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Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews
Posted on: 1/1/11 6:49 PM ET
The neighbors across the street have a yapping dog. When they are not home, the dog is in the back yard and will bark for hours, non-stop. There is a Barking law in our county. I have called Animal Protection and they have been out 4 times(I only called 3, he came back once on his own). These people have been told the law. There is nothing more Animal Protection can do. If I can get proof of the dog barking one time a minute, for 10 minutes, I can take them to court. We don't have dogs(I grew up with one), we have one indoor cat. My sewing room is at the front of the house. I can't even open the window, because the barking is so bad. Have to turn on a radio when I'm sewing just to block out the barking. This dog doesn't just bark and get over it, it actually gets manic. It ground my last nerve this evening and I went over there. No one was home(I rang the bell),so I put a note in the door. It's not a threatening note, but it does ask them to have some respect and consideration for the rest of the neighbors. I know for a fact that I'm not the only one bothered by this dog's barking. I actually signed the note, so as not to show fear of revenge. Now I'm sitting here a nervous wreck, wondering if the note was a good idea. I've been listening to this dog for over a year. Did I do the right thing? I don't want to take these folks to court, but they are neglecting the dog and driving me nuts.
Posted on: 1/1/11 7:16 PM ET
I think you did the right thing. You gave them the opportunity to correct the situation. But you know they won't. If Animal Control doesn't get anywhere, I can't see where a private individual will get a response.
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Marilyn
January 2009 to January 2010 81 yards out and 71yards in January 2010 to the present 106.7 yards out and 146.5 yards in. January 2011 to the present: 47 yards out and 69 yards in.
January 2009 to January 2010 81 yards out and 71yards in January 2010 to the present 106.7 yards out and 146.5 yards in. January 2011 to the present: 47 yards out and 69 yards in.
Posted on: 1/1/11 7:25 PM ET
In reply to JTink
Sounds like you don't want to offend or get anyone in trouble. What you really want is for the barking to stop. Whether your note will get their attention and do something about the dog depends on them. I would not count on it if Animal Protection did not get any action with 4 visits. Whether they retaliate in some way will depend on them as well. I don't think that you did the wrong thing at all. You have a right to peace and apparently you are backed up by a law.
I can commiserate with you. My neighbor has a dog tied with a chain to the corner of her yard right below my bedroom window. Her yard is completely fenced BTW - why the dog can't have some freedom is beyond me. Her dog would bark for long stretches at bedtime. I never had the nerve to do anything. I could never think of an approach that would be productive. I think she would have just been offended and retaliatory. As far as I know there is no such law in our community. As he has gotten older he eventually got better. He does go off on tangents at times, but not as much at bedtime. Luckily, she will be moving soon.
At the time it was so bad, I was looking into a device that would sense the barking and emit a frequency of sound that would annoy the dog and he would stop barking. I don't know if these devices work or not and I don't know what their range is.
I do hope you get a good outcome of this. I hope you post how things go. I would love to hear how you resolve the situation.
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I can commiserate with you. My neighbor has a dog tied with a chain to the corner of her yard right below my bedroom window. Her yard is completely fenced BTW - why the dog can't have some freedom is beyond me. Her dog would bark for long stretches at bedtime. I never had the nerve to do anything. I could never think of an approach that would be productive. I think she would have just been offended and retaliatory. As far as I know there is no such law in our community. As he has gotten older he eventually got better. He does go off on tangents at times, but not as much at bedtime. Luckily, she will be moving soon.
At the time it was so bad, I was looking into a device that would sense the barking and emit a frequency of sound that would annoy the dog and he would stop barking. I don't know if these devices work or not and I don't know what their range is.
I do hope you get a good outcome of this. I hope you post how things go. I would love to hear how you resolve the situation.
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Becky
Posted on: 1/1/11 7:39 PM ET
In reply to BeckyW
Becky, I did purchases one of those devices..but have been told they do not work really well.. I never tried mine as I decided that dogs. are our first defense.. their barking is often an alert for strangers .. and after a bit you can tell when their barks are about the squirrels or someone in the area that should not be.
OH no,,, speechless ..chaining a dog can make them mean..or psychotic. its actually against city code here.. I can tell you if I saw a dog chained I would call the authorities.. and if I lived in a community where it was not against the law I would cut the chain as often as I could .. yes. I know .. I shouldn't .. but I would..
Posted on: 1/1/11 7:45 PM ET
In reply to JTink
Normally I am not at a lost for giving advise.. but here I am.. I have to believe they already know how much their dogs are barking.. but have you ever taped it and played it back for them.. do the dogs quiet down when the owner is home..
The problem I do see here is that it could be construed in court that the dogs were only barking because you were outside taping them.. in other words they were barking as an alert.. I do feel for you.. we have two dogs two doors down that bark all day..
I think by signing the note.. you did the right thing.. It shows that you have courage and that you are an upfront person who only wants some peace and quiet.. it put a face to the problem.. Anonymous notes are seen too often as crack pots behind them..
Posted on: 1/1/11 7:51 PM ET
In reply to JTink
In some states, it's required that you contact the offending dog owner before you file a complaint. You have done that. So I wouldn't worry about it. They might be angry, but it's the truth that hurts.
When I first moved into my home, the neighbor across the road had (and still does have) a dog that would bark constantly. If I were working in the yard, the dog would bark. If I got into my car, the dog would bark. If I went to the mailbox, the dog would bark. DH and I often said to each other that we moved over 3,000 miles to get away from city noise, which included barking dogs, and that we still have the same problem.
You are fortunate; you live in an area where there are laws. So use them. I can't because I'm out in the country, but if I could, I'd do so.
