, and the come down on them like a ton of bricks starting with a formal complaint from the neighbors against this "neighbor".

That usually leads to some type of informal arbitration through the local court.

I'd go over and try to talk. Then, I'd start calling every time there is a violation. You all shouldn't have to put up with this a minute longer. If you remember, I had my last beagle semi-debarked because of fines. After it was done, the neighbor said it wasn't my dog after all. Since then I haven't put up with the neighbors and their issues. Luckily, the new beagle isn't a barker at all. Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice guys. We've all decided that we've definitely got to do something, especially now that we've all talked and realize we're not alone in this.