For two weeks straight, I cleaned up what I thought was dog poop from my doorstep, always in the same spot, always early in the morning. I blamed the neighbor’s dog and grumbled about irresponsible pet owners. But after enough frustration, I installed a video doorbell to catch the culprit.
What I saw left me speechless: it wasn’t a dog at all, IT WAS MY NEIGHBOR. A grown man. Using my doorstep as his personal bathroom. I reported it, but the police said their hands were tied. So I took a different route, I invited his wife over for a sunrise walk…
Cleaning up dog poop from my own doorstep every morning felt disgusting and infuriating. At first, I thought it was a one-time thing, a stray dog maybe. But then it kept happening almost every single day. I found myself cursing under my breath at the thoughtless neighbor who’d let their dog run wild. It was frustrating, having to deal with something so unpleasant in the mornings. I knew something had to change, but wasn’t sure what to do next.
I'd reached my limit and decided to take action. I didn’t know which neighbor's pet to blame, so I resorted to technology. I installed a doorbell camera, hoping to catch the infamous pooch and put an end to this mess. It felt odd, setting up what seemed like a mini-surveillance system for such a trivial reason, but I really wanted to get to the bottom of it. My curiosity was piqued, and I was ready for answers.
The next morning, I woke up and grimaced as I saw the ground smeared again. Gagging at the sight, I hurried inside to review the footage. What I saw made my skin crawl—it wasn’t a dog. It was my neighbor, Leo! He was crouching down and doing his business right on my doorstep. I was stunned, unable to process this bizarre behavior. How could someone do that? I had so many questions but needed a plan before confronting him.
With trembling hands, I called 911, hoping they could do something about this outrageous behavior. The operator sounded sympathetic but informed me it was a civil matter, not a criminal one. This wasn’t the answer I hoped for. Frustration surged through me as I realized I was on my own with this mess. Confronting Leo directly was out of the question—he was downright creepy, and I didn’t feel safe. I needed to think of another approach.
Deciding on my next move, I figured I’d bring Isabella into the loop. Leo’s wife seemed nice, and maybe she’d understand. I sent her a casual invite for an early sunrise walk, something different. I felt a little nervous; after all, this wasn’t usual neighbor chit-chat. My plan was simple: let Isabella see for herself and decide what to do next. If Leo’s antics were shocking to me, they’d surely be the same for her.