Do not fall for this: http://www.barkender.com/ which I found by following a link from this web site: http://www.gotbarking.com
Those of us who have been tormented by barking dogs know the feeling of desperation very well, but paying for a letter to a barking dog owner is not necessary.
You can find samples of such letters here: http://www.guruhabits.com/noisy-neighbors/ and some good advice to follow when composing the letter. And if you need help composing your letter or finding your animal noise ordinances, I'm sure there are many people who are willing to help for free. Or you can leave a comment below this post and I'll help you.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Friday, November 8, 2013
Neighbor Speculates: barking dogs drove man to kill
While tragedies like the ones in the article below are never amusing or interesting, there was a comment made by some neighbors near one of the crimes that is relevant to our barking dog problems:
"In Phoenix on Saturday, a pharmacist described as paranoid, angry and depressed methodically shotgunned his next-door neighbors — a grandfather, his daughter, his son-in-law and his grandson — and then killed himself. The family's two dogs also were killed, and neighbors speculated that their incessant barking caused the disturbed man to kill."
The entire article itself is not about barking dogs. In fact, it's very sad and is more about the serious dysfunction of our society in general. But, if you wish to read it, here is a link to the entire article on MSN News:
http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/making-sense-of-four-families-slain-in-four-days
"In Phoenix on Saturday, a pharmacist described as paranoid, angry and depressed methodically shotgunned his next-door neighbors — a grandfather, his daughter, his son-in-law and his grandson — and then killed himself. The family's two dogs also were killed, and neighbors speculated that their incessant barking caused the disturbed man to kill."
The entire article itself is not about barking dogs. In fact, it's very sad and is more about the serious dysfunction of our society in general. But, if you wish to read it, here is a link to the entire article on MSN News:
http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/making-sense-of-four-families-slain-in-four-days
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Another Barking Dog Web Site
I haven't posted for quite awhile because of other problems I've had over the last year or so. My barking dog problem improved greatly after the 2nd citation/court hearing, and during the following 6 months I was eventually able to begin sleeping more hours at a time without waking up in a panic every hour or so, but it took several months to get to that stage. Then, unfortunately, the barking resumed again (I'll talk about that later) although not as bad as the first few years. However, it's still annoying, and the entire experience has left me very unhappy and hating my home. I no longer have any interest in my yard, which I'd worked diligently over the years to turn into something I could enjoy with many flowering plants, shrubs, trees...all being taken over by weeds now. And then, to top it off, like things couldn't get any worse, I had spray foam insulation installed in the house in the hopes of making it easier to cool the house during the summer and reduce our exorbitant utilities bills...and I was also hoping it would cut down on the noise that entered the house, but the spray foam made me very sick and so I had to move to an apartment until the problem with my house was resolved. So now my bills are even higher... Initially, living at the apartment was great, much quieter, no barking dogs....in my immediate vicinity, that is...until one of my quiet neighbors moved and was replaced by, yep, some folks with a little dog with a piercing voice that shrieked continually every time they left. The problem was resolved rather quickly as there were other neighbors who complained also, particularly the people who live downstairs under the dog, but it's amazing how the barking of a dog will so quickly send me into a panic now, and a sort of a regression back into the state of depression that was so deep during the years I had to listen to the horrific day and night barking at my house. Sigh. Actually, my nerves are totally shot from those years of terrible barking and no sleep, and my body does not handle even normal stress like it should, like it used to.
But anyway, here is another barking dog web site for you to check it out, if you haven't already seen it http://www.anilak.com/barking-dogs/
But anyway, here is another barking dog web site for you to check it out, if you haven't already seen it http://www.anilak.com/barking-dogs/
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Letter to My Barking Dog Neighbors...
Rather than go through the nightmare of having to listen further to that damn shrill fellow and taking the chance that it will again escalate into a traumatic affair, and of having to keep calling the police and animal control again, I've decided to send the following letter, or similar, to my neighbors:
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Barking Dog Owner, (of course I'll use their real names in the letter...)
