Neighbor Has 60+ Dogs And County/state Can’t Do Anything. We Might Have To Sue Him To Get Any Action

Location: Florida Animal cruelty laws are out of date/do not help animals, whatsoever.

My neighbor has had large numbers of dogs for the last 30+ years. He doesn’t house them, doesn’t clean up after them or care for them other than an occasional feeding. They are out of control and violent. Animal services, sheriffs dept, county commissioners, code enforcement have all “addressed the issue”. He’s been fined a ton, which he will never pay. He will stay and die on his property (his words) so the lien on his house from code enforcement is useless.

We have tried of repeat occasions (many occasions) to reason with him, help him vaccinate fix and potentially rehome the dogs. He is unresponsive and unreasonable.

We have been working with his (the perpetrators) own brother (who is his other neighbor) and more neighbors who all will corroborate all of this, and will sign sworn statements.

It’s a really bad situation for multiple reasons: health and safety (of us and his dogs), extreme noise and smell, dogs killing each other and being killed by him, etc. I could go on but am trying to be brief. We can’t just go and sell the house because the situation is obvious, would prevent sale, and would also be super shoddy and wrong to pass to someone else’s family.

We think it’s unfortunately our only option to sue him to force him having to get these dogs into a better situation.

Need help/advice from someone who has seen/dealt with something like this and has litigated about it. I believe the case would be fairly “rock solid” but have never sued anyone before.

We are currently working with an animal cutely officer, who has already told us that a judge will instantly dismiss the case if there isn’t overwhelmingly rock solid evidence, which we do not have and cannot get.

I do not want to sue anyone, including my neighbor, for the record. It is a sad state to have to be forced to do this for the sake of us, the homes future residents, our community, and especially those poor dogs.

Thank you for any and all help!!!!