NEED TO MAKE A BARKING DOG COMPLAINT?
We understand excessively barking dogs can have a negative effect on the quality of life in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, there is no immediate solution to complaints of excessive animal noise.
Here are the steps you can take to begin filing a complaint if you live in one of our 11 animal control cities:
Step 1: Report the excessive barking to the Pasadena Humane by calling 626.792.7151 ext. 217. You must provide the full address, including the unit or apartment number (if applicable), of where the dog lives, as well as provide your full name and address so that we may send you a blank petition and logs by USPS mail.
Step 2: Pasadena Humane will make an effort to find resolution to the issue by contacting the dog’s owner or guardian and providing them with advice on how to reduce their dog’s barking. Most complaints are successfully handled via communication and education.
Step 3: If the issue is not resolved once the dog owner has been contacted, you may begin the formal legal process to have the dog declared a “public nuisance” by completing the forms (the petition and logs) that were provided to you.
Step 4: Once you and your neighbors have completed the forms, they must be submitted to the Pasadena Humane Field Services Department.
Step 5: Once Pasadena Humane has received the completed forms and verified that everyone who signed the petition and completed a log is willing to attend a hearing, the case is forwarded to the City or to the County (depending on jurisdiction) for review and consideration for a hearing.
PUBLIC NUISANCE PETITION
The process to declare a neighbor’s pet (or pets) a “public nuisance” is as follows:
A person who is directly affected by excessive barking must sign a petition and collect the signature of at least two additional neighbors who are also directly affected. Everyone who signs the petition must complete a 7-day log documenting each date and time they hear the pet creating the excessive noise. NOTE: A minimum of 3 signatures are required for the petition; every person who signs the petition must complete a 7-day log; and everyone who signs the petition and completes a log must be at least 18 years of age and live at a separate address from each other. In addition, everyone who signs the petition and completes a log must be willing and able to attend a hearing and testify against the dog owner.
Need help with your barking dog?
Barking is a way that dogs communicate with each other and with humans. But, excessively barking dogs can become a problem for neighbors.
Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. Here are some recommendations to reduce your dogs barking:
- Leave your dog indoors when you are gone. Dogs left unattended outdoors are more prone to bark out of boredom or to alert bark at perceived threats.
- Close windows and limit visual access to outdoor stimuli that cause your dog to alert bark. Turning up the TV or radio might help too.
- Dogs are social animals. Limit the amount of time your dog is left alone by hiring a dog walker or asking a neighbor to come by to visit. Doggy day care facilities may be appropriate for some dogs.
- Access to a yard (even if it’s large) is not enough! Mental stimulation and exercise are very important parts of your dog’s daily routine. By walking your dog daily, you are providing them with exercise as well as enrichment. Sniffing the environment can reduce stress.
- Boredom busters: Along with exercise, providing new and fun things for your dogs to interact with daily can help to prevent excessive barking.
More tips to reduce your dog’s barking can be found here. If you need additional assistance, please make an appointment with our behavior helpline or email behavior@pasadenahumane.org.
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Questions? Contact our barking dog helpline at 626.792.7151 ext. 217.