During the 7 months following the 2nd time you were summoned to court for violating the animal noise ordinance, I rarely heard any barking from your dogs, and things had been very acceptable. I was finally able to begin getting proper sleep and also spend more time in my yard, not to mention just enjoy being at home again. If this had been my experience with your dogs from the beginning, we would never have had a problem.
However, over the last few weeks you have been allowing [The Loud One] to remain in the yard barking for extended periods, and I have been disturbed and annoyed to the point of having to call the police on November 9, 2011 at approximately 3:30 a.m., after having been awakened at approximately 2:00 a.m. and then having to endure his barking for the next 1 1/2 hours, until the police arrived at which time you quickly called the dogs in, but not soon enough because the officer had heard the barking before he pulled into the driveway. I also have several video/sound recordings, that I made from inside of my house, of [The Loud One] barking during the 1 1/2 hours before I called the police.
You have 2 choices here:
In addition to your negligence in this matter, I have several witnesses who will testify as to your malicious behavior, in other words that, after I asked you to stop the barking and then involved the law, you spitefully proceeded to make your dogs to bark at your command in order to annoy me further (harrassment).
Further more, if any of my cats disappear, are harmed, or die of anything other than natural causes, I will immediately bring a Private Nuisance lawsuit against you.
If these were my dogs I never would have allowed this to happen but since I have no control over your dogs, the choice is yours as it always has been. You decide which way you want this to go.
Sincerely,
Barking Mad in NC
(attachment)
City of Monroe Code of Ordinances
Title IX: General Regulations
Chapter 92: Noise Control
§ 92.07 ANIMALS. It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or have in his possession, or harbor, any dog, other animal or bird(s) which, by frequent or habitually howling, yelping, barking, or otherwise cause loud noises, and produce seriously annoying disturbance to any person or to the neighborhood.
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Barking Dog Owner, (of course I'll use their real names in the letter...)
During the 7 months following the 2nd time you were summoned to court for violating the animal noise ordinance, I rarely heard any barking from your dogs, and things had been very acceptable. I was finally able to begin getting proper sleep and also spend more time in my yard, not to mention just enjoy being at home again. If this had been my experience with your dogs from the beginning, we would never have had a problem.
However, over the last few weeks you have been allowing [The Loud One] to remain in the yard barking for extended periods, and I have been disturbed and annoyed to the point of having to call the police on November 9, 2011 at approximately 3:30 a.m., after having been awakened at approximately 2:00 a.m. and then having to endure his barking for the next 1 1/2 hours, until the police arrived at which time you quickly called the dogs in, but not soon enough because the officer had heard the barking before he pulled into the driveway. I also have several video/sound recordings, that I made from inside of my house, of [The Loud One] barking during the 1 1/2 hours before I called the police.
You have 2 choices here:
- You can refrain from allowing your dogs to bark during the day, and keep them inside at night like the judge ordered at the last court hearing, or
- You can let them bark at whatever time of the day or night you wish and I'll make sure you receive another citation for violating the animal noise ordinance (see attached) at which time I will tell the Court that you have not abided by the Judge's order to keep your dogs inside at night (and I have video/sound recording and witness statements to this effect). As a courtesy, I'll remind you that at the last court hearing the judge said he would consider taking the dogs away if a 3rd citation was issued for this same violation.
In addition to your negligence in this matter, I have several witnesses who will testify as to your malicious behavior, in other words that, after I asked you to stop the barking and then involved the law, you spitefully proceeded to make your dogs to bark at your command in order to annoy me further (harrassment).
Further more, if any of my cats disappear, are harmed, or die of anything other than natural causes, I will immediately bring a Private Nuisance lawsuit against you.
If these were my dogs I never would have allowed this to happen but since I have no control over your dogs, the choice is yours as it always has been. You decide which way you want this to go.
Sincerely,
Barking Mad in NC
(attachment)
City of Monroe Code of Ordinances
Title IX: General Regulations
Chapter 92: Noise Control
§ 92.07 ANIMALS. It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or have in his possession, or harbor, any dog, other animal or bird(s) which, by frequent or habitually howling, yelping, barking, or otherwise cause loud noises, and produce seriously annoying disturbance to any person or to the neighborhood.