Dog owners have to be responsible; that means they have to keep their pets quiet so the neighbors can enjoy a peaceful life. If they can't, they need to not have a dog. Laws are there to protect the people because some people are so rude, they don't respect others.
At the least, the animal control department might enforce the owners to get a bark collar. And at the most, they might cite them. But in any case, you did your part. So keep that note; you might need to use it later on.
BTW, I have a dog--a good watch dog, and the people within half a mile don't know I have her. Mostly because she is quiet, but come to the door, and she'll get her hackles up!
-- Edited on 1/1/11 7:52 PM --
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When I first moved into my home, the neighbor across the road had (and still does have) a dog that would bark constantly. If I were working in the yard, the dog would bark. If I got into my car, the dog would bark. If I went to the mailbox, the dog would bark. DH and I often said to each other that we moved over 3,000 miles to get away from city noise, which included barking dogs, and that we still have the same problem.
You are fortunate; you live in an area where there are laws. So use them. I can't because I'm out in the country, but if I could, I'd do so.
Dog owners have to be responsible; that means they have to keep their pets quiet so the neighbors can enjoy a peaceful life. If they can't, they need to not have a dog. Laws are there to protect the people because some people are so rude, they don't respect others.
At the least, the animal control department might enforce the owners to get a bark collar. And at the most, they might cite them. But in any case, you did your part. So keep that note; you might need to use it later on.
BTW, I have a dog--a good watch dog, and the people within half a mile don't know I have her. Mostly because she is quiet, but come to the door, and she'll get her hackles up!
-- Edited on 1/1/11 7:52 PM --
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Posted on: 1/1/11 8:11 PM ET
Set up a video camera in you front yard if possible, and just let it run. Or, open your window with the camera in front of it. They have very good sound recording and a day and time stamp.
Sorry this is happening to you. Hope you can get this fixed, peacefully. Perhaps the owner is in denial that their dog is actually this bad. And the stress and anxiety that the dog is going through, barking all day, is just not fair to the dog either.
Best wishes, Janice
Sorry this is happening to you. Hope you can get this fixed, peacefully. Perhaps the owner is in denial that their dog is actually this bad. And the stress and anxiety that the dog is going through, barking all day, is just not fair to the dog either.
Best wishes, Janice
Posted on: 1/1/11 8:14 PM ET
You might see if YOUR vet can recommend a professional dog handler or trainer who can help your neighbor with her dog. It may be that she doesn't know how to get the dog to stop barking. I once hired a pet sitter recommended by my vet. She was a very helpful person who gave me some good tips about curbing some other bad habits my dog had.
Posted on: 1/1/11 10:20 PM ET
In reply to JTink
What is the Barking Law and what are the penalties?
It seems to me that if there is a bylaw in place, Animal Control needs to apply the penalties. If there are no penalties, then the law means nothing at all.
It could well be that they do not believe how much the dogs bark when they are not home. Perhaps a recording would help to bring the point home to them?
We have friends who used to live next door to a dog that would not shut up. There was a solid high fence between the yards and they got used to yelling at the dog to shut up, which did work for a while.
The dog owners were is denial about the the noise until one summer day our friends yelled at the dog through the fence and discovered that the neighbour was in the yard with the dog just ignoring the dog and the barking. The dog owner finally realized that although they could just tune out the sound of the dog, everyone else was annoyed by it.
There is a dog in the property kitty corner to our back yard. It cries most the day when left outside, but it is lonely. If we talk to it, it settles right down.
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It seems to me that if there is a bylaw in place, Animal Control needs to apply the penalties. If there are no penalties, then the law means nothing at all.
It could well be that they do not believe how much the dogs bark when they are not home. Perhaps a recording would help to bring the point home to them?
We have friends who used to live next door to a dog that would not shut up. There was a solid high fence between the yards and they got used to yelling at the dog to shut up, which did work for a while.
The dog owners were is denial about the the noise until one summer day our friends yelled at the dog through the fence and discovered that the neighbour was in the yard with the dog just ignoring the dog and the barking. The dog owner finally realized that although they could just tune out the sound of the dog, everyone else was annoyed by it.
There is a dog in the property kitty corner to our back yard. It cries most the day when left outside, but it is lonely. If we talk to it, it settles right down.
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Living life to the fullest.
Who knew being a Granny was the best thing ever?
Who knew being a Granny was the best thing ever?
Posted on: 1/2/11 8:53 AM ET
I can't thank you all enough for your responses, suggestions and support. I've been a bundle of nerves all night. I agree that a lot of people tune their dogs out(as they do their kids). This family across the street, isn't too well known by many of us and the ones who have met them, the word is "weird". Sometimes the house looks empty for days at a time(they have a 10 year old daughter and several grown "out of the house" children). Usually the dog starts up around early afternoon(that's when I notice it)and goes on till around 5:00 and beyond. By 5:00, I'm in the kitchen fixing dinner and away from the front of the house. My husband found a little recording device that I can use. I had planned to set it on the front steps, but I like the idea of putting in the sewing room window. My first thought is to make sure they are home next time...knock on the door and as soon as someone answers it, I turn on the recording, while saying, "this is what your neighbors have to listen too for hours". I don't like confrontation, but someone has to take a stand with this. I also agree that this shows great neglect for the animal. I think that a lot of the neighbors refrain from saying anything, because they all have dogs too and are afraid of retaliation. I would think that another dog owner, would be the best person to approach these people. The only legal recourse I have, according to the Animal Protection guy, is to get proof of the dog barking(one time a minute for at least 10 minutes) and take them to court. It really doesn't make much sense to have a noise law, if it's up to the private citizen to carry it through. The Animal Protection guy told me that different people have different ideas as to what constitutes "noise" or excessive barking. This is true. But I would think that most folks would consider 2 solid hours of barking, excessive. Again, thank you all for your input.
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