In a letter in Wednesday’s Tracy Press was a story about how an elderly gentleman had lost his little friend to the attack of a large pit bull, and I deeply sympathize with he and his family for their loss. I also want to applaud the passers-by that assisted him in trying to retrieve the smaller dog from the jaws of the larger dog, and the lady that perhaps tried to contact the police.
The problem here lies in that to call the police on a dog issue, it takes a minimum of two hours to get a response.
You see, in the city of Tracy, large dog owners are led to believe they have the right to do as they please with their dogs: let them run loose, let them bark all hours of the day or night, or whatever. And the actions — or lack thereof — of Tracy Animal Control officers only fortify that belief.
Case in point: I have a neighbor behind me who has a Great Dane that barks constantly, — not defensive barking, but nuisance barking, because he wants back in the house. I have called animal control 14 times in one week to try to resolve the issue, and I’m told there is nothing they can do unless they actually hear the dog barking. I call when he’s barking, and three hours later, officers come out and park two or three blocks away and claim they never heard anything. One officer even went so far as to admonish me because the dog might have been barking defensively.
I had to excuse myself to go into the bathroom to look in the mirror to see if I had “I’m stupid” written on my forehead. I didn’t — or at least I couldn’t see it.
Despite the pain that this has caused our family, it's good to know that we have many great people in this town who just never make the headlines.
All of you along with the two good Samaritans who help my dad and tried to save Barney should give us all hope that we can all rely on each other in times of need, and despite the bad who do make the headlines, the good will always outnumber them by a large margin.
Good luck to you Mr. Jess and thank you.
I congradulate you on doing the right thing. It is awful to imagine a neighbor who would fling poo like some Yahoos.
I can't imagine a world where people don't talk to each other and resorted called the police to communicate with each other. Can you?
Hopefully, you have nicer neighbors now. And refrain from stooping to your ex-neighbor's level.
Cordially,
Your neighbor
I dealt with TWO nuisance barking dogs some years ago, and tho my experience with TPD and animal control was very different from Mr. Jess', I did what you suggested and will NEVER do it again.
On two separate occasions after a night of constant barking from these 2 "yappers", I walked around the block (we had adjoining backyards where the dogs were left at night.) to speak to the owners. (We were not friends before this, but we had in the past been "friendly".) The first meeting was with the wife who stated they were totally unaware of the problem and she would talk with her husband about it. She didn't apologize, but was cordial. The second was a few days later and the husband was home. He told me to "get over it", to close our windows if the barking dogs bothered us and to get the $%!&^ off their property. In addition, for a number of days after this incident I found feces in my backyard that seemed to come from their yard. (I had no proof so couldn't accuse them of retaliation.)
It was after this last encounter that I phoned Animal Control. In less than a week I received a blind copy of a letter sent to these neighbors advising them of Tracy Municipal Code regarding barking dogs and providing them 14 days to resolve the problem. I was also provided with specific guidelines to follow if the problem didn't resolve itself. Thankfully within just a few days this family began keeping the dogs inside at night, thereby resolving the problem and eventually moved out, taking the dogs with them.
I too find it hard to imagine TPD responding the way they did to Mr. Jess' complaint given the proactive nature in which they responded to mine, but as for dealing directly with your neighbors about a problem, it's nice IN THEORY, but in practice it doesn't always work. I won't ever put myself through that again.
It doesn't make sense that the animal control officer (or Police Officer) would admonish you about the dog possibly barking defensively unless you were doing something to intice the dog to bark like purposely creeping around your fence line or throwing rocks at it. Hmmm...
I'm also curious to know if you are the only neighbor reporting this out of control barking dog. My bet is that you are.
Tell your neighbors help is at hand. Surgical Debarking. Surgical debarking, also known as a vocal cordectomy, is sometimes used as an intervention for chronic barking. In a cordectomy, a veterinarian either makes an incision in the dog's throat or enters through his mouth, and cuts away the animal's vocal cords. Working through the throat provides the surgeon with a superior view, which allows him to remove more of the tissue. Hence, you are likely to get better results with a throat procedure.
You will probably find that neither approach results in a completely quiet dog, however, because eventually, enough scar tissue is likely to build up in the animal's throat to allow him to produce at least a hoarse, husky approximation of a bark.
To be sure, after the operation your dog will still bark just as much as he ever did. However, the sound can be expected to be both softer and lower in pitch.
That should at least improve the situation since the sound will not carry as far, and most people report that the new, muffled bark is more tolerable. It bears saying, however, that more than a few people report that they find the new bark to be more grating yet.
The vocal cordectomy as a treatment for chronic barking is extremely controversial, and all the experts seem to agree that, since any surgery is inherently traumatic, it should be used only after every other intervention has failed. So you don't want to even think about surgery until after you have first tried everything else.
In fact, so many veterinarians eschew the vocal cordectomy that you might have to look around a while before you are able to locate one who is willing to perform the operation, should you decide to go that route.
If you live in the United States, you can learn whether the cordectomy is permitted in your state and, perhaps, secure a referral to a local vet by contacting your state veterinary association. If you live outside the U.S., you may be able to secure a referral by simply typing the words "veterinary association," along with the name of your nation, state or province, into your favorite online search engine.
http://www.barkingdogs.net/debarkingsurgery.shtml
I think you'll be glad to know that my Dad is getting better everyday. Our family has also been informed that the owners of the pitbull decided to do the right thing and euthanize their dog.