Here We Go Again...
Well, knowing my neighbors as I do, I should have known it wouldn't last.
I haven't written since my neighbors received their 2nd citation for violating the animal noise ordinance because since then there has been very little barking and I have been trying to recover and heal from the horrible noise trauma and sleep deprivation of the previous 2+ years of barking hell.
To sum up the last legal events at the 2nd court hearing on April 7, 2011...well, I won't go into the statements I made as you can pretty much guess all that, but Mr. Barking Dog had to face the court alone because he was again deserted by his wife (who was the one who wanted the barking dogs). To further spare you the gory details I'll sum it up by saying that he pleaded guilty, the judge once again fined him $100 (plus court fees), told him the dogs were to be inside the house...not on the screened porch (as I had told the judge that when I am in any room on that side of the house I can also hear them barking when they are in the screened porch), between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and also told him that if they received a 3rd citation the court would consider taking the dogs away, or sending them to training classes because we can't have people having their sleep and peace disturbed like this. Well, I'm certain none of them want to attend training classes with their unruly mutts, and I know at least Mrs. Barking Dog does not want the dogs taken away, and I also know that they really cannot afford to continue paying fines. Mr. Barking Dog was not happy that the dogs had to be inside (remember, they are not house trained...even though they've had both dogs since they were young pups). He wanted to leave them on the screened porch but the judge wasn't having it... thank you Your Honor.
Well, I'll tell you this: they did not keep both dogs in the house between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., but they did keep the shrill, chronic, yakker...The Loud One...inside at night and I heard very little from that obnoxious fellow. You have no idea what a relief this was...or unfortunately, maybe you do. Initially they also kept the other dog...The (Formerly) Quiet One...in the house at night, but then I began seeing her in the yard at night on her own. She would bark occasionally, which would immediately stir up anxiety, but it never lasted long and, I'll tell ya, if that's all the barking there ever had been all this time we would not have had a problems here.
Back to the present: for the last few weeks the Shrill One has been left in the yard for longer intervals and of course when this fellow is in the yard, he must bark. Remember, this idiot doesn't breath, he barks. If he just let out a few yaks now and then, it would be OK, but that's just not him and they are allowing him to go on and on...and the periods are becoming longer...the other day it was about 2 hours, and I finally went out and gave him a good blast with my water cannon. The sad thing is, besides the obvious noise, is that when both those dogs see me near the fence they run over wagging their tail, jumping up to get their heads scratched. I'll oblige The Quiet One with the reward, as she once again is living up to her name, and I feel sorry for her because both Mr. & Mrs. Barking Dog never really wanted her...but anyway all that is another issue totally.
To get back to the problem at hand, the other night beginning just before 2 a.m. and continuing on until I called the cops at about 3:30 a.m., The Loud One was outside yakking his head off. Initially I just tried to ignore it because I thought surely they would put a stop to the racket. But no, so I called the cops and, I'll be damned, no sooner had I gotten off the phone I saw the dog run to the back door wagging their tails, looking up at the door... Now what does that tell you? Well, one time the Animal Control officer said they might have a police scanner...hmmm...
At that point the police hadn't arrived yet, and the dogs were left outside but the barking had ceased so I thought..."oh, great...just what I need, for the cops to show up and there is no barking." But as luck would have it, the Loud One began yakking again just when I saw the police car cruising by, and as soon as they pulled into the driveway the dogs started barking. Just as quickly, however, I saw someone open the back door and the dogs ran inside. Later, when I talked with the responding officer...who I might add was very sympathetic because he'd had a barking dog problem with one of his neighbors...can you imagine someone allowing their barking dog to disturb a police officer in the middle of the night?...the officer told me he'd heard the barking when he first got their and that nobody would answer the door. I told him what had happened, the dogs being let inside right about the same time I saw him getting out of his car. I briefly, if you can believe that, told him the whole story, from beginning to end, and he said he would leave a report with the Animal Control officer to follow up.
