How do i deal with small town bullies?

I am so annoyed and it is made worse by the fact that i don't know what to do to take this anger away. The village i live in is in Yorkshire outside Pontefract but i dare say the characters involved will be replicated in most small towns worldwide.
Myboyfriend and i keep ferrets and last week one of the males got out through a gap in the fence. I know this shouldn't have been possible but he found a space and made it bigger and next thing he had gone. We made posters offering a reward and stuck them to lamp posts around our area and spent four days searching for him.

All along i had the feeling he wasn't far away as there are many more ferret keepers in the village. Sure enough on the fifth day my boyfriend took a call from a person on the estate who is from a notorious bullying family in the village. The callers first words were "how much reward is there for your ferret back" as if he was going to keep the ferret if the price wasn't right,luckily my boyfriend recognised his voice and said "I know who you are, i will see you on the field in five minutes."
When he got there he was met by two males who said "what's the reward" My b.f told them he was willing to pay twenty pounds ,which it was worth to us as the ferret is a real character and a much loved pet. One of them said to the other "ask him for more,see what you can get" at which point my b.f took the ferret out of the hands of one of them and threw them the twenty.
We are really at a loss what to do next because it is obvious that these cruel people have traumatised the animal in some way because he is very withdrawn now and not the happy fellow he was just five days ago.
The family in question are very cruel and they take birds out of nests when and if they feel like having a pet and they wouldn't understand a person paying more than the going rate for a pet back.
Last night they were spinning their jeep round and round on the grass outside our home as it is open fields and they have a big lamp hanging out of the window which they probably use to hunt even more poor creatures.
How can we stop their cruelty without bringing the wrath of the whole village on us. Most people here seem to accept this cruelty.

reply to post by transubstantiation


Honestly I'd say there is nothing you can do about it. If you are not personally threatened in any way there's no use calling the police, any laws they may break wouldn't constitute a serious punishment anyway and as you said, people just seem to accept their behaviour. Sorry to say it but I think you're just going to have to put up with it.

reply to post by transubstantiation

I don't know what to tell you, other than be very very careful with how you deal with this issue.

To me, this sounds like the beginning to a cheap horror movie, that usually does not end well for all involved. Not trying to scare you, but just be extra careful.

On the other hand, if you truly feel that everyone else in the community is ok with how these people are, then you may be better off to move to a more friendly community.


ETA- Did you start this thread in the 'Rant Forum' or was it moved here?
I could be wrong, but this seems like a Social Issue to me. You would probably get more replies if it was in the 'Social Issues Forum.'

Originally posted by transubstantiation
How can we stop their cruelty without bringing the wrath of the whole village on us. Most people here seem to accept this cruelty.

With a gun. Problem solved.

Originally posted by KILL_DOGG
With a gun. Problem solved.

With a gun. Problem solved enhanced astronomically.

Ok, first you need to get to your local police station and ask to speak to a community officer, sit down and talk to them and explain what has been happening and ask them to open a file. What you need to do is strike up a relationship with your community officer, tell them that at this point you want to keep it completely confidential but feel that the situation could escalate and would like to have it documented. They may suggest you keep a diary of events regarding the person or people and again this is a really good idea; dates, times and events, keep it to the point. at any time you can call up your community officer and update them, have a talk, express your concirns and you DO NOT have to have the other people know anything about ever! The only time they would ever be aware is if something happened that warrented pressing charges, but the fact you would have a record of events, contact with police etc will all help you keep safe and back you up should anything bad happen! I know this as I used to be in an abusive relationship and had to do the same, the right police people can be very helpful and NO ONE has the right to make you feel scared or uncomfortable, especially not in your own home!

