It’s the season for goodwill and friendship — for some.
According to Animal Friends of the Valleys’ Animal Control Supervisor, Officer Middleton, there were nearly 370 new barking dog calls made last month from the six cities covered by the agency. (Flickr: Brad.K)
But a barking dog can put a strain on neighborly goodwill and hundreds of complaints are made to animal control and city police departments each month.
According to Animal Friends of the Valleys’ Animal Control Supervisor, Officer Middleton, there were nearly 370 new barking dog calls made last month from the six cities covered by the agency.
And this is the lighter season for barking problems, summer being the heavy season.
“Dogs are dogs and they do what they do,” Middleton said. “But we live in a city and the law says we have the right to enjoy our private property without any trespass and noise is a trespass. If the noise comes through the fence, it’s a problem.”
The standard procedure for barking dogs is three visits for repeated calls. On the fourth call, animal control issues a public nuisance petition to the neighborhood. The petition is signed and returned, and then a public nuisance hearing is scheduled at the shelter.
“We try to do it as informally as possible,” Middleton said. “We understand this is a neighborhood and these people have to live near one another.”
Middleton often sees evidence such as video or audio recordings of barking dogs, or barking logs submitted at the hearings.
“If the dog is deemed a public nuisance, they have to wear a bark collar,” she said. “But our goal is not to remove a dog; it’s to educate the owner and solve a problem. We already have hundreds of dogs up for adoption at the shelter.”
If the bark collar doesn’t work, a bark muzzle is tried. If the problem persists, then the dog owner may be summoned to court and the dog may be removed from the home.
Middleton said there are many tips for dog owners with barking problems. Exercise usually helps. For indoor dogs that only bark when the homeowner is away, Middleton suggests leaving a television on in another room so the dog thinks the owner is home.
She also said neighbors should never feed dogs through the fence.
“Some neighbors think they’ll just toss a biscuit over the fence so the dog will stop barking,” she said. “Then we’ve just trained this dog to bark, and then he gets a biscuit.”
Animal Friends of the Valleys serves the cities of Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar and Menifee.
Calls are taken from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. After 5 p.m., calls go to the agency’s 911-officer, but he only responds to emergencies.
The agency does have an answering service and during working hours, the messages are written up and an officer will be dispatched.
Many barking dog issues take place late at night, so city police departments often take noise disturbance calls as well.
“We treat it like any other noise disturbance,” said Lt. Rob Firmes of Murrieta Police Department. “We typically send a car out and sometimes that will fix the problem. But often, the dog owner isn’t home. In that case, we forward the notification to animal control.”
Middleton said the most common response she hears from dog owners who have been reported is: “Why didn’t they just talk to me?”
Talking to neighbors can help solve the problem. Open lines of communication may mean the problem is solved more quickly. And, there may be things that can be done to solve the barking problem even when the owner is away.
“If the dog owner has a reprimand word, neighbors can be told the word and use it as needed,” Middleton said.“I gave my neighbors a fly swatter and they just have to hold it up over the fence and my dogs will get in bed.”
Jennifer Dean is a local writer and regular contributor to SWRNN.
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Animal Friends is a joke! We had a dog behind us who barked the whole three years we lived in our house. We called these people several times over the three years and they did nothing. We gave up and sold our house because we had no peace. We called the sheriff also, but they just passed the buck too. We wrote a nice letter to the neighbors also, and they ignored it. There are noise ordinances in Temecula, but no one enforces them. There are way too many rude, inconsiderate dog owners. I think they should get one warning, then get fined. People don’t respond unless you hit them in the wallet. Oh, and Animal Friends is a total waste of taxpayer money.
“We gave up and sold our house because we had no peace”
You deserve much sympathy for what you went thru, but moving seems problematic too. First, the victims should not be the ones who have to move, and second, the new owners too would be subjected to same suffering as you. Better to collect solid evidence and witness testimony, and get together with neighbors and take definitive action (sue for damages over the years, contact the media, visit your local officials in person, etc.).
Victims of dog barking should not act helpless.
If you get no support from the owners, you may consider building a small handheld device that will emit short bursts of high frequency (essentially ultrasonic for humans).
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/portable-sound-blaster/rAK-SkixKlQ/vDMzFBCNBvsJ
I don’t think it’s the best route to go though, it will just anger people.
