The Los Angeles City Council has amended its city’s barking law imposing heavy fines on owners of dogs that bark excessively, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A dog’s barking is considered excessive if it lasts for 10 minutes or more. It is also excessive if a dog barks intermittently for 30 minutes or more within a three-hour period. Penalties would range from $250 for first offense, $500 for second offense and $1,000 for third offense.
Brenda Barnette, general manager of the Animal Services Department, in citing the fines as reasonable said:
“If a dog hears somebody or something and barks, that’s a good thing. That’s a warning. If a dog just stays ut and barks and barks, that’s really not reasonable.”
Jose Sigala, president of the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council’s board, said that the fines are steep and would affect a lot of working-class neighborhoods.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to sign the amended ordinance.
It’s time to train your dog to bark silently.