Chances are they will get bored and pick on someone else anyways, and I know it's a bit rubbish kind of waiting for something bad to happen but this is the best thing you can do!! Failing that a couple of grenades should do the trick, or call the newspapers and tell them bin laden is alive and well and hiding out in their basement.... that should keep them busy for a while, enough for them to stop torturing innocent ferrets anyways!!! have a lovely day hun x hope this helps x

reply to post by transubstantiation

they have a big lamp hanging out of the window which they probably use to hunt even more poor creatures

i cannot help but wonder- are you / your BF totally out of touch with the realities of rural life ?

why do you keep ferrets ? everyone i know who has them , does actually work them

reply to post by transubstantiation
Try some of the ideas outlined in the book ' Get Even: The Complete Book of Dirty Tricks'.

It can be found at Amazon.com


Good luck!

I would find pictures of the dood, or take them discreetly. Make a bunch of flyers with the picture with the message "Looking for lost neurotic chimpanzee" Offer the reward of 3 US dollars. If nothing else, the village would get a good laugh out of it.

Any chance that you're being a little "sensitive" ? I'm not hacking on you . Every small and large town has rowdy hell raisers and although a bit bothersome at times , they're usually harmless . You lost your ferret and put up a reward . They found it , you paid the promised reward and you received your critter back . If these were truly bad dudes somebody and likely many people in town would be upset with them and their actions , but according to what you said , no one is . If there are 1,000 local residents and 998 are fine with them while 2 , you and your boyfriend aren't , hmmm ... as far as the personality change in your ferret upon getting it back , there would have been no personality change had it not escaped from you so you bear responsibility for that . The critter got loose after probably spending most of it's life inside , at home or maybe in a cage and the rest of the world that the critter isn't used to will scare the heck out of and maybe traumatize it . You say that you are very attached to the ferret and wanted it back . They brought it back . I'm like the other 998 people in your town as i don't see the danger they presented you . As for spinning the car i circles by your place , for who long , 1 minute . Then they drove somewhere else and spun the tires . Anywhere on this planet if you mix young guys and cars , the tires are going to get spun , just the way it is . It would be different if you were exactly targeted and they spun circles all night on your front lawn with the stero booming your walls while shouting threats . Be very careful opening a police report on those you just don't like and have actually done nothing legally wrong . They may be azzholes but lots of people are without being criminals .

DISCLAIMER: Presented for entertainment value only. The Poster does not recommend you actually follow through with any of these practical jokes.


First, you might acquire some of their mail. Then you could have them subscribed to a multitude of gay porn magazines. Then a shocking expose at their local bar/pub whatever. If you can get past their firewall, maybe get their ip tagged with some interesting websites. Roadkill can be used in a multitude of interesting ways. Send an anonymous letter to a representative or official with an indeterminate white powder from their address. There are lots of ways to make their lives miserable.

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776
DISCLAIMER: Presented for entertainment value only. The Poster does not recommend you actually follow through with any of these practical jokes.


First, you might acquire some of their mail. Then you could have them subscribed to a multitude of gay porn magazines. Then a shocking expose at their local bar/pub whatever. If you can get past their firewall, maybe get their ip tagged with some interesting websites. Roadkill can be used in a multitude of interesting ways. Send an anonymous letter to a representative or official with an indeterminate white powder from their address. There are lots of ways to make their lives miserable.

All of the above mentioned ,are highly illegal??

Is that how you deal with bullies ?

reply to post by transubstantiation


If this way me, I'd be on the phone to the RSPCA as soon as possible really. Especially if these people routinely set out to harm other animals like you say. Either that or the Police if needs be.

Things like this are kept anonymous also.

Sorry to hear about all of this happening to you as well btw. My village, one which is in South Yorkshire, has lots of characters like the ones you describe. Unfortunately most people are afraid of them which allows them to practically do as they please around here.

Originally posted by gabby2011


All of the above mentioned ,are highly illegal??

Is that how you deal with bullies ?

Absolutely not That was purely for entertainment value. I would never advocate such treatment of your neighborhood bully. Surely he is just misunderstood and likely had a traumatic childhood. You should offer him milk and cookies and hug him while he cries himself to sleep.

I will give you a quote from a great movie called The Ghost and the Darkness this is a Michael Douglas quote as well, "See when I was growing up there were these two boys in town. They would terrorize everybody, separate they were mean, but together they were lethal. So one day one of the brothers get's arrested and is thrown in jail. The other becomes so lost without the other. He had no friends he had no place to go." Patterson, "What happened?" Remington, "Well I got bigger."