I called the Animal Control officer later in the morning, but he was going in late that day and so had not yet seen any memos but he said he would follow up with a nice visit to my barking dog neighbors. I did not see him but he must have done so because that day and that night there were maybe only a dozen isolated barks.
Unfortunately, yesterday late afternoon the damn shrill yakker was out there for a couple of hours and i finally went out to blast him with my water cannon...this time laced with citronella...but as soon as I got out there he ran to the back door. What does that tell you? No, I'm not just paranoid. One of my other neighbors and a couple of friends are convinced they let or make that dog bark just to annoy me now. Well, I know it's true because I caught Mrs. Barking Dog doing exactly that in the past, a senior citizen in her mid 60s...such a rude and childish person. So, on to the next step with I will outline in my next posting...
I haven't written since my neighbors received their 2nd citation for violating the animal noise ordinance because since then there has been very little barking and I have been trying to recover and heal from the horrible noise trauma and sleep deprivation of the previous 2+ years of barking hell.
To sum up the last legal events at the 2nd court hearing on April 7, 2011...well, I won't go into the statements I made as you can pretty much guess all that, but Mr. Barking Dog had to face the court alone because he was again deserted by his wife (who was the one who wanted the barking dogs). To further spare you the gory details I'll sum it up by saying that he pleaded guilty, the judge once again fined him $100 (plus court fees), told him the dogs were to be inside the house...not on the screened porch (as I had told the judge that when I am in any room on that side of the house I can also hear them barking when they are in the screened porch), between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and also told him that if they received a 3rd citation the court would consider taking the dogs away, or sending them to training classes because we can't have people having their sleep and peace disturbed like this. Well, I'm certain none of them want to attend training classes with their unruly mutts, and I know at least Mrs. Barking Dog does not want the dogs taken away, and I also know that they really cannot afford to continue paying fines. Mr. Barking Dog was not happy that the dogs had to be inside (remember, they are not house trained...even though they've had both dogs since they were young pups). He wanted to leave them on the screened porch but the judge wasn't having it... thank you Your Honor.
Well, I'll tell you this: they did not keep both dogs in the house between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., but they did keep the shrill, chronic, yakker...The Loud One...inside at night and I heard very little from that obnoxious fellow. You have no idea what a relief this was...or unfortunately, maybe you do. Initially they also kept the other dog...The (Formerly) Quiet One...in the house at night, but then I began seeing her in the yard at night on her own. She would bark occasionally, which would immediately stir up anxiety, but it never lasted long and, I'll tell ya, if that's all the barking there ever had been all this time we would not have had a problems here.
Back to the present: for the last few weeks the Shrill One has been left in the yard for longer intervals and of course when this fellow is in the yard, he must bark. Remember, this idiot doesn't breath, he barks. If he just let out a few yaks now and then, it would be OK, but that's just not him and they are allowing him to go on and on...and the periods are becoming longer...the other day it was about 2 hours, and I finally went out and gave him a good blast with my water cannon. The sad thing is, besides the obvious noise, is that when both those dogs see me near the fence they run over wagging their tail, jumping up to get their heads scratched. I'll oblige The Quiet One with the reward, as she once again is living up to her name, and I feel sorry for her because both Mr. & Mrs. Barking Dog never really wanted her...but anyway all that is another issue totally.
To get back to the problem at hand, the other night beginning just before 2 a.m. and continuing on until I called the cops at about 3:30 a.m., The Loud One was outside yakking his head off. Initially I just tried to ignore it because I thought surely they would put a stop to the racket. But no, so I called the cops and, I'll be damned, no sooner had I gotten off the phone I saw the dog run to the back door wagging their tails, looking up at the door... Now what does that tell you? Well, one time the Animal Control officer said they might have a police scanner...hmmm...
