Privacy Fence Needed To Return Backyard To My Sanctuary

DeAndra Leigh Yates Reese here

(known by most of you, my online friends, as Leigh, my middle name) raising funds as suggested by my friends so I can have a privacy fence put up around my entire backyard to block out the cruel harassment of neighbors on one side and provide privacy when swimming. I am living on a disability low-income. I have lived in my house for almost 15 years. This past April, new neighbors moved into the house next door. A younger couple with two boys - one is 2 and the other is a baby. When they moved in, I caught them out front, walked over, introduced myself, welcomed them to the neighborhood. I never saw any of them again until one day I saw the dad sitting in the back next to a kiddie pool with his two-year-old. Then in late June or early July, I was awakened by a pounding noise. I had no idea what it was. Put my robe on, went out back, and saw that there was the cutest puppy on their back porch scratching their glass sliding door. Instead of letting him in out of the extreme heat, she was inside the house pounding on the glass sliding door loud enough to wake me up. Pounding hard enough I could see the glass door shaking. All the while, the puppy was crying to go inside. This happened 3 days in a row. Then the puppy stopped whining, stopped barking. Just looked like a black mop on their porch. He was defeated. I never saw anyone out back with him. Not playing with him, not talking to him, not sitting with him, not petting him. Giving him absolutely no attention. I was really worried about the puppy. I went and knocked on their front door several times but the stay-at-home mom would not answer the door. So I called Animal Control for a welfare check on the dog. Just to make sure he was okay. In the meantime, I had been talking to the dog every day. Walking the fence line with him and petting him. Well THEN one day the husband came home from work, went straight to the back, stood in the middle of his backyard, and yelled at me not to ever touch his dog again. So I continued what I had been doing except petting the dog. Then one day, I came across an article about dogs and heat strokes and their inability to tolerate heat as well as humans. Mind you, I live in Texas. This is summertime. Temperatures were over 100. So I made a copy of the article and put it on their door. They brought the note back, placing it on my front door table. And brought a typed note from them to me. It said

I am to never leave notes on their door

never step foot on their property

never touch their property including their dog. If I do, they will file harassment charges against me. Then they put up this security camera. Not pointing at any part of their property but pointed directly at the table and chair where I sit. This security camera shines a light and there's a repetitive outgoing message “Smile. You are being recorded.” Over and over again. I find it extremely intrusive. It has destroyed my happy place. (It’s ironic, I’ve been wanting a privacy fence on the other side because I have a pool and my neighbors on the other side entertain/party constantly. I always thought this particular side of my yard, I didn’t necessarily need the fence but now I need it all the way around and this side the most!!!) I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures of other people, nature, etc but I’ve never enjoyed being in them. I have always gotten anxious when folks want me in a picture. So you can imagine the stress level this camera causes. While I’m in my own yard! The police have been out. Told me they can put a camera anywhere they want on their property. Legally, they can make me listen to that stupid outgoing message over & over

BUT

I can’t wear what I want on my own property;

I can’t listen to music on a Saturday afternoon while I’m working outside;

and I can’t talk - She left me a note telling me to stop talking to her dog. LOL

I stood there and said to her camera “this is America. There’s this thing called free speech. You can’t control what I can and cannot say!”

So, that’s why I’m here asking for your help. I don’t regret trying to help the dog. I wish he had a better situation but it is at least better than it was. They let him inside occasionally. I’m not a neighbor trying to get up in anyone’s business but I won’t sit back and watch an animal being abused or neglected.

If you can help me raise enough money to put a fence up, I would deeply appreciate it and your prayers!

Thank you so much!

DeAndra