Bullies one day will realize this the choice is your's to either make a stand and deliver a message to counteract them. Or to be a victim and decide to absorb that into your psyche. I was bullied for a lot of my childhood on a whole range of things. But I decided to take this really good advice from once again Michael Douglas, "We have an expression in prize fighting, everybody has a plan until they've been hit. Well, my friend you've just been hit the getting up is up to you." Chose to get up and have confidence in yourself, most idiots will back down when you come toe to toe with them without fear of their ridicule and insults. If they don't you send them packing home with their tail between their legs. That's my suggestion.

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776

Originally posted by gabby2011


All of the above mentioned ,are highly illegal??

Is that how you deal with bullies ?

Absolutely not

That was purely for entertainment value.

I would never advocate such treatment of your neighborhood bully.

Surely he is just misunderstood and likely had a traumatic childhood. You should offer him milk and cookies and hug him while he cries himself to sleep.

I'm not saying some kind of plan to stop him,wouldn't be in order..but geeze..someone ticks you of a bit, and you go to those extremes for retaliation ?...what goes around comes around..hopefully you don't tick anyone off,that would use the same tactics. You would never know who it is..while your life went down the drain.

Don't get me wrong..bullies need to be stopped , but that seems such a spineless dirty way of doing it.

Originally posted by gabby2011

Originally posted by sonofliberty1776

Originally posted by gabby2011


All of the above mentioned ,are highly illegal??

Is that how you deal with bullies ?

Absolutely not

That was purely for entertainment value.

I would never advocate such treatment of your neighborhood bully.

Surely he is just misunderstood and likely had a traumatic childhood. You should offer him milk and cookies and hug him while he cries himself to sleep.

I'm not saying some kind of plan to stop him,wouldn't be in order..but geeze..someone ticks you of a bit, and you go to those extremes for retaliation ?...what goes around comes around..hopefully you don't tick anyone off,that would use the same tactics. You would never know who it is..while your life went down the drain.

Don't get me wrong..bullies need to be stopped , but that seems such a spineless dirty way of doing it.

edit on 3-6-2011 by gabby2011 because: (no reason given)

Me thinks thou doth protest to much. Is there a reason you are feeling so defensive and/or protective of people who terrorize others for fun? There is a huge difference between someone "ticking you off" and a bully.

Thanks for all your suggestions, things seem okay today maybe they've moved onto someone else. We aren't scared of standing up to them if they make an obvious threat, but they are so goddam sly how they go about things, i have a dog who i don't want targeting so like everyone else in our village shall i turn a blind eye to their crimes against nature? The rest of the village slag them off all the time but no one wants to risk confronting them , so why should i play at being Gary Cooper in High Noon. Just wondered if anyone had ever taken on the bullies and won. Also whoever said we don't seem to understand the sporting scene of the area, I am aware of all that side of things and my b.f hunts rabbits to feed his ferrets, i just don't like how they take young birds of prey out of the nest (a baby owl this week i notice) and walk round town with it. If i had any desire to do that i wouldn't get down the path to the sidewalk knowing my luck before i got questioned by the Rspca.

reply to post by sonofliberty1776

Me thinks thou doth protest to much. Is there a reason you are feeling so defensive and/or protective of people who terrorize others for fun? There is a huge difference between someone "ticking you off" and a bully.

I just think that hacking into someones IP, downloading illegal crap , pretending to be them and sending a letter to the feds laced with 'white stuff" is a bit extreme. Bullies need to be dealt with, and it may take some very creative ways to show them they won't be allowed to get away with it. I protest going to the extremes you mentioned, because I think they are unfair,and illegal. I know people , who can hack,and just because they have that power,feel entitled to take someones system down, because their ego gets a bit bruised.

There is a big difference to standing up to a bully,and becoming far worse than the bully.

You could simply just post their information on the internet, but that might be too extreme.