At that point the police hadn't arrived yet, and the dogs were left outside but the barking had ceased so I thought..."oh, great...just what I need, for the cops to show up and there is no barking." But as luck would have it, the Loud One began yakking again just when I saw the police car cruising by, and as soon as they pulled into the driveway the dogs started barking. Just as quickly, however, I saw someone open the back door and the dogs ran inside. Later, when I talked with the responding officer...who I might add was very sympathetic because he'd had a barking dog problem with one of his neighbors...can you imagine someone allowing their barking dog to disturb a police officer in the middle of the night?...the officer told me he'd heard the barking when he first got their and that nobody would answer the door. I told him what had happened, the dogs being let inside right about the same time I saw him getting out of his car. I briefly, if you can believe that, told him the whole story, from beginning to end, and he said he would leave a report with the Animal Control officer to follow up.
I called the Animal Control officer later in the morning, but he was going in late that day and so had not yet seen any memos but he said he would follow up with a nice visit to my barking dog neighbors. I did not see him but he must have done so because that day and that night there were maybe only a dozen isolated barks.
Unfortunately, yesterday late afternoon the damn shrill yakker was out there for a couple of hours and i finally went out to blast him with my water cannon...this time laced with citronella...but as soon as I got out there he ran to the back door. What does that tell you? No, I'm not just paranoid. One of my other neighbors and a couple of friends are convinced they let or make that dog bark just to annoy me now. Well, I know it's true because I caught Mrs. Barking Dog doing exactly that in the past, a senior citizen in her mid 60s...such a rude and childish person. So, on to the next step with I will outline in my next posting...
Friday, March 18, 2011
The Barking Continues...sounds like a dog kennel out there...oh, and a booming car at 7 a.m.!
Well, knowing my neighbors as well as I do, I should have expected it but I was so relishing the peace and quiet after 3+ years of horrendous barking day & night. Then...
Less than 1 week after my neighbors were fined in court ($100 + court costs = over $200) for violating the animal noise ordinance (Title IX: General Regulations, Chapter 92: Noise Control, § 92.07), one of their dogs woke me up at 2:14 a.m. It wasn't the original shrill yapper, it was one of their other dogs who used to be a quiet dog but had begun barking a lot during the last few months of 2010. I could hear her barking as I was gradually awakened, which I don't think took very long because she was very near their fence, which is about 50 feet from my bedroom...and she is loud. So after 10 minutes I called the police, via the non-emergency 911 number.
The dog continued barking and after a few minutes I looked out of the window and saw a police car slowly cruising by the front of their house, then pulled into the driveway. The officer got out and the dog was barking the whole time. Later the responding officer called me, as I had requested, and he reported that he informed my neighbors that if they didn't stop the barking he'd have to issue a citation. The officer did not know they'd just been in court for the same violation until I informed him of this, and so he left a memo for the Animal Control officers to follow up the next day. AC came out the next day and was ready to issue another citation on the spot, but ...stupid me...what was I thinking...I said I thought a verbal warning would suffice. I think the AC officer thought I was out of my mind, knowing how long I'd been tolerating the awful noise, but he went over and had another talk with my neighbors about their barking dogs.
As soon as the AC left I kicked myself in the ass. Why was I giving them another chance after all the years of torment, the sleepless nights leading to severe sleep deprivation, being unable to even step into my yard or drive into my driveway without being barked at, and being unable to do anything in my yard becaue the barking was so horrendously loud...all met with "that's too bad, you're just gonna have to get used to it" and threats to trap my cat who was usually inside...when I told my neighbor that her dog was keeping me up and I could not sleep? Well, being a peace loving, law abiding citizen who also doesn't understand the concept of continuing to violate laws when there is money at stake, I tend to forget that my neighbors have a few screws loose. So finally after 5-6 weeks of more sleep interruptions I called AC and asked him to come out again...and my neighbors were issued another citation. And since my neighbors still don't understand "I just want to be able to SLEEP because I haven't had a decent night of sleep in almost 3 years because of your barking dogs" I'm still being awakened ever couple of nights, sometimes twice in one night. Granted, the overall barking has decreased considerably...and you can't believe our sense of relief...but I REALLY need to be able to go to bed without feeling anxious about when...not if, but when...I'm going to be shocked awake in the middle of the night by their loud dogs.