I am surrounded by barking dogs in our neighborhood, and it is a persistent problem. My two closest neighbors rarely (and in some cases, never) exercise their numerous dogs, and they keep them in very confined side yards or garages. You could say these dogs are abused, really. The result: endless barking by these frustrated animals, sometimes late into the night, causing my family sleep deprivation.
I have made many friendly attempts to contact the owners about the problem, and that sometimes helps, but only temporarily. Eventually (usually within a week or two) it’s back to the same. The officials discussed in this article are worthless as “S” points out. There are too many complaints for animal control or the police to be truly effective. Complaints, once escalated to the point of actually fining the owners, cannot be done anonymously. There are numerous examples (go to forums online) of retaliation by dog owners against their complaining neighbors. I surely don’t want to be in that situation, so I swallow my anger and frustration most of the time.
A friend of mine has the same issue with a neighbor. When he visited the dog owner and kindly requested the owner do something about it he was met with denial and was threatened.
The real issue here is simple inconsideration. The “love thy neighbor” philosophy in our society seems to be on the decline. Shoot, most people don’t even attempt to get to know their neighbors, let alone care one iota about their peace and well-being. I would like to escape the problem by moving but, a) there’s no guarantee that my new location won’t have the same issue because dogs are EVERYWHERE, and b) the economy and housing prices make that a financially irresponsible option right now. I’m stuck.
I wish more people would get fish, cats, snakes or turtles to satisfy their desires to own a pet. They are much easier to care for and would make living in the suburbs a much more peaceful existence.
I agree with Jim. If a neighbor has a barking dog problem, chances are they are inconsiderate already, and won’t do much if you actually have to ask them to be considerate. I am also surrounded by barking and yapping dogs, and it drives me crazy. I don’t understand the allure of dogs. People buy them, then banish them to their back-yards, where they proceed to bark day and night out of loneliness and boredom. What’s the point? How is the owner benefiting by this? Further, I ask how can they STAND the noise? If you ask me, this is animal cruelty, but dog owners won’t admit this.
It really is a people problem; not a dog problem. It’s been my observation that dogs who are owned by considerate people who take care of them and love them generally are not a problem.
People say “why didn’t they talk to me”. I’ve tried it on many occasiosns, doesn’t work, people think their dog doesn’t bark. They take it personally. Tell them once, or leave a note on the door,and then persistently call animal control, they will make it out about a week later. Keep a log. I finally had to canvass the neighborhood and get statements from about 8 of them to turn in. The hearing was not a nice atmosphere, but it solved the problem, dog has a barking collar now. And yes they did retaliate, called the police in my 8year old for stepping in their lawn, and code enforcement to hassle me. Still worth it. Funny how many people would not sign, as they didn’t want to cause problems. You have to keep an even tone when talking to people or you get labled the kook. Just stay at it, print this article and mail it to the address if that’s all you can muster, it’s your house and you pay enough to live here, you don’t have to put up with it.
Good for you and I’m very glad you got results. I don’t think you’re a kook at all either. I know exactly what you mean and your comments are 100% accurate. I’m in the process of taking my neighbor to court over this issue. I’m so sick of this inconsiderate jerk and his yappy little dog that I court just scream. I have complained twice to Animal Control; next is court, and if this man thinks I’m playing he will find out otherwise. I’m only waiting now to gather enough evidence via camcorder to take to court so I can prove my case. I can’t wait to see this crappy poodle mix in a bark collar. This dog has a bark that just sets my nerves on edge and the barking has gone on for as much as 2-1/2 hours nonstop before. Anyway your post gives me some encouragement, and I thank you.
Try living near a damn parrot the neighbors leave out all night during the summers… three summers, no sleep… but I learned when the german shepards next door killed two of my pups and chased my livestock through the fences, they won’t do anything…
Animal friends of the valley does the best job they can do. After all, these dogs are not criminals. LEAF gets numerous calls per day and they do have to prioritize. Barking dogs are hardly a threat to anyone.There are many instances where the person complaining is the one with the issue. Susan you sound as though you almost hate the dog and their owner. I am not familiar with the breed crappy poodle mix, I find that a lot of dog complainers seem to LOVE to focus on what makes them unhappy. Turn your radio on, get involved in a book, in other words, divert your attention. I live near barking dogs also, although I would never report an animal unless they were being abused or vicious. WE all share this planet.
