Yo Quiero Silencio: New York Lawyer Demands $500,000 For Neighbors Yapping Chihuahuas

250px-chihuahua_01_kLawyer Paulette Taylor, 62, has sued her neighbor Theodore Henderson in Central Park New York for half of million dollars for his two yapping Chihuahuas.


Her complaint alleges “[Henderson] permits his Chihuahuas to bark in a manner that is offensive, constant, continuous and incessant, loudly enough to be heard outside of his apartment, as well as in [Taylor’s] apartment.” She insists that the barking starts around 6:30 and continues through the day. She blames the yapping for worsening her chronic back pain. “On mornings when [Henderson’s] Chihuahuas awaken [Taylor], her pain increases exponentially so that she experiences agonizing, acute back pain even before standing and taking her first step of the day and finds herself unable to go back to sleep.”

She also accused Henderson of writing a letter of complaint to the management of The Olmstead in which he threatens to sue Taylor for her alleged harassment: “the letter is offensive in style and content because it is intentionally written in the manner of a criminal court complaint, while at the same time giving a physical description of [Taylor] which is deliberately worded in such a way as to portray [Taylor] as a criminal perpetrator,.” The letter also caused her back pain. olmsted1

It is unclear how Taylor’s back pain will increase with the likely dismissal of her lawsuit or when Henderson trades his two Chihuahuas for St. Bernards.

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16 thoughts on “Yo Quiero Silencio: New York Lawyer Demands $500,000 For Neighbors Yapping Chihuahuas”

  1. Sally,

    Thank you Ma’am! I will forever remember that if/when we disagree within this blawg.

    Unfortunately for me, I have already lost a few disagreements with several women possessing such temperaments as expressed in your avatar…

  2. Former Fed it says ” Never underestimate the power of an extrememly pissed off woman!”

  3. Could it be the chihuahua is yapping at someone’s all too audible Barely Manenough?

  4. I never cared to take a mule train down the canyon. The most I have done is partial hiking trips and one with my young son and wife.

    As part of my military duties, I trained Army “Super Dogs” as a scout dog handler/senior veterinary animal specialist. Those German Shepherds were the highest quality genetic line available in the USA and we routinely screened for animals susceptible to hip dysplasia and those recruits ‘washed-out’ of the training program. One of the most rewarding accomplishments I had was training a dog to obey commands with hand/arm motions at great distances without uttering a single word and ordering attacks or retreats with one-word commands.

    At my honorable discharge, I was offered a GS-9 starting job with the genetics research lab and I made a huge mistake by not accepting that position. Just to make a living, I had to take the equivalent to a GS-3 job, 4 years later and 6-pay grades lower! Some kids never learn, although the 9-level job offer was back east in Maryland and I am a dyed-in-the-wool western guy.

  5. FFLEO,
    I’ll fess up, the closest I’ve ever gotten to a mule(donkey?) was at the Grand Canyon and this city boy was too chicken to ride one down. As to chihuahuas though, the two I’ve met were the only two dogs I’ve been near that loathed me and didn’t allow me to make friends. I grew up with my family’s Cocker Spaniels, loving but not a bright breed and my first dog that I owned and trained myself was a wondrous bull terrier with the heart of a lion. In the 60’s and 70’s my Sister-In-Law and brother bred Lhasa’s. I got one from them and really loved that dog. As a breed they are very smart and very brave despite their size. They are “working” dogs in the sense that they were bred as Tibetan Temple Guard Dogs. Each temple would have a sizable pack and woe to the unfortunate thief.

  6. Sally, Ma’am, I don’t know how to say this other than, what is so special about your avatar? Now, afore you go gettin’ all riled up, for some reason (my age?) I cannot read what your avatar states, although I do like the 1950s-style looking woman.

    So what is the caption to your avatar? Zooming in to +400 makes the lettering worse.

  7. I think this lawyer is being overly dramatic. The barking causes her “chronic back pain” to worsen. Come on! It sounds like she is just a mean, old lady, looking to make money so she buy her naroctics. Get a life lady and move to another apartment!

  8. Mike,

    Mules are some of the neatest animals alive. I never ‘met’ a mule I did not like; however, I cannot say that about many humans.

    Regarding chihuahuas, other than I can never spell their name correctly, they are just okay. My authoritarian aunt—who helped raise me with a *firm* disciplinarian, but loving hand—had a ‘Chi’ named “Fenning” (after Fennet, like the fox) and I tried my best to pester that little, constantly yapping rascal and got my bottom paddled several times for my devilishness.

    I like any animal that works for a living (Australian Shepherds, etc) but I do not care for “lap dog pets.”

  9. Professor,
    You sound like my old Gestalt therapist. I’ll try but I promise nothing. As you know prejudice taught at ones’ Mothers’
    knee is tough to overcome.

  10. Although many think I’m a nice guy I must admit to my prejudice against Chihuahuas, as well as mules. My experiences with them have all been as unsatisfactory as they had been with their owners who I dated many years ago. On the positive side though I love Lhasa Apso’s, Shi Tzu’s and Yorkies. They have real hair.

    1. Mike:

      I will not try to change your view of Chihauhuas. However, I encourage you to stare for at least ten uninterrupted minutes at the picture that Mespo sent (which I have added to the Happy Mule entry) and allow their healing powers to wash over you. See the Mule, Mike, be the Mule.

  11. See that’s why one should not live in an apartment. What would she do if someone had a baby that was colicky and always crying?

    She should just go buy a house, then if her neighbors dogs come onto her property, she can just call animal control.

    Hmmm…I am thinking of suing the parents of the children who ride their bikes past my house, laughing loudly and talking loudly. It causes my knee to hurt more when they do. I know the two are related and that is has nothing to do with the fact that I attempt to ride my bike up a really really big incline on a daily basis.

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