Barking dogs can be an annoyance. Ask anyone who has ever lived next to a chatty canine. But at what point does that annoyance cross the line and become a nuisance worthy of being issued a fine. For the folks in Fort Worth, TX, that threshold is ten minutes.
The city is set to revise its noise ordinance in order to be more precise about what exactly constitutes a violation. And while the Fort Worth deputy director of planning and development says that bars and restaurants are the city’s highest priority, “the second one is animal noise — dogs and roosters to be specific.”
To that end, reports the local CBS affiliate:
Proposed changes to the ordinance could also include a time limit of 10 minutes on how long your neighbor’s dog can bark before your neighbor is issued a citation.
This is probably music to some people’s ears while others will likely be barking mad about the new limit.
Fort Worth Considering Changes To City Noise Ordinance [CBSlocal.com]
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I just moved out of Ft Worth. I would have loved that ordinance. My apartment complex was “pet friendly” and had miniature fenced in yards for first floor tenants. Dog owners would leave their dogs out there all day and all night.
While some were quiet, there were several yappy ones that barked non-stop. No amount of pleading with the office ever accomplished anything. I’m pretty sure they just shook their heads and took notes and then never confronted the dog owners.
Luckily the new place I’m at in Dallas has pretty strict pet policies and I’ve barely heard any barking at all since I’ve been there.
I am a dog owner, for four years now within the city limits. Last fall, Animal control left notice on my door based on a bogus report (no specific violation stated, except to say abuse), and when I called them to immediately come back out to my home, it took a week, but they was confirmed the complaint to be an outright lie, apparently reported by a neighbor (complainant anonymous). My two dogs were observed behind my privacy fence to be well feed, have adequate water, well groomed and trained to have good behavior. There was an apology given and no further problems. My concern is how do you enforce this? I too would be upset by a barking dog or any intruding and annoying noise that disturbs the peace in my home. But am I allowed to be a victim because of neighbor(s) who might not like me, because I do mind my own business. I have lived in the same house for 17 years and always a good neighbor. It is against the law to muzzle or chain up a dog
(Neither would I do), NOW I will be subjected to someone standing outside my fence with a timer and noise meter? Where do we reach a compromise? What would you have me to do, turn them over to a shelter? Animals are territorial and will bark if you are too near my property line; if you stand there for ten minutes, they will at you for ten minutes. I am an animal lover, I work in law enforcement, but most importantly I’m a law abiding citizen. Will this law be enforceable with regard to all, in a fair and reasonable manner? Or turn in to another fight for the ASPCA and City Hall?