Community Chat

[NYC Susan]

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@Sooner wrote:

Who can afford to "JUST MOVE"?  Six percent reality fees, moving costs, etc.  Good grief.I sure couldn't "just move."  Call the police and get the dog shut up.  Surely there are laws where you live.

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I agree that "just move" is not a good solution.  Neighbors move in and out.  A neighborhood that's nice and quiet could change overnight, and by the same token these noisy neighbors might leave and things would be peaceful again.  Where is she supposed to go where there will be a guarantee of no noise and no problems?  An over-55 community might guarantee no kids, but that doesn't mean there won't be issues with noise and other annoyances.

I moved recently, and even under the best of circumstances it's enormously stressful and very expensive.  That's too much to go through, IMO, when there could be problems with neighbors in the new neighborhood too!

In this situation, I would round up the neighbors who have commented, and see if they would band together and approach the dog owners as a group.  Firmly, but nicely.  If that didn't help, I wouldn't hesitate to call the police.

Good luck, OP!  You have been patient, and you shouldn't have to live this way.

[Kachina624]

@jackiejenny  You presumably have an elected representative.  I would get that persons phone number and ride is b--- mercilessly.  Remember the squeaky wheel gets the oil.  It's very easy for city personnel to slough off noise complaints because people aren't persistent.  Approach it in an organized manner, keeping a log of barking time and lengths with action taken.  Keep after it. 

[Shawnie]

I did not read all of the posts.  But it sounds to me like you live in the wrong community.  Dogs barking, yes annoying. Close your windows, turn on the tv, do something until it stops.  Children being happy playing?  Learn to ignore it, go play with them, make friends.  Someday they will be teenagers.  You want them to like you.  I live in a town house community.  It takes practice learning to tolerate all kinds of people.  It is like living in the city with all of it noise.  Accept it or go crazy!!

[jackiejenny]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@jackiejenny  You presumably have an elected representative.  I would get that persons phone number and ride is b--- mercilessly.  Remember the squeaky wheel gets the oil.  It's very easy for city personnel to slough off noise complaints because people aren't persistent.  Approach it in an organized manner, keeping a log of barking time and lengths with action taken.  Keep after it. 

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@Kachina624~~~Yes, I do have an elected representative and I tried that too. Oh, he listened, was trying to be sympathetic, but alas, did nothing. He has been replaced now, thank God, so I should try again. 

Honestly, I have been working on this for YEARS, but everyone wants to pass the buck.  Admittedly, I got so frustrated, I stopped,but you are right, I need to get back on it.

One of the problems is this town is famous for passing ordinances and not enforcing them. Even my mailman has tried to help me resolve this....he has to dodge the dogs every day! 

It's funny, I am known for being persistant, so it's not like me to drop it. 

Thank you so much Kachina for your great advice. 

[IamMrsG]

@jackiejenny   Does your local news channel have a consumer advocate?  This is the kind of (negative) publicity officials dread. You have to make them care.

[jackiejenny]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

@jackiejenny   Does your local news channel have a consumer advocate?  This is the kind of (negative) publicity officials dread. You have to make them care.

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Not that I am aware of, but I will check into that. 

Isn't it the truth....those same officials who are elected but don't want to do their jobs. 

Thanks, IamMrsG. 

[Irshgrl31201]

To the posters who keep commenting that she should not call 911. She called the non emergency number and they were the ones that told her to call 911 to handle this. 

I think you couldn't have been nicer and more accommodating and frankly I think you have been nice enough. I would definitely call the police. I think it says what kind of people they are when they left the dogs outside to annoy their neighbors because they had company over and didn't want the dogs bothering them. Who does that? I will never understand people like that. It would completely eat at me if I knew my dog was barking nonstop outside.

If you feel like it, I would give them one call to let them know you are at your wits end and the next call will be to the police but honestly I wouldn't even bother. It sounds like you have tried to talk to them on several occasions and if they STILL don't realize or care that their dogs are driving you crazy, I doubt one more call from you would.

So what if they know you called the cops? I don't understand when people feel guilty when they have tried over and over in a civil way to handle something to no avail. THEY DON'T CARE THAT YOU HAVE HAD NO PEACE AND HAVE TRIED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IN A VERY CIVIL WAY REPEATEDLY. Exactly why should you care when they obviously don't?

You have nothing to feel guilty about. Call the police and call them every single time that it happens. Some people just don't care about the peace and comfort of others and if that is the case maybe money will get their attention and that is what they will care about (in fines). I know in our town repeatedly ignoring ordinances starts with a small fine but if they keep ignoring it, they get quite significant.

[Tukey]

When we were kids we had one of those roller coaster things - at least a 70s style one.  Oh the memories - but we used it in the basement not outside.

My Mom had people with kids moved in next door and it was sort of the same thing - an acre sized yard but the swing set, etc was installed right immediately up against the end of the yard closest to my Mom's house/windows.  I guess people just don't care!

[CalminHeart]

Dogs bark.  That's what they do.  

Close your window. I have neighbors whose dogs bark and I don't hear them when the window on that side of the house is shut.  How old are your windows.  Do you have double or triple pane?  I have just double and it keeps noise out.

Install a high fence that will buffer the noise.

Most noise ordinances start at 10pm.

I won't write what I really want to.

[Julie928]

@CalminHeart ~ Yes, I am aware that dogs bark.  I have three dogs myself but the difference is when our dogs bark we bring them in.  Letting your two dogs bark outside for 45 minutes nonstop?  I'm sorry, that is wrong.  To answer your question, our windows are 3 three years old, double paned.

ETA:  Our windows are closed.  The only time I open them on that side of the house is when they go out of town.

And to the poster that made the comment about children playing being happy ~ be as happy as you want,  just be happy away from our windows.  I'm very tired of people making excuses for bad behavior ~ and by bad behavior I am talking about the parents, the ADULTS letting this type of noise continue.  I would like to be happy, too.  I would like to be able to sit out back in my yard, by my pond (which I paid a lot of money for) and read a book.  I would like to have our guests over without people commenting about the excessive dog barking.  Most of you get it, a few of you don't.  There are other issues at play (pardon the pun) that I'm not even getting into.  I could write a book with all the c--p we've gone through.  Literally.  Tell me ~ is it okay to throw your infant's dirty diapers into the driveway (without a bag) only to have a wild animal drag it over to my property?  I guess I'm wrong to get mad about that, too.  Let me guess ~ kids poop, so I should just ignore it?   Pooping is a part of life, perhaps I should get out the rubber gloves and start paying to get rid of their trash?  I could go on and on but it looks like this thread has run it's course.  Thank you to all who have responded.  Even if I do not agree with the few comments here I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond.