Can I be arrested or sued for this?

It may be more beneficial to put up an informational poster of your own with definitions of puppy mills, backyard breeders, and reputable/responsible/ethical breeders. An explanation of where pet store pups come from would help. Also include links to additional information.

I don't think it's illegal, and would be misdemeanor at most. Still, I would not have defaced the sign that was up. If it's a public board they have the right to post their ad, even if you don't agree with it. I like the idea of making your own signs and posting them. That way you can get your message across without marking up other people's ads. I don't care for BYB's either, but if people would quit buying these crosses, that are actually mutts, then maybe people would stop breeding them.

Maybe they could, but realistically, how hard up for vengeance would they have to be? I just can't see anyone taking it that seriously. I wouldn't worry about it.

But maybe it might be more effective to post your own sign. Put "PUPPIES AVAILABLE" in bigger letters, then explain why they shouldn't buy trendy designer dogs (implying nicely that losers follow the crowd wouldn't hurt, either) and that they should adopt instead. Or "DOGS AVAILABLE" and mention that you have loveable mutts and and purebreds and designer dogs as well. Put your adoption fees on it - it would start the wheels turning, especially if the BYB signs are listing their prices.

Kudos on your commitment to the dogs and cats in your community. You go, girl!

I think you did the right thing. That was a really good thing to do.

Personally, it's highly unlikely in the first place that someone is going to report you.

And even if they were to, it isn't like the police are going to go out of their way to try and find someone who wrote on a poster in public. I can see an expensive sign being written on, but not a $2 dollar poster.

Even if you WERE to have a police officer show up at your door and write you a ticket, the actions you did to earn that ticket were well worth it my friend. Don't be intimidated. Thank-you for doing that.

I applaud you! Great job!

Let them try, they can't prove anything. Unless they have video, which I highly doubt. And do you really thing some scum breeder is going to use their $$$ to hire a lawyer to sue you? They need to squeeze every dime out of those mutts. After all, that is their only motivation to breed.

I have to admit that we have a local breeder of very poor quality MInpins in my area. Every time I see her signs on the poles around town I take them down and throw them out.

And we all know the world doesn't need any more "puggles" or "labradoodles". Yuck!

This is NOT a misdemeanor - what you did is libel and is a civil offense. If you write anything that could be considered defamatory or in any way ruins the reputation of someone or some business, they can sue you for damages

Writing Adopt Mutts or Mutts Don't buy isn't libel - that is just vandalism. But writing "backyard breeder and SCAM" IS libel and you could be sued for it

Well, technically, it's a misdemeanor crime called "Vandalism" but it's so trivial that no police officer would bother with it any more than to give you a stern warning not to do it again.

However, if you DO keep on doing that though, yes, you could conceivably be arrested and charged as a repeat offender, so don't do it again.

PLUS, although you might not LIKE their business, it is still, nonetheless, a perfectly LEGAL business, and by defacing their ads you are interfering with their business and, all criminal considerations aside, you could also be personally held liable for that, too, so just cut it out!!

Good luck!... :-D

it is a complete waste of time and money for both the person and the state to sue or arrest you, so I'm going to say you are safe.

but... it is destroying property that is not yours and that's vandalism even if it is just a piece of paper, you can be questioned by cops and depending on where you live arrested but that doesn't mean you will be

suing is different, People can TRY to sue for anything, and they do, but i doubt the cost of the paper and bulletin would be worth the court cost so i think your safe. even if they did, odds are the court would throw the case out.

You should make up some fliers about BYB and post them over the adds. You have the right to post your posters also, but you should not deface someone else's

The posters do not belong to the supermarket, it simply allows people to post public notices, so unless the owners of the posters saw you, nobody would care.

If I had seen them, I probably would have just removed them.