Public nuisance number one
I received a letter Friday from the animal shelter that a complaint has been made about Tristan for creating a public nuisance by "barking, whining, howling, etc." I am very concerned about it. I really try to be a responsible pet owner and I understand my neighbors do not want to hear my dog barking just as I would hate to have a dog barking incessantly next door to me.
I'm in a bit of a quandry. My first inclination is to believe Tristan's barking is a major issue if a neighbor has gone to the trouble of a formal complaint. The problem, however, is that Tristan does not bark incessantly. He is never left outside to bark and he is never left outside when I'm not home. But clearly there remains a problem with a neighbor.
The pertinent language is "unreasonable noise" defined as "Loud and raucous, and frequent, repetitive, or continuous sounds..." Tristan's bark is unquestionably loud but it is not repetitive or continuous. It seems to boil down to the question of how frequent is frequent? I've started a log to track any barking by Tristan so I can try to be objective. It's clear his pattern is to bark two or three times and then he's done.
Update four days later - Tristan's barks are measured in seconds. The worst was the first day I tracked. He barked with two woofs about every half hour during the afternoon. The next three days he barked three, two and six times respectively for the entire day. Since his barks last at most two to three seconds it's hard to believe that this rises to a reasonable complaint.
My biggest concern, however, is that I may have a neighbor who is not going to be satisfied unless he or she does not hear a peep out of Tristan at all. That said, I will do everything I can to keep any barking at an absolute minimum both for my neighbors' quiet enjoyment and for Tristan's safety.
Now look at this face - how can it be the source of any angst?
I'm in a bit of a quandry. My first inclination is to believe Tristan's barking is a major issue if a neighbor has gone to the trouble of a formal complaint. The problem, however, is that Tristan does not bark incessantly. He is never left outside to bark and he is never left outside when I'm not home. But clearly there remains a problem with a neighbor.
The pertinent language is "unreasonable noise" defined as "Loud and raucous, and frequent, repetitive, or continuous sounds..." Tristan's bark is unquestionably loud but it is not repetitive or continuous. It seems to boil down to the question of how frequent is frequent? I've started a log to track any barking by Tristan so I can try to be objective. It's clear his pattern is to bark two or three times and then he's done.
Update four days later - Tristan's barks are measured in seconds. The worst was the first day I tracked. He barked with two woofs about every half hour during the afternoon. The next three days he barked three, two and six times respectively for the entire day. Since his barks last at most two to three seconds it's hard to believe that this rises to a reasonable complaint.
My biggest concern, however, is that I may have a neighbor who is not going to be satisfied unless he or she does not hear a peep out of Tristan at all. That said, I will do everything I can to keep any barking at an absolute minimum both for my neighbors' quiet enjoyment and for Tristan's safety.
Now look at this face - how can it be the source of any angst?
posted by fpa at 1:18 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home