Are Neighborhood Barkers Ruining Your Sleep? by Shelley Frost
A lone dog barking late at night, hour after hour, can keep even the
deepest sleeper wide awake. When you have a midnight barker in your
neighborhood, what action can you take? Before you jump out of
bed and stomp over to your neighbor's house in your pajamas, Corporal
Brian Schenck, an animal control officer with San Mateo County's
Peninsula Humane Society (PHS) offers some advice.
1. A
barking dog nuisance is not under animal control jurisdiction. It
is a noise issue, so just as you would complain about a loud stereo to
your local police, you should also call the police department in the
case of a barking dog. If a complaint is filed and/or warnings
issued, an animal caretaker must make every attempt to resolve the
problem.
2. But first, try to resolve the matter neighbor to
neighbor. It could be that your neighbor has no idea that their
dog is barking. On their website, PHS offers behavior tips via
PDF downloads. As a courtesy to your neighbor, download and give
them the PHS behavior article titled "Excessive Barking."
3.
If you feel the dog is being neglected or abused, call your local
animal welfare group. In San Mateo County, PHS evaluates all
cruelty and neglect reports that come in. These are assigned to a
Humane Investigative Officer, not an animal control officer.
Shelley Frost has served in both executive and volunteer positions at animal shelters. A co-author of Your Adopted Dog, she also produces documentaries about animal issues.