To make matters worse, the folks behind me, who have even less of a clue about being responsible dog owners (another story), have a chained dog that has been barking for several hours the last few nights between midnight and 3:00 a.m. They have also recently acquired another dog, a cute puppy, that they also have chained out there...sheesh, what is wrong with people?...and it has been barking as well. Great! A barking puppy!
Did I say I've called the police on them for neglecting their dogs, including not feeding/watering them regularly and not providing shelter for them, and that in Dec. 2009 I actually had to acquire dog houses because the sight and knowledge of those dogs being exposed to the snow and freezing rain drove me insane??? I'm not even a "dog person" but, come on folks, that's mean. These dogs are chained out approximately 275 feet from my house, but the adult dog is LOUD and I can hear her inside my bedroom with all the windows closed. I mean LOUD. However, in contrast to my other neighbors's dogs, at least when I call to her and she recognizes my voice she stops barking. My long time barking neighbors right next door can't recognize an intruder from a neighbor from a rabbit from a leaf dropping...
So 2 nights ago, the "formerly Quiet One "next door was barking, the chained dog and puppy behind me were barking...and when I opened my window to record some evidence of this racket this is what I heard..
Yeah, yeah...I know...dogs bark...the favorite patronizing line of dog lovers and irresponsible dog owners...so is that supposed to make me feel better about being robbed of my sleep and about knowing that most of those barking dogs are neglected in one way or another? Well, I hope you can sleep better at night knowing that "dogs bark" but it doesn't make me feel better about any of it, and what is worse is that the law actually allow people, irresponsible dog owners, to get away with both neglecting their dogs and trespassing into people's homes with this dangerous weapon...noise.
Anyway, to continue on, last night I finally got to sleep around 2:30 a.m. and was sleeping really well this morning...I mean I have a big sleep debt to make up...when I was awakened by the deep vibrating noise of a booming car...it was about 7:00 a.m. when I finally looked at the clock...
Thanks City of Monroe!
Less than 1 week after my neighbors were fined in court ($100 + court costs = over $200) for violating the animal noise ordinance (Title IX: General Regulations, Chapter 92: Noise Control, § 92.07), one of their dogs woke me up at 2:14 a.m. It wasn't the original shrill yapper, it was one of their other dogs who used to be a quiet dog but had begun barking a lot during the last few months of 2010. I could hear her barking as I was gradually awakened, which I don't think took very long because she was very near their fence, which is about 50 feet from my bedroom...and she is loud. So after 10 minutes I called the police, via the non-emergency 911 number.
The dog continued barking and after a few minutes I looked out of the window and saw a police car slowly cruising by the front of their house, then pulled into the driveway. The officer got out and the dog was barking the whole time. Later the responding officer called me, as I had requested, and he reported that he informed my neighbors that if they didn't stop the barking he'd have to issue a citation. The officer did not know they'd just been in court for the same violation until I informed him of this, and so he left a memo for the Animal Control officers to follow up the next day. AC came out the next day and was ready to issue another citation on the spot, but ...stupid me...what was I thinking...I said I thought a verbal warning would suffice. I think the AC officer thought I was out of my mind, knowing how long I'd been tolerating the awful noise, but he went over and had another talk with my neighbors about their barking dogs.
As soon as the AC left I kicked myself in the ass. Why was I giving them another chance after all the years of torment, the sleepless nights leading to severe sleep deprivation, being unable to even step into my yard or drive into my driveway without being barked at, and being unable to do anything in my yard becaue the barking was so horrendously loud...all met with "that's too bad, you're just gonna have to get used to it" and threats to trap my cat who was usually inside...when I told my neighbor that her dog was keeping me up and I could not sleep? Well, being a peace loving, law abiding citizen who also doesn't understand the concept of continuing to violate laws when there is money at stake, I tend to forget that my neighbors have a few screws loose. So finally after 5-6 weeks of more sleep interruptions I called AC and asked him to come out again...and my neighbors were issued another citation. And since my neighbors still don't understand "I just want to be able to SLEEP because I haven't had a decent night of sleep in almost 3 years because of your barking dogs" I'm still being awakened ever couple of nights, sometimes twice in one night. Granted, the overall barking has decreased considerably...and you can't believe our sense of relief...but I REALLY need to be able to go to bed without feeling anxious about when...not if, but when...I'm going to be shocked awake in the middle of the night by their loud dogs.
