BARKING DOGS...OH MY!!!

Well, it seems as though here is Los Angeles more craziness is taking place.

This time it is over barking dogs, yes folks the next City Council meeting is going to have a proposed vote regarding changing the verbiage on the barking dog ordinance.

Although, we have not had to go to a hearing about barking dogs we do HOWEVER have 'that' neighbor from hell {Hey Animal Planet there's a new show idea for ya}

It seems that every time a dog barks, farts, burps, barfs or makes any peep she has reported us to A./C thus resulting in a home invasion visit. Yes an invasion of our personal space and time, but hey they have a job to do so do your job. The A/C officers have ALWAYS been polite and kind when they have come by but I can't help to think they have better things to do..... LIKE GO AFTER ANIMAL ABUSERS!!!!! NOT rescue orgs that are trying to make a small dent in the problem one animal at a time.

REALLY????? When people are backyard breeding, leaving dogs tied up with no shelter, no food, no water in 118 degrees A/C doesn't have better things to do then come out and mediate over a neighbor dispute, because you can't concentrate on finding your damn Pokemon. {insert sarcasm}

Right now as I am typing this my neighbors are building a bomb shelter or heaven knows what next door, making a world of noise and yes the dogs are reacting to it. Do I go out and yell at them to shut up........NO!!!! WHY??? because they are doing their job, protecting their world from the big bad nasty noise next door that is creeping over to their world. They are letting me know that something is going on and I APPRECIATE the warning.

So as it has been going on for a while I did go out and tell the dogs that it is okay and it doesn't concern them. When the noise of the drills, saws and banging erupts they bark, sorry I wont reprimand my dogs for being dogs.

So too all you neighbors that have neighbor issues....COWBOY/COWGIRL up and for heaven sake learn to communicate with your neighbors and let the authorities go after the REAL criminals, the animal abuser, backyard breeder and people that have no business having a pet rock let alone a living, breathing entity that depends on them

Permission to re-post given by Via Paul Darrigo CHULA - Citizens for a Humane Los Angeleshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/773416409436730/323-244-8020

Feel free to blast this….Well, the proposed amendments to the city’s barking dog ordinance sailed right through the PAW Committee and are on the way to the full city council this Friday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. The current barking dog ordinance defines “excessive noise” as:“For purposes of this section, the term "excessive noise" shall mean noise which is unreasonably annoying, disturbing, offensive, or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property of one or more persons occupying property in the community or neighborhood, within reasonable proximity to the property where the dog or dogs are kept.

The noise must be continuously audible for ten (10) minutes or intermittently audible for thirty (30) minutes within a three (3) hour period.”The proposed amendments would eliminate that specific requirement and replace it with a nebulous set of factors to be considered at an administrative hearing:“For purposes of this section, the term "excessive noise” shall mean noise which is unreasonably annoying, disturbing, offensive, or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property of one or more persons occupying property in the community or neighborhood, within reasonable proximity to the property where the dog or dogs are kept.

Factors to be considered in determining whether the barking is excessive may include but are not limited to: (i) the nature, frequency and volume of the noise, (ii) the tone and repetitiveness. (iii) the time of day or night, (iv) the distance from the complaining or affected party or parties, (v) the number of neighbors affected by or complaining about the noise, (vi) any other relevant evidence demonstrating that the barking is unduly disruptive, such as the working or sleeping habits of the complaining party, and (vii) whether the dog is being provoked.....

”The proposed changes may not seem like a big deal, but if you live in LA and you have a dog, the consequences can be very serious. You could have your dog’s license revoked and be forced to remove your dog from the city of Los Angeles based on someone complaining that your dog barks without having to prove anything concrete, just that it bothers them.

So many of these barking dog complaints aren’t really about barking dogs at all. Many of them are just disputes between neighbors, or “that one neighbor” (most neighborhoods have at least one person who complains about pretty much everyone and everything), and will allow those people to weaponize Los Angeles Animal Services against people they don’t like. Barking dog hearing are already used and abused by people who don’t want to incur the expense of a lawsuit (or who don’t have a viable legal claim) as a means of retaliating against neighbors.

The hearing “examiners” that LAAS has are just two long-term animal control officers with ZERO training or education in law and ZERO regard for the due process rights of dog owners. As it is, the hearings, or what passes for hearings with LAAS, are nothing more than a kangaroo court and make a mockery of the legal system. They’re beyond unfair to dog owners. Eliminating a clear definition of excessive noise and replacing it with something entirely subjective and essentially unprovable will only result in more dogs being removed from their homes. As it is now, LA is one of the most hostile cities in Southern California for animal owners between their dangerous dog law and procedures and the existing barking dog ordinance and procedures. This will only make it much worse.

This can’t be allowed to pass in the city council on Friday. If you can’t get to the meeting, at least call your city council member to oppose these amendments. Flood their phones with calls. They need to hear from you.

You can find your council person here: http://neighborhoodinfo.lacity.org/Enter your address and then click on the link for your council person.If you want more information, here it is on the city council website:https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm…

Please consider doing something about this………it may not seem like a big deal now, but it will be when it affects you.

Marla Tauscher

Attorney at Law

225 S. Lake Ave., Ste. 300

Pasadena, CA 91101

Phone: (626) 345-5777

Cell: (760) 534-3143

e-Fax: (760) 444-2742

www.attymat.com