Thursday, June 21, 2012

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.

 Tip: This opinion piece is open for comments. Follow the above link to add yours.

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?"

10 comments:

  1. I've always wondered why it is that certain noises bother certain people and not others. For instance, barking dogs don't faze me at all (not even coonhounds,) but snoring makes me nuts! Snoring, and that air poofing noise that often accompanies it, now THAT'S annoying as Hell!
    Anyone out there like to hazard a guess as to why certain noises annoy some but not others? I wonder if any research has ever been done on this subject.
    I wonder if there is a way to overcome one's disdain for certain sounds. Sometimes you can't change what's happening next to you, so it would be great to learn to not let it bother you so much. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

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  2. If only I could let it not bother me so much. If only.

    But you know what? I'm really funny about the noise level in my house. Because it's up to me to determine what that noise level should be. It's not up to the neighbors -- or their dogs.

    For more on this topic, see Animal Uncontrol's excellent post, Why is it so annoying, anyway?

    http://animaluncontrol.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-is-it-so-annoying-anyway.html

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  3. Anon,

    As YQN said, the noise level in our homes is for us to control not the stupid dog owner next door. We are not contemplating the snoring from a loved one next to us, we are contemplating someone else's pet dog that emits a sound as loud as an automobile horn.

    How about I park my car in front of your house tonight and blow the horn for an hour or so? Hey, its a horn and honking is what they do. I'm sure you'll learn to tune it out after a while.

    Furthermore, it bothers you whether you realize it or admit to it or not. Abrupt loud noises such as barking dogs and car horns affect the body's endocrine systems and autonomic nervous systems and this will degrade your health over time.

    Again, we are not contemplating an indoor dog that barks at the mailman. We are contemplating barking lawn ornaments that swamp our homes with explosively loud, useless noise day in and day out. These are generally poorly kept dogs with no quality of life.

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    Replies
    1. That noise level that we want to control in our homes should also include fireworks and altered motorcycles. Why should the imbeciles blowing off the fireworks and revving the altered motorcyles get a free pass? They are just as guilty of invading our homes with annoying noise as the imbecile who leaves the poor dog out in the backyard all night long.

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    2. Anonymous, you make a good point.

      And to your list, I'd like to add those boom cars with the super-loud bass. Call them mobile peace-disturbers driven by lowlife criminals.

      The larger point in all of this: Noise is noise. And, as YQN pointed out, noise can adversely affect human health.

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    3. Yes, do add those boom cars with the super loud bass. If the people with those cars think they look "cool" well, guess what? They make themselves look like immature idiots and they are ruining their hearing.

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  4. RE: Motorcycles. There IS an EPA regulation on motorcycle exhaust noise BUT its never enforced.

    Fireworks. Only hear them on New Year's and independence day.

    Barking dogs? Hear them EVERY DAY!

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    Replies
    1. If you only hear fireworks on New Year's and Independence Day, then I want to live where you live! I hear them starting on Memorial Day. I hear them whenever one of our sports teams wins a big, important game. I hear them sporadically leading up to the fourth of July. On the fourth of July, it sounds like a war zone here. Really bad. Then, every weekend until September, or thereabouts, they go off. I also hear them on New Year's Day at midnight. Funny thing is, they are illegal in my State. People travel to Florida to get them. Every year the police make a big raid and get a lot of the stuff off the streets, but not enough, obviously.

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  5. Hey Anon,

    You've already completed 2 squares on the "Barking Dog Bingo" game. Unfortunately (for me) they are not in the same row or column.

    Think you can help a guy out??

    http://animaluncontrol.blogspot.com/2012/06/barking-dog-bingo_27.html

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    Replies
    1. Hey, I'm trying! By the way, I took a look at that Bingo game card. It was hilarious. Thanks for the laugh. I needed it.

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