This Week's Barking News Roundup - 06/20/12

Town suing Maine woman over barking dogs

Excerpt: The town's animal control officer... said neighbors who live directly behind [the defendant] on Hallowell Road have complained about the noise.

"The dogs are exhibiting uncontrollable barking in the neighborhood," [the animal control officer] said. "The neighbors actually got together with me and gave some statements regarding the situation and I served her a summons."

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Barking dogs on short leash in Jackson

Excerpt: Faced by a rising tide of complaints about barking dogs, Jackson County commissioners indicated this week that they would consider passing an ordinance that would muzzle the offenders.

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Barking dog could cost big penalty 

Excerpt: Apparently the town of Selma's $20 penalty for dogs running at large or barking isn't getting the owners' attention.

So, last month during its regular monthly meeting, Council upped the penalty for nuisance animals with the minimum fee now at $100, which will go to $300 on a third complaint. 

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From the Advice Department, we have the following questions...

Question: Looking for advice - a few doors from my house is a house where 4 dogs (and their owner) live. The dogs are outside around 6:30AM every morning for a few hours and then around 4:30PM - 8 or 9 PM every night (probably no water bowls) with no human in sight. They wake us up 7 days a week barking. They bark incessantly. They've never been out of their yard and spend most of their time it seems in a kennel/cage inside. Seems that way from their contained and continued barking inside thier home. We can't have a conversation outside or inside our house when they're outside, we need to close windows which doesn't help much and are feeling very stressed. Often times we can't talk to each other inside our home. How crazy is that!

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And, just when you thought it was safe to go out for a dog-free evening, along comes this...

We Should Be Encouraging People to Rescue Dogs, Not Presenting the Idea of Having One as a Social Kiss of Death.

Excerpt: My local coffee shop, Street Coffee on Bermondsey Street, even has treats on the bar. I take Potato there all the time and if I sense that I'm sitting next to someone who isn't comfortable with him, I keep him on my lap or ask them if they would like me to move. They rarely do.

This level of dog friendliness doesn't really happen in many other parts of London, especially not in Soho, which I think is a real shame.

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The Department of Shameless Self-Promotion. As tempting as yelling at your neighbors' barking dogs may seem, you'll probably hurt your vocal cords. I've done that. In the interest of taking a different approach, I've created the QuietBarkingDogs store. Come on in for bumper stickers like this one -- "Yes I Do Mind If Your Dog Barks." Or be a peace and quiet fashionista by posing this question -- "Is this a neighborhood or a kennel?"