The Starke County Commissioners adopted the Dog Noise Abatement Ordinance Monday night.
There were no public comments concerning the contents of the document during a
public hearing.
The ordinance states that a violation of the ordinance will be considered if “any dog or dogs excessively barks, howls or yelps intermittently or continuously for more than 15 minutes” that results in a complaint to law enforcement officials. Action will also be taken if two or more complaints are filed by people in different households using public spaces such as roads, trails or parks, and are bothered by incessant barking, yelping or howling dogs.
There are ways dog owners or handlers can deal with this issue. By finding out the root of the problem, one can execute the best form of solution. There are a variety of ways to keep dogs from making unnecessary noise, and often times they are very simple. You can read more on https://karmapets.org about simple ways you can help your dog find their calm.
Hunting dogs are addressed in the document. The ordinance currently states that if a dog is engaged in lawful hunting and is accompanied by the owner or custodian, or if a dog is in the act of herding domestic animals for the benefit of the owner, they are considered exempt from violation of the ordinance.
The first offense will result in a warning to the dog owner, and additional offenses within a three year time frame will result in a fine not to exceed $100. Habitual offenses will result in a fine not to exceed $500 per violation.
The ordinance must be published before it takes effect due to the fact that fines are involved.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Office will enforce the ordinance once it takes effect.
