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Barking Dogs

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mmlewis2163

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Florida
I bought a new beautiful house on an acre+ lot in a rural area north of Tampa. Initially when moving in the weather had been rainy and as everyone knows by now, plagued with hurricanes. The problem only became evident in October after the weather cleared that the next door neighbor's dogs bark almost incessantly, especially at night. Since we're in the country, they bark at deer, armadillos, opossums, etc. and even their own shadows. I have contacted the County Animal Control to no avail. They require you and at least three of your neighbors to file affidavits noting times of the barking/being loose. Since I work from home and live next door, I'm the one who's most affected. Every neighbor on this street has previously filed complaints as well as the neighbors on the street behind our houses. The dogs are 2 german shepherds so their barks are quite loud and can be heard several houses away. On occasion the owners even chain them up outside the garage so they bark in my bedroom windows all night (their bedrooms are on the other end of their house). To help eliminate the barking, I have bought 3 SuperBarkers ($180) which emits an ultrasonic sound frequency when they bark that is suppose to make them stop. This works some of the time, but nights seem to be the worse. The SuperBarkers only work up to 100' and when you're talking an acre, there's only so much they can do. Now my husband wants to spend $500 on two new bedroom windows in order to help block out the barking, but I'm furious that I should have to spend the money I already have, let alone another $500 for someone else's problem. Their yard has an electric fence around it to keep the dogs in as they have been getting out and running the neighborhood for sometimes days. When I've called Animal Control, they ask me the types of dogs, are they male or female, as if they were the dogs owner. I have been told by the neighbors that the dogs will bite and to make sure I get my 6-year old in the house should I see them out of their yard. I want to know if there's any recourse as far as suing them for disturbing the peace. I can't believe I'm living in the most beautiful house I'd ever hoped to own, but I'm ready to place a "For Sale" sign in the front yard. I am so sleep deprived I can barely function. There has to be a way to make the owners understand how they are disturbing everyone's households and hold them accountable for their animals. If anyone knows a remedy, I would love to hear it.

Thanks.
 


S

seniorjudge

Guest
"...I have contacted the County Animal Control to no avail. They require you and at least three of your neighbors to file affidavits noting times of the barking/being loose...."

There's your answer. Keep after them.
 

carofl93

Member
mmlewis2163 said:
What is the name of your state? Florida
I On occasion the owners even chain them up outside the garage so they bark in my bedroom windows all night (their bedrooms are on the other end of their house).
Something you might want to look into is the legality of chaining the dogs...here in Okaloosa County it is illegal to chain or tether a dog or cat:

Okaloosa County, Florida
November 11, 1992

Tethering dogs and cats is prohibited


Sec. 5-28. Restraint and confinement to property. (d) Dogs or cats shall not be chained, tied, fastened or otherwise tethered to dog houses, trees, fences or other stationary objects as a means of confinement to property.

After we were hit by Hurricane Ivan we tethered our Weimaraner to a tree in the back yard as the fence had been destroyed and were given a warning by Animal Control about the above law.
I believe Palm Beach County has a similar law, and your area may have one as well.

Carol
 

rutica

Member
Call the county police and file a noise complaint. i lived in virginia and had a barking dog behind my house. i called the county police and spoke to an officer. i was told that the first offense is a verbal warning to the owners, second time is a written warning and the third time the owner goes to jail.

so start calling the police and keep track of everytime you call. hopefully your county has a strict noise ordinance also. the only catch was the officer has to hear the noise, but since you said the dogs bark often, that shouldn't be a problem.
 

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