'Dog Will Be Shot' Signs Spark Controversy for North Alabama Woman

A woman in a small town in north Alabama has caused quite a "stink" over two signs that she recently created and posted in her yard. The signs contained threats that any "dog will be shot" if caught using the bathroom in her yard. While some residents have been sympathetic to her situation as far as cleaning up neighbor's dog waste in their own yards, others think the woman has taken the matter way too far with her threats. Read on and tell us what you think in the comments!

Diane's sign, Sheffield, Alabama (bad language covered for publishing)Photo byParticipant in Karens of the Shoals Group

This whole ordeal started when a homeowner in Sheffield, Alabama, made a sign and nailed it to a tree in her yard. A photo of the sign was shared in a north Alabama Facebook group called "Karens of the Shoals." The group is self-described as "Vent, Expose Karens, or Just Enjoy." The crudely made sign read:

"Dog will be shot if you let him sh*t in my yard. Please go to your own yard. Owner, Diane"

Diane's sign in her yard (bad language covered for publishing)Photo byParticipant in Karens of the Shoals Group

Of course, the photo of the sign immediately got a lot of attention. Reactions to the post and the sign varied. While the message on the sign infuriated some people who felt the owner was going overboard, others said they were sympathetic to the owner's plight, having their own issues with neighborhood dogs using their yard as a potty, too. Pretty soon, the owner of the sign, named Diane, reached out to the admins of the group with the following message.

"Glad you like my sign and I'm not a Karen thank you I just get tired of stepping in dog sh*t."

Then, This Happened

Apparently, someone who thought Diane's sign was a bit much, took the sign from her yard and posted a photo of the downed sign in the same group where the whole "sign drama" originated: "Karens of the Shoals." The group member, who posted anonymously, also commented, "After seeing this sign posted, I took it. No animal should be harmed for using the bathroom." Hashtag: karenpayback (see photo below).

Facebook post about sign being taken downPhoto byAnonymous Participant in Karens of the Shoals Group

Having her original sign taken didn't stop Diane. She made a brand new sign the next day and nailed it to the same tree in her yard. Her second sign, however, was more inclusive as to who or what she would shoot if caught using the bathroom in her yard. This sign included humans and cats. Diane also denied being a Karen and accused people in the group of being "a democart." We'll assume she meant "democrat." The new sign read:

"Your dog or cat and human sh*t will be shot in the a** if you are caught doing this in my yard. Take it to your own yard. I'm not a Karen and I love animals. You must be a democart if you have a problem with this. Thank you for understanding about sh*t.

Diane's 2nd sign (bad language covered for publishing)Photo byParticipant in Karens of the Shoals Group

This time, a photo of the new sign was posted to Facebook by Diane herself....and as you may have guessed, the post was immediately shared in "Karens of the Shoals." Once again, reactions to Diane's second sign brought out a wide range of emotions and reactions just like the first sign. Many of the comments about the second sign were hilarious. Here are a few of those:

"Thank you for understanding about sh*t."

"I’m concerned. My dog can’t read."

"What's a Democart? lol"

"Cat people are crazy she really shouldn’t have gone there."

What If Diane Carried Out Her Threat to Pets?

What would happen if Diane actually shot someone's pet? While that would be left up to local law enforcement, there are laws in Alabama that make it illegal to harm a pet. According to the law firm, Timberlake, League and Brooks, "On the criminal side of the law, Alabama has numerous statutes making it a crime to injure or kill pets. For example, malicious injury to animals is punishable by six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Aggravated cruelty to animals is a Class C felony. If convicted of animal cruelty, a person could face between one to 10 years of prison." The only time that killing someone's dog is justified is if the dog poses a threat of attack to someone or another animal. There is no law in Alabama that states you are allowed to shoot someone's pet just because it uses the bathroom in your yard.

What About Leash Laws?

Many of the people who sided with Diane complained that the dog owners who allow their pets to roam freely are to blame. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office tackled the topic of leash laws in Alabama on their facebook page: "The State of Alabama has a law that requires dog owners to keep their dogs confined to their property." Someone immediately asked in the comments, "Can I shoot these dogs if they come on my property? I sure am tired of them getting into my garbage and dragging it all over my yard." The Sheriff's office was quick to reply, "No, you cannot shoot them unless you or another are in immediate danger of harm from a vicious dog."

Are the Signs Legal?

Actually, the signs themselves are not legal. Without even addressing the threats made on the signs, the signs violate Alabama Code § 13A-12-131 (2023) - Public Display of Obscene Sticker, Sign. That law states,

It shall be unlawful for any person to display in public any bumper sticker, sign or writing which depicts obscene language descriptive of sexual or excretory activities. Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and shall be punished as prescribed by law.

It seems clear that Diane's signs are descriptive of "excretory activities." Besides, who wants to live in the same neighborhood and see a sign like Diane's every day? The signs didn't have to be so crude or threatening and maybe Diane understands that now. Let's hope so - and also hope if there is a neighbor's dog using her yard as a potty, that behavior will also stop. In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?" Hopefully neighbors can communicate to solve the issue before bullets actually fly.

The End of the Sign Saga?

It looks like Diane has given up on posting signs for now. As of the writing of this article, I was told by a nearby neighbor of Diane that her signs have all been removed. Whether the latest sign was stolen by someone or removed by Diane herself is unknown. I did reach out to Diane to offer her a chance to tell her side of the story, but so far, she has not responded. Follow me for future updates to this story, and if you walk your dog in Sheffield, Alabama, please avoid Diane's yard!

Click "follow" for more articles about the great state of Alabama! I'm a native and resident of the Shoals area, sharing events and unique stories about the places and people across our state. Have a story to tell? Email me: april.newsbreak@gmail.com