I'm sorry that both families lost their beloved pets over this incident. Thanks to everyone in the community who reached out to us during this time.
I understand your frustration with barking dogs, but in this case regarding the pitbull attack on my father, I must say the police responded very quickly; unfortunately, our little Barney was killed almost instantly. So Mr. Jess, I can't agree with you that calling the police was the problem here.
If your neighbors dog barks for three hours till after midnight then call the police.
Some people are making more noise than the dogs.
Thank you very much for your thoughtfulness and integration. A dog that barks hours at a time is a possession, no different from a television, to a dog owner who relates to the world poorly. This dog owner is a self-absorbed fool who is shackled by selfishness and fear. There is never a good reason to disrupt the tranquility of your neighbor because you think you need to dump a dog in the backyard (and if you are so concerned about your property—get an alarm!).
When a dog owner justifies his excessively barking dog with “that’s what they do,” it is obvious he doesn’t care about your tranquility and hasn’t clearly thought through his moral system. This kind of thinking is like saying, “Sorry your child is dead, but that’s what killer’s do—they kill.” Also, how, as a dog owner, do you justify in your ethical world, your right, as a dog owner, to subject your neighbor to the incessant barking of your dog? Furthermore, a complaint about an excessively barking dog may be legitimate based on one disrupted neighbor.
During the summer, a neighbor three doors down has a dog that will bark for hours straight past midnight. Because it is three doors down, I faintly experience the barking (now, if this dog lived next to me, I would be calling the police every night). We have erected this ridiculous culture where people have equated their intelligence to a dog’s, so dogs have been given inane rights and considerations, and these considerations have become an inconsideration to those who would like to experience quiet family moments in their yards.
Boy, we don’t value peace and quiet anymore!
I am intensely cognizant of my neighbors. I behave in a peaceful manner and maintain a clean front- and back yard. But, I will say this again: In America, you have a right to be unfree, disrespectful, uncaring, inconsiderate, and you may sully the communal experience. This is apparent in many public places.
Now and agressive dog is dangerous. I love pets and I used to have two police attack dogs. I clearly understand what a a problem an agressive dog can be. A excessively barking dog may just need to be trained. An agressive dog is not necessarily safe nor to be loose in a neighborhood or around children.
I talk to my neighbors about it instead of calling the pound. I even took in a stray that we found. Had hoped to find his owner. I also remember having a neighbor who didn't like the sound of the basketball bouncing. Sorry, I thought that was too far. Told that neighbor to get over it.
I think a better way to deal with it is to give them a season episode of Ceasar Malone's The Dog Whisperer, for a Christmas gift and then tell them what's wrong with their dog. If that doesn't work buy them that electric collar. Just don't include the batteries. They'll get the hint. Third time call animal control from the backyard on the cellphone.
Problem solved.
Dogs no matter what age, temperament, breed or size can be taught to NOT bark unless there is a reason or they are given permission. But it takes time and discipline on the part of the dog owner to make this happen. Problem is, many dog owners don't have or take the time to do this and the result is a neighborhood nuisance. There are plenty of avenues to help RESPONSIBLE dog owners train their dogs, but it takes time, effort and a little bit of $$$$$ to do so. It's much easier to get a dog, put it out in the backyard and take it out when the owner and/or family wants some of that unconditional love. Then it's back to the backyard and the dog being ignored and craving any attention it can get. Just think what kids would be like if they were treated the same way!
The part that is so wrong to me...in our society, it's no longer ok to knock on your neighbor's door and ask them if they could keep their dog's barking down a bit. Yes, as governmentbuzzword said, dogs bark. But just as with the fact that dogs roam, dogs are predatory to smaller animals, and dogs get into garbage...those of us with opposable thumbs are responsible for them.
Should our police department (already busy as anything) be stretched further by barking dogs? No. But at the same time, should residents be continually annoyed by the barking? No. I pay my mortgage and my taxes and I get to enjoy being barked at when I go out to enjoy the sun, garden or do laundry...it's not very enjoyable really...annoying but nothing major...but annoying. I should be able to enjoy my yard without territorial barking over NOT their territory!
People need to start paying attention to those others around them. The world doesn't revolve around just us...when my dog barks, I shush her or make her come inside. I know that others can be annoyed by it and I do all that I can not to annoy my neighbors. I prefer to enjoy them, because they are good people.
Apparently the laws may have been changed here in California because the Pasadena link you provided is broken.
And the other link you provided is simply a link explaining how to write your congressman. Who will probably never read your letter anyway.
By the way. Have you ever seen your congressman? Maybe he is off working on that new barking dog law.
http://www.quietpasadena.org
http://www.barkingdogs.net
If you called and I worked for the city I'd prioritize your dog complaint low too. Right under all the myriad of other complaints as listed in the police blotter. Some more important than someone's dog barking.
If you have a nuisance house you really need to call the police and not just animal control. Do the rest of your neighbors think it is a nuisance house?
Dogs bark. That's what they do. If the dog is not barking three hours later, it is probably not a nuisance.
Now if the dog is running loose and barking at someones child that is a different issue and animal control will come and get the dog.
The original letter was completely different issue. Not a barking dog on the SIDE of a house kind of complaint. Wish it were. I really felt sorry for that elderly gentleman walking his dog who was allegedly attacked.