Brent, what a load. Of course it’s not the animals fault. If you can’t control your animals they should be taken away. People pay good money and have a legal right to QUIET enjoyment of their property. Glad you are a saint. Your ‘many instances’ and ‘a lot of dog complainers’
is just pure projection. I know you had a point to make but this wasn’t it. Buying a dog just to leave it out back all day, bored and barking, is animal abuse in my book. Not to mention the narcissistic owner who thinks this is fine.
Let me cut to the chase…. A percentage of dog barking complaints received by animal control boil down to neighbor disputes and turn out to be not the dog. Hence the above posts complaining about how animal control will not do anything, Animal control is not in place to be the neighborhood moderator. Bottom line if you think the dog has it bad in a back yard how do you feel about it being euthanized because it barks? That is what will happen to most dogs taken or turned into animal control. Which is why I would never complain. People need to communicate better with their neighbors.
Let me start by saying yes, people do need to communicate better with their neighbors. No argument there. Thing is Brent, it is my experience that the owners of incessant barking dogs are not only inconsiderate of their neighbors’ well-being, but they themselves don’t want anything to do with their neighbors. As others have pointed out, some neighbors become hostile towards anyone that accuses their dog of misbehaving. Communication is not always possible with some folks who are in total denial that anything is wrong.
Most often it is irresponsible dog owners that demonstrate a lack of caring about those around them, not the other way around. Don’t try to blame the innocent neighbor that’s just trying to live in a peaceful, civilized manner. Where does it say that just because someone next door decides a barking dog is okay to live with that I should have do the same?
By the way, Brent, your comments about people loving to ‘focus on what makes them unhappy’ is pure and utter nonsense. We’re not talking about a dog barking a quarter of a mile away for a few minutes, we’re talking about next door or across the street, for hours and hours on end, sometimes late into the night, when often there is nothing that can be done because the owners are away at work or on vacation. Many times it’s more than one dog as well, and sometimes one ‘rogue’ barking dog can incite the entire neighborhood population of canines to join in. Perhaps your hearing isn’t so good if you can simply read a book, turn on a radio, go to sleep, work or do whatever and not be distracted or irritated by barking dogs. Maybe you have triple-paned windows? For the rest of us, it can be a truly frustrating problem. Trust me, I don’t ‘love’ to focus on dogs, I have better things to do. However, when barking dogs and their inconsiderate owners adversely impact my family’s ability to live peacefully in our own homes, it becomes important.
I have spoken numerous times with such dog owners and have been as diplomatic as possible. Never raising my voice, never accusing, never getting mad. That is my preferred approach, but I can empathize with people that ‘lose it’ and take things much further when their polite requests go unheeded. My friendly approach does seem to help, but it’s usually only a temporary solution. Within a short time the dogs are at it again. I have never called animal control or the police because I don’t think they can be of any assistance whatsoever. They exemplify what’s wrong with city policy towards dog barking in general…it’s too widespread a problem, so it’s ignored.
It’s not the dog’s fault. Dogs are usually barking because they are bored, hungry, cold, need exercise and/or are not getting enough attention from their owners. Most of these dogs are obviously unhappy and perhaps even abused in my opinion. They are impulse-acquired as adorable little puppies but in time many are abandoned and forgotten in their backyards. I don’t want to see a dog euthanized just because it barks, of course. I would like to see fines given to the owners that don’t take proper care of them. Hit these folks where it counts…the wallet. Perhaps a little financial sting will remind them to take better care of their pets, or else. If that doesn’t do the trick, perhaps anti-bark collars in some cases?
In the end if it comes down to a dog or the right of a neighbor or neighborhood to enjoy a quiet and peaceful existence, the answer seems pretty clear to me. Yes, we all have to share this planet, which means we all need to be CONSIDERATE of those around us. That INCLUDES dog owners.
I had a neighbor who would kick her Sheltie out at 5am every weekday morning and the little yap would bark in a high pitched incessant way for most of the day until she got home from work. My last two hours of much needed sleep was destroyed 5 days a week.
It was often about 15 feet from where my bed was.
I spoke to her several times but she was weird and never did anything.
When I read the comments of Brent I wish only he would be wakened every morning by this Sheltie.
