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We are suffering quite a lot from our neighbor's dog barking. The town we live (if this could be helpful, it's northern part of Bergen county) has a noise ordinance. It requires dog to keep barking continuously for 30 mins in order to be counted as a noise violation. However, the problem with my neighbor's dog is it always barking but seldomly continously for 30 mins. It barks for about 10 mins. Then rests for a couple hours, then randomly starts to bark again for about 10 mins. Then rests again and randomly starts again.
And whenever we go out to our yards, either for playing with our kids or do lawn mowing, it keeps barking as long as it can see or hear us. My daughter was so scared and she refused to play outside in our own backyard.
We've talked with the neighbor. They told us dogs bark and nothing they can do. I just told them there are more than 5 dogs on the street block where we live. None of the other dogs bark as often as theirs.
Their dog recently begins to bark at night, after 10:00pm, waking up my wife and kids. We called the police of the town. First, they insisted the dog has to keep barking in order for them to dispatch officers. We told them the dog normally just barks for 10 mins. But these 10 mins are long enough to wake up my whole family. But the police said 10 mins isn't long enough for them to come over. After repeatedly calling them, they finally dispatched someone over. However, they stayed outside, waiting for the dog to bark. As expected, the dog barked again for about 10 mins after 10:30pm, and stopped just before the officers came. So, the officers told me they can't do anything about it since the dog stopped barking.
The officers may be right. But this intermittent interruption is bad enough to make me crazy. My wife is understandably so reluctant to avoid confrontation with them. But each time the dog barks at night, I just can't control my urge to knock the hell of my neighbor's door and yell the heck out of them.
What options do we have? Police officers told me we can file a noise complaint. Will this be useful? If we file the complaint, will the officers come and talk to the neighbor even if their dog don't bark? My wife is reluctant to do so since she's worried the office will inform my neighbor that it's us who filed the complaint and she's worried my neighbor will be crazy enough to harm our kid for this. What should we do if the formal noise complaint still doesn't work? Ultimately, can a letter from some lawyer help out? My wife is even thinking about selling our house just due to this stupid dog. But I'm afraid this f*** stupid dog will just ruin our sale even if we want to sell the house. I am almost being driven crazy by this.
Damn I'm writing this post at 1:00am tonight since this dog barked again at 11pm for ~10 mins and my wife and me had a big fight on how to properly approach this...
Any help or suggestion is appreciated.
I'm very sorry you have to put up with this.
You aren't a time keeper. If the dog is barking, say it's been barking for at least 30 minutes. Then the police will come out and talk to the neighbor each time this happens. Is someone else wants to dispute the amount of time the dog barks, then let them show their time keeping records, because as far as you are concerned the dog is barking for at least 30 minutes.
The other thing to do, is talk to other neighbors you are friends with who are bothered by this. Give them to also call the police. It would be best if you could coordinate this with them. Call each other first, and then after you hang up, each of you call the police about the noise.
I don't care what anyone says and I totally love dogs. Dogs just don't bark. The owner can do something about it and the owner can also bring the dog in and prevent it from being left outside to bark. Also, the owner can go outside with the dog and not allow it to bark.
The problem here is, you are trying to keep within the 10 minutes nonsense rule. Don't worry about that. You deserve to live and peace and quiet.
I fully understand that you don't want to get into a confrontation with your neighbor, but if you are considering moving because of this, the problem is serious and you must take action.
First thing first, talk to an attorney who knows about real estate law that is familiar with the ordinance of exactly where you live. Lots of time they have them online. From my experience, often times they tell you things and then you find out that isn't what the ordinance says exactly or there is something else you can do that applies to your situation.
After talking with an attorney map out a course of action. If it's filing a complaint with the police and having to go to something like arbitration or court, then do it. Don't live in fear for doing this. Again, talk to your other neighbors about this too and see if they feel the same way about it or will at least support you. Maybe a petition can be signed to make the town do something other a different noise ordinance.
If you have to go to court, then do it. Some people are just jerks and don't care about anyone else and the only way for them to do the right thing is to be forced to do so. Again, truly sorry about this, but take care of it.
Another thing you can do on your end. Look into noise reduction for windows and better sound proofing in your house like the windows of your bedrooms. I know this doesn't sound fair for you to spend money on this, but it's going to cost to sell your house (6% realtor fee) plus the move. So replacing the windows with better sound proofing is going to help. There are websites which specialize in that, I saw one where you don't have to replace the window but install a window within a window and it really blocks out the sound a lot. Don't just look for thicker windows, really do your research on this.
Yes, we've talked with other neighbors. They were annoyed as well. However, so far, only one of them is willing to stand up. Both of my family and this neighbor have young kids. The dog owners once had 4 big dogs barking and running loose in both family's yards. We were scared as hell the dogs could bite our kids. When I went out to talk with the f*** neighbor for the loose dogs, these dogs surrounded me and one of them almost bited me. Only after a big dog fight in their own backyard, they got rid off the other 3 and left one.
