Is saying 'Meow' harassment?

[HotCorner]

Personally I would have named the dog 'Meow'.

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/new...03/detail.html

Boy Charged For Meowing At Neighbor Lady
Family Gave Cat Away After Neighbor's Complaints

POSTED: 2:26 pm EDT August 23, 2006

JEANNETTE, Pa. -- Meow. A Pennsylvania judge is being asked to decide whether that word is a harmless taunt or grounds for misdemeanor harassment.

Police have charged a 14-year-old boy with that crime. Michael Loughner is accused of meowing whenever he sees his 78-year-old neighbor, Alexandria Carasia.

The boy's family got rid of their cat after Carasia complained that it was using her flower garden as a litter box. Now, she said, the boy makes meowing sounds every time he sees her.

He said he's only meowed at her twice.

"I've had to put up with this for three years," Carasia said. "As I walk by, I see Michael and his mother. He got on the porch and hid behind the bamboo screen and starts meowing. If I don't make this stop now, they're going to keep doing this to me. I shouldn't have to worry about walking out of the house and being harassed by this young kid."

Loughner said that on July 23 he went out to hold his dog so it wouldn't leave the yard as Carasia walked by.

"She was walking through and she kept looking at us," he testified. "I grabbed the dog so it wouldn't leave the yard. When I put my head down, I meowed."

He said that was one of the two times he's ever meowed at the woman, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported.

"As she walked in front of the house, nothing was said," the boy's mother, Sally Loughner, told the court. "He stepped off the porch to make sure the dog didn't get out. As he reached down and got the dog, he said, 'Meow.' ... She said, 'Do you want me to call the cops again?' I said, 'Go ahead, he hasn't done anything wrong.'"

There is a history of disputes between the neighbors, according to the paper.

Sally Loughner told the court that she ended up sending her cat to live with family members so that she could "keep peace in the neighborhood."

Defense attorney David Martin Jr. asked that the case be dropped.

"This should never have been filed," Martin said. "This is not something that police should be wasting their time with or wasting the court's time."

The judge heard from both parties Tuesday. He decided to wait 90 days before ruling, saying he'll decide what to do after seeing how the boy and his neighbor get along in the meantime.

[guttle11]

"Meow, what seems to be the problem?"

[Farney]

Meow know how fast you were going?

[Redsland]

Those are the first cat-calls that 78-year old woman has heard in a while, I'd wager.

[bucksfan]

Hard to say who's making what up. I know one thing - from my 4 years of living in town with a neighbor who let her cats run, I can totally sympathize with the lady from the perspective of complaining about their cat. Nothing like having all your flower beds smelling absolutely pungent because someone does not control their animal. Our former neighbor (when we did live in town)almost ruined the enjoyment of our 1st house because of this and we put a stop to it.

As far as the meowing....???

[Rojo]

Originally Posted by bucksfan

Nothing like having all your flower beds smelling absolutely pungent because someone does not control their animal.

You just don't control cats.

[Razor Shines]

"I'm gonna have to write you a ticket, meow."

[HotCorner]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines 1B

"I'm gonna have to write you a ticket, meow."

[Yachtzee]

Meow, meow Henrietta *****cat meow meow better not meow move into meow meow neighborhood.

[bucksfan]

Originally Posted by Rojo

You just don't control cats.

If I lived in town, they'd be housecats. But I know what you mean.

[GAC]

Originally Posted by Rojo

You just don't control cats.

And I always wondered about that. Why is it that you have to have a license and control your dog, but not a cat? And if someone comes on here and says it's because cats are not as big a nuisance as dogs, then I will respectfully have to disagree. That is downright canine discrimination!

Our neighbors have cats. I love walking around my yard and seeing half eaten baby rabbits and bird carcasses from these cats. Not to mention that I can't leave my garage door open or it comes inside my garage and tears the crap out of the place (trash).

[REDREAD]

I agree that cats that are allowed to wander are a huge PITA.

But that lady is 78 and she's letting a 14 year old boy tease her? And even worse, the authorities actually got involved? What a waste of government resources.. Ignore the kid, you cranky old bag.

[RedsBaron]

That 78 year old woman is fortunate that I am not the judge she is appearing before, because there is an excellent chance that I would not only be ruling against her; I also would be accessing costs against her for filing such a stupid suit.

[oneupper]

HERE COME DA JUDGE!

[GAC]

Growing up we had an old lady that lived across the street from us that was a real crank. All the neighborhood kids had a problem with her. We'd be out in the street playing kickball and various other games, and if the ball went up into her meticulous front yard where every blade of grass was the same height, she'd come flying out the door, grab the ball, and put it in a box she had in her garage.

You did not mess with this woman's yard. The mailman or paperboy couldn't walk across it, or they'd get cussed out.

Us neighborhood kids always evened the score though every Halloween.... cabbage and lettuce seeds in the yard do wonders.