To make matters worse, the folks behind me, who have even less of a clue about being responsible dog owners (another story), have a chained dog that has been barking for several hours the last few nights between midnight and 3:00 a.m. They have also recently acquired another dog, a cute puppy, that they also have chained out there...sheesh, what is wrong with people?...and it has been barking as well. Great! A barking puppy!
So 2 nights ago, the "formerly Quiet One "next door was barking, the chained dog and puppy behind me were barking...and when I opened my window to record some evidence of this racket this is what I heard..
Yeah, yeah...I know...dogs bark...the favorite patronizing line of dog lovers and irresponsible dog owners...so is that supposed to make me feel better about being robbed of my sleep and about knowing that most of those barking dogs are neglected in one way or another? Well, I hope you can sleep better at night knowing that "dogs bark" but it doesn't make me feel better about any of it, and what is worse is that the law actually allow people, irresponsible dog owners, to get away with both neglecting their dogs and trespassing into people's homes with this dangerous weapon...noise.
Anyway, to continue on, last night I finally got to sleep around 2:30 a.m. and was sleeping really well this morning...I mean I have a big sleep debt to make up...when I was awakened by the deep vibrating noise of a booming car...it was about 7:00 a.m. when I finally looked at the clock...
Thanks City of Monroe!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Misery of the Barking Dog...
One thing I find extremely annoying, almost as annoying as a barking dog, is a dog owner who thinks everyone should like dogs just because they do. This is an absurd school of thought, and even "responsible" dog owners are guilty of this unfair assumption. I like cats but I know not everyone likes cats and, well, it is what it is. So what. Some people love sky diving but I'll be damned if I'm going to jump out of a perfectly good plane in flight and plunge toward the earth with only a piece of cloth and some strings between me and my demise, and no one is going to convince me that I should.
Even if you like dogs and understand how their neglect can contribute to their chronic barking, at some point during the barking nightmare the dog's own misery becomes irrelevant. What is important is your own survival and anyone who, after knowing that a person is in the midst of suffering from barking dogs and has been for several years, implies that the misery of the barking dog should be at all important is tactless and insensitive and especially so if the person making such a statement has also been the victim of heartless dog owners who allow their barking dogs to ruin other people's lives. One would think that they'd remember how utterly hopeless one feels, how fragile one become both physically and emotionally, and the unmentionable thoughts that go through one's mind when one is forced out of their yard, becomes conditioned by the barking to hate their own home, has panic attacks when nearing their home after being away, suffers from severe sleep deprivation and has anxiety at the mere thought of going to bed, suffers extreme stress, tension, depression...fears for their family's well being...because it seems like there will never be any relief from the awful noise of the barking dog...
I recently had this happen to me on a new barking dog forum that I thought was supposed to be, among other things, a support group for people who are suffering, or have suffered, through the nightmare of having their health and lives ruined from being forced to listen to the interminable, infernal barking of dogs. I was extremely offended by the statement, and what made it even worse was the reaction of the administrator of this new forum, who was also the founder of another online barking dog support group which had actually been a great help to me. Unfortunately that group is now defunct, and has been replaced by this new forum on which the administrator, it seems, does not want anyone to express their true feelings of despair and their fear of meeting their demise due to barking dog, unless they hide their feelings of despise toward the dog for fear of offending dog owners. All I can say is shame on you. I promptly deleted all my posts, deleted myself from the forum and also from the other support group as well as another social network page began by the same person.
Even some of us who like dogs and don't like to see them suffer can't help but feel a certain amount of animosity toward the creature that is causing us so much misery with the awful, unending noise it produces, even knowing that ultimately it is the dog's negligent owner that is responsible for allowing the behavioral problem to develop and continue on to become such a nuisance to everyone within hearing distance...especially those of us right next door.
