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