Dogs Barking?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

I'm feeling brave, so I will pose a question to the DS community:

I live on the Davis side of Ball Square, and sometime this spring, I began to notice what I consider to be unusual and excessive barking from a neighborhood dog(s). I'm rarely home during the day, so I paid little attention, and a barking dog certainly fits within what I consider normal (sub)urban noise.

Unemployment changed all that, and I now realize that said dog is barking consistently throughout the day.

I am concerned from two standpoints: 1) animal welfare and 2) noise control. I've worked with the ASPCA, and to me, I associate consistent barking with kennel dogs. I wonder if the excessive barking might result from an inhumane or otherwise inappropriate condition for a dog? Also, should I really have to hear this? It's obnoxious to say the least to put your dog outside and let it bark all day.

As best I can tell, the noise originates from the Broadway, Cedar Street, Lowell Branch commuter rail triangle. The first step is to obviously go over there on a warmer day so I can drive with my windows down and identify the residence.

After that, what would be the appropriate course of action? Should this be filed as a noise complaint? Or should I call animal control? If both paths are available, does anyone have any recommendations on which to choose?

Thank you in advance.

Comments

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

311: "What can I do about the dog next door that is left outside and continually barks? (http://faqs.somervillema.intelligovsoftware.com/barkingdog.aspx)"

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

But it's not next door.

Just kidding. Thank you so much for that link. I'm glad that the City had the answer readily available.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

No opinion on the noise front: it sounds like it would be super annoying over time, but how much depends on a lot of things.

On the animal welfare front, I don't think a dog barking necessarily means inhumane treatment. I have neighbors who are super awesome with their dog, but the dog barks when they're not home, I think because she misses them. I suppose it could be argued that it's cruel to leave a pack animal alone during the day, but in the grand scheme of things, that seems like a problem that requires a lot of digging. It's not impossible that these folks are being cruel in some other way to their dog, but the barking definitely isn't enough sign to make me think so.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

To clarify, I was just concerned from an animal welfare standpoint. The conditions might be very humane (I don't know).

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

agreed. it could go either way. the dog could be kept in one room and barking as he thinks his owners are somewhere he can't get to them, in which case it might benefit from crate training. on the other hand, he might be left to roam the house and is just the type of dog that barks at every little thing - a noise, a person or other dog walking by outside, etc.

i usually leave a radio or tv on for my dogs for a little while after i leave to create some noise to muffle other things going on, so they aren't hearing every little thing.

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

I live on Lowell Street and the dog next door does bark a lot. A LOT. Especially when my kids and I have the temerity to go into our backyard, adjoining his.

I don't know whether this is the dog you're hearing, but if it is, his owners are very elderly and don't speak English. There may be a cultural thing going on. Or they may just not be up to the task of caring for a dog. As far as I know they never walk him; he just runs around in the yard. To be fair, when he barks at us in our backyard, his owner does come out and shush him and he shuts right up when the guy is there.

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

I know that there used to be a house on Warner that had a loud-barking dog most of the day.

[houlette.livejournal.com]

I think the dog in question may be my neighbor's. It does indeed live in the backyard, and it's driving us nuts. It barks all day at the tire that it plays with. We've tried calling 311 without much luck.

When it warms up and we open the windows, it's really going to get annoying.

[houlette.livejournal.com]

This is on the Somerville side of Boston Ave, by the way.

Quiet enjoyment

[coeceo.livejournal.com]

I'm taking a Mass Real estate class and just learned about property rights. As a renter or owner of a property you do have the right of quiet enjoyment of your realty.

Food for thought. And quiet is of course relative and governed by local regs probably to the specific decibal.

[lefauxfrog.livejournal.com]

The dog next door to my apartment barks whenever anyone approaches his territory which seems to be approximately one square mile. This includes my tiny balcony, which he can see easily over the fence.

God forbid I let my cat out to get some fresh air. The dog's owners chastise him whenever they're outside with him (about 1/4 of the time) but I don't think they realize the dog doesn't understand English.