I've had dogs in the past whose company I really enjoyed, and I know a number of really great dogs that belong to friends, but after having lived so long surrounded by neighbors whose dogs' barking has driven me out of my yard and home and out of my mind, and by the smell of dog feces left to accumulate in their yards that has made it impossible to enjoy my yard or even open doors and windows on a nice day, and having felt great despair at the suffering of some of my neighbors' neglected and abused dogs, I no longer wish to be around dogs, and at this point I feel that I will never want to share my home with another dog. I would never harm a dog, unless of course it was about to attack, and I'll still enjoy visiting my friend's good dogs, but I can no longer enjoy living around dogs. I know that it's not the dog's fault that it has been allowed to become such a negative force, but it is what it is...
One thing that is unfortunate about all this is I know that if I want to see changes made in the legislation that protects people from the products of irresponsible dog owners I'll have to mingle with people who only want the changes made for the welfare of the dogs and don't really give a crap about people. And this is where, I believe, they will loose support because the numbers would be much larger if dog people would acknowledge that not everyone likes dogs yet everyone can be negatively affected by irresponsible dog owners, weak and non existent laws, and slack law enforcement. But as it is, the dog welfare folks just mostly repell folks for whom dogs are not top priority, but who would also like to see changes made.
Even if you like dogs and understand how their neglect can contribute to their chronic barking, at some point during the barking nightmare the dog's own misery becomes irrelevant. What is important is your own survival and anyone who, after knowing that a person is in the midst of suffering from barking dogs and has been for several years, implies that the misery of the barking dog should be at all important is tactless and insensitive and especially so if the person making such a statement has also been the victim of heartless dog owners who allow their barking dogs to ruin other people's lives. One would think that they'd remember how utterly hopeless one feels, how fragile one become both physically and emotionally, and the unmentionable thoughts that go through one's mind when one is forced out of their yard, becomes conditioned by the barking to hate their own home, has panic attacks when nearing their home after being away, suffers from severe sleep deprivation and has anxiety at the mere thought of going to bed, suffers extreme stress, tension, depression...fears for their family's well being...because it seems like there will never be any relief from the awful noise of the barking dog...
I recently had this happen to me on a new barking dog forum that I thought was supposed to be, among other things, a support group for people who are suffering, or have suffered, through the nightmare of having their health and lives ruined from being forced to listen to the interminable, infernal barking of dogs. I was extremely offended by the statement, and what made it even worse was the reaction of the administrator of this new forum, who was also the founder of another online barking dog support group which had actually been a great help to me. Unfortunately that group is now defunct, and has been replaced by this new forum on which the administrator, it seems, does not want anyone to express their true feelings of despair and their fear of meeting their demise due to barking dog, unless they hide their feelings of despise toward the dog for fear of offending dog owners. All I can say is shame on you. I promptly deleted all my posts, deleted myself from the forum and also from the other support group as well as another social network page began by the same person.
Even some of us who like dogs and don't like to see them suffer can't help but feel a certain amount of animosity toward the creature that is causing us so much misery with the awful, unending noise it produces, even knowing that ultimately it is the dog's negligent owner that is responsible for allowing the behavioral problem to develop and continue on to become such a nuisance to everyone within hearing distance...especially those of us right next door.
"I have often lamented that we cannot close our ears
with as much ease as we can our eyes."
~Richard Steele
with as much ease as we can our eyes."
~Richard Steele
One thing that is unfortunate about all this is I know that if I want to see changes made in the legislation that protects people from the products of irresponsible dog owners I'll have to mingle with people who only want the changes made for the welfare of the dogs and don't really give a crap about people. And this is where, I believe, they will loose support because the numbers would be much larger if dog people would acknowledge that not everyone likes dogs yet everyone can be negatively affected by irresponsible dog owners, weak and non existent laws, and slack law enforcement. But as it is, the dog welfare folks just mostly repell folks for whom dogs are not top priority, but who would also like to see changes made.
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