However, I think the other neighbors were doing sth although they aren't willing to stand out. I saw couple of times animal control cars coming to the dog owner's house. But the dog owner just pretended nobody at home. Just like last night. The dog owner usually left their driveway light on all through the night. But last night after the dog barked, they conveniently turned off the light. So, when the officers came, one of the reason the officers didn't talk to the dog owner was "their light is off, I don't want to wake them up.". I told the officers the freaking owner just turned off the light one minute before they came. But no use. I guess the f*** dog owner is aware of the noise ordinance as well and that's why they seldomly let the dog bark continously for 30 mins but only intermittently for ~ 10mins each time.
So, my question here is, if we want to unite other neighbors to resolve this issue, what's the approach we can take? Should we just knock the owner's door and talk to them (which is very unlikely to gather all the people) OR should we take some sort of formal complaint form and ask the neighbors to sign on it, OR I just ask the other neighbors to also call police?
Thanks!
Write a letter to each of your neighbors and send it to them by postal mail to gather support. But be very clear what you need them to do to take action. Don't just voice about the problem. Tell them you need their support to get this taken care of and outline deals what you need. But really go study the ordinances for your town so you know what you can do. Be serious in your study, read the whole thing if you have to. There might be a petition situation that would help. Also, give the details of what they need to do, if you want them to call, tell them to call, give the number and what they need to say exactly to make it work.
Explain in one paragraph in the letter what the problem is and how serious it is for you and your family, and you suspect they are going through the same problem with this barking dog.
It's better to send a letter, because if you go to the door and talk with them, they might just say they don't want to get involved, but if they change their mind later or want to discuss it with the rest of the family, your letter would be there for them all to see and discuss. And send it postal mail, don't just put it in the mailbox yourself to save on a stamp because they might think it's something unimportant like a block-party thing and just toss it.
I don't think doing this is a good idea, because someone causing this kind of problem for others isn't a mentally health person to begin with. What if he is sitting there drunk out of his mind and shoots at the door because he's sick of the door bell being rung or thinks it's someone just trying to bother him.
Hmmm... As I've lived in many places and several cities/states, I've seen just about everything. After some time, we understood some basic facts, and one is, where you live must be where you want to live. Be with the type of people you feel comfortable with, and the rest seems to take care of itself, mostly. If you get along with the neighbors, like them, or if your apartment manager thinks like you do, things seem to smile, mostly. But if you're trying to employ your views of how things should be in a neighborhood counter to you...good luck. The law doesn't do much.
One of our top priorities: Live where you'll like it. If you can, don't live someplace just to save a few bucks. The money you spend (even if it's a few hundred bucks more) to live where you'll like your neighbors, landlord, area will be well worth it. You won't need to buy all that alcohol, food, and other distraction because coming home is a disaster waiting to happen (Just emphasizing. I've lived where it was very noisy, and learned to tune out and used noise in the apartment as background. Worked.). You'll actually like staying home, reading a good book, watching old flicks, and talking with neighbors.
I agree with this. Where you live has to be comfortable. It's not about impressing others, but to live where you want to live and need to means not buying superbowl tickets or vacations to expensive locations then do it. Because every day of your life you have to come home and your home should be your sanctuary from the rest of the world, not a place for problems.
Hello,
Read your concern. Many reasons for
barking. You can read separation anxiety.
Are the owners interactive with their dog?
Meaning (2) 15 to 20 minute walks daily .Including taking their just
for quick urinal relieves 2 daily. Is there playtime?
This Bonds their dog with the family dynamics, creates confidence.
Also assist in focusing the canine's behavior.
Also could be neurological or psychological aspects.
Could also be good or environment. Satisfied, content canines
do not continually bark.
Are they continuing tethering the dog?
How old is the dog. Is the dog crated excessively.
Calling Animal Vontrol with these concerns listed, should
assist.
Have the taken their family dog to a vet for observation.
Are the dogs nails trimmed? This could an issue also.
All of the above can be "Googled" at your convience.
This should help. The simple fact their family dog is barking
really us a concern, thus behavior continues to persist.
I fell bad for their dog, it's totally their responsibility, totally.
i dont think the jail time part will hold up, i think its little too extreme for a dog barking....but the fine and the community service are good punishments.
jail time will be reserved for people that have been reported multiple times, but even then, its excessive
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Hmmm... As I've lived in many places and several cities/states, I've seen just about everything. After some time, we understood some basic facts, and one is, where you live must be where you want to live. Be with the type of people you feel comfortable with, and the rest seems to take care of itself, mostly. If you get along with the neighbors, like them, or if your apartment manager thinks like you do, things seem to smile, mostly. But if you're trying to employ your views of how things should be in a neighborhood counter to you...good luck. The law doesn't do much.
Intermittent Dog Barking (New Jersey)
New law: Hefty fine, jail time
