My Neighbors Are Ruining My Garden—What Should I Do?

Life and Trends Reporter

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Dear Newsweek, Our neighbor is feeding pigeons by throwing food on the ground and our white house and fence and pavers now constantly have bird poop on them.

We asked them to stop very nicely and she actually increased the feeding.

The neighbor on the other side of us has a rat problem and needed to call professionals and install 4 rat boxes on the front lawn.

neighbor messing up my yard - WSID — A composite of stock images showing neighbors arguing and pigeons eating bread from the floor. An angry resident has asked what to do about their neighbors messing up their yard because they're feeding pigeons. Getty Images

I am at a loss as to why the bird feeders keep doing this with no consideration for their neighbors.

We have been friendly for over 20 years. It is causing us not to speak to them. Any ideas?

M. Curry, Unknown Location

Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.

You May be Able to Take Them to Small Claims Court

Sabrina Shaheen Cronin is the founder and managing partner of The Cronin Law Firm.

While there is nothing you can do to prevent your neighbor from feeding the pigeons, aside from asking them politely not to feed them (which you already did to no avail), you can take photographic evidence of the damage the pigeons are doing to your property. If you reside in any type of association, you can always report it to the board.

The neighbor may see you documenting the damage and wonder why you are doing this. If more neighbors ask them to stop feeding the pigeons, it may persuade them. If not, all you can do is try to show them how much damage the pigeons are doing to your property. Because feeding the pigeons only makes the birds more comfortable and more prevalent, you can perhaps show them all the damage their actions are causing.

If they continue to insist on feeding them, you may be able to take them to small claims court, but either way, you still have a duty to mitigate your own damages. The best way to handle this situation, therefore, is to take matters into your own hands. You can contact pest/bird control for your own property. You can also try to achieve control of the pigeons yourself by installing netting, spikes, optical gels, or even scarecrows or other decoys.

Certain noises, electrical fencing, spraying water, and specific smells can act as a deterrent as well, helping to keep pigeons away. Some solutions are easier and less expensive than others. Usually, the more costly the remedy, the quicker and more effective it is.

It's Important to Remain Civil and Respectful

Housing Attorney Altagracia Pierre-Outerbridge is the founder of New York City-based law firm Outerbridge Law P.C.

Dealing with difficult neighbors can be a hard situation. Here are some steps to address the situation:

1. Take pictures of the bird feeders/ bird droppings on your property.

2. Communication is key so try to speak to your neighbor again & let them know the impact of their actions on your property. It's also important to remain civil and respectful in your interactions with your neighbors, even if they are not behaving the same way

3. If the problem is causing damage to your property, you may need to consider taking legal action to protect your property