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Do barking dog owners have rights2007-11-25 3:00:36

We have lived in a corner house for the last 3 years with our 2 small dogs. The last 6 weeks 1 neighbor & only 1 neighbor called the police over 20x's complaining of barking (never before). PD has sat outside our yard on most visits & haven't heard the dogs. The officiers agree that our dogs don't bark excessively. They bark when people walk by and when HER cat is on the fence. We checked with the 4 other homes whose yards border ours, none had issues. Some didn't know we have dogs! We bought a shock barking collar for the one who barks the most irritating (smallest collar made & to big); put up a bamboo fence to keep her cat off the common fence. FYI, this neighbor has asked us keep our grandson quiet one weekend cause they were sleeping in 0830 a; asked us to turn off our lighted trees; and asked us to change the time our pool filter runs; we have complied. We are good neighbors. If she would have asked we would have done something but she chose the police. Do we have rights?

Answers:

Unfortunately, we can't choose our neighbors.

The best thing you can do is to continue to be a good neighbor and try to keep peace with the folks next door. If everybody else around you (including the police) feels that your dogs are not excessively noisy you have nothing to worry about.

Good luck.

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You have the right to not be falsely accused of disturbing the peace.

It seems to me a video camera is the only option. Perhaps a webcam that saves to your hard drive.