Hi there, I’ve had a good experience with Animal Friends. After two years, I have HAD IT with my neighbor’s barking little monsters. So I downloaded a free program from CNET called iSpy which is loaded onto my laptop and is sound and motion activated. I leave it in the middle of my backyard pointing at my neighbor’s fence and it records the dogs barking all day. With this I knew I wasn’t crazy. It recorded the neighbors barking at least 10 times a day for no reason whatsoever. It also recorded the neighbors screaming at their dogs and kicking them out of the house. My neighbor’s house is only 10 feet away from mine.
The Animal friend people finally visited these people in person and my neighbor came over to me angrily to tell me that they were going to fine her $1000 if I called them again and that I shouldn’t call them because she is “now” seriously working on it. Haha… the nerve. I told her I would not call them for two weeks to give her time, but after that, I absolutely don’t care because I had already given her 2 years to work on the problem. Call me cold hearted but I have a right to peace and quiet. No sob story can sway me.
Of course, you don’t get a $1000 fine from the very start. She confessed that she had received previous complaints and that they had left notes on her door but this 2nd or 3rd one now comes with a fine. Talk about irresponsible. I’m afraid I don’t have any sympathy for those kinds of people.
I live in the nearby town of Perris, and I must say, there are much worse and infinitely more irritating sounds than barking dogs. What about these idiots with their car stereos turned up as high as they go, and you are forced to listen to either Gang. ster Rap, or else Ranchero Mariachi or whatever it is. What is wrong with keeping the windows shut, and playing the music for your ears ONLY?? This is to me the ultimate Disturbing the Peace, and a very rude assault on my ears. My ears are being violated and tresspassed upon. WHERE is our noise ordinance compliance officers in Perris? By now, you surely must know who these violators are, and there are so many of them. Please fine them big bucks, lock them up, confiscate their stereo system, or whatever it takes to remind these jerks they are guilty of assault on the eardrums and sensibilities of the residents of any street they are driving on
I disagree with some of the comments posted here about Animal Control. Most are ill informed and unfair. I have contacted Animal Control many times over the years because of several neighbors with barking dogs. Animal Control WILL respond! Dog owners are entitled to due process. In an ideal world we would all prefer to resolve these issues diplomatically by talking to our neighbors first. Unfortunately, everyone seems to be very nervous, defensive and argumentative these days. Look at the way people drive!
One of my former neighbors had two dogs that would bark all day and into the night while they were working in L.A. Even with our windows closed and running the AC late at night we couldn’t sleep. When I tried to politely talke to them about the problem, these “Christian” people would shout expletives at me and slam the door in my face. Enough! I kept contacting Animal Control to the point where the owners were summoned to a hearing. They never showed. A bark collar order was issued. They never complied. When the removal order was issued the owners took the dogs to a relative’s house. Long story short; the flakes used their house as an ATM, buying expensive cars, etc. then let the bank foreclose. Good riddance. We have spent a lot of money improving our home in a beautiful neighborhood. If someone thinks they are going to come in here and run our neighborhood into another Perris or Hemet they should think again. WE are not moving, THEY are!
Noise abatement laws are useless. Also once an official complaint is lodged there is then a public record of who is being bothered. Much more effective is an anonymous letter to the offending dog owner politely asking the owner to abate the noise problem. If the situation continues then a follow up polite anonymous letter. If that fails to do the trick, then follow it up with one last anonymous letter telling the owner that if the situation continues that after 30 days you will poison the animal. Generally this is enough to do the trick. Only once have I ever had to go through with the final step. And yes, I’m no longer bothered by my neighbor’s barking dogs 24/7.
We have a privacy and our new neighbors just decided to bring in two pitbulls and chain them right next to our fence. I have a large dog that is mostly kept inside. When I let him out to use the bathroom or to exercise a while, the pitbulls go crazy on the other side of the fence and that sets my dog off and they are trying to get to each other through the fence. What do I do? I have never had this problem before. Their dogs bark alot anyway but they start getting more vicious and growling when my dog goes outside. We went to ask the neighbors for help in solving the situation but they just said they will not move the dogs from that spot so they refuse to help and they never try to stop the dogs from barking either and don’t want us telling them to stop barking so what do we do. We have lived there for two years and they just moved in.
Do not put up with your peace being destroyed, call the local authorities they will help you this is treated as a ” noise complaint” and the dog owners will be fined if they do not act like act, now until the problem is resolved go to the hardware store and get noise blocking headphones this should at least give you some peace, in the extreme unlikelihood you get no satisfaction get an attorney he-she will tell you the charges and dollar value you will sue for against the city for not doing anything and the demented dog owners.