City puts bite in 'no barking' ordinance
Source: Daily Commercial.com
September 8, 2007 Author: Brad Buck
MOUNT DORA - The city may put a leash on frequent dog-barking.
Under a proposed change in Mount Dora's noise ordinance, dogs won't be able to just keep barking and barking, creating a disturbance in a neighborhood. Mount Dora already prohibits dogs from barking for five minutes at a time. But under the revised ordinance, even if dogs bark for less than five minutes, their owners can be cited by the city if the dog barks for three periods in 24 hours.
Such barking is considered a noise disturbance.
If passed, residents can add barking dogs to noisy radios, TVs, musical instruments, loudspeakers, tape players, record players, power equipment and similar devices. Loudspeakers, public address systems or similar devices can be used at activities authorized by the city including parades and art festivals.
Currently, the ordinance says dogs can bark for at most five minutes at a time or intermittently for at least 30 minutes.
City staff starting changing the noise law after resident Monique Richardson told the council in August she was concerned about a new renter in her neighborhood that has a dog or dogs that bark at all hours. In response, council members told the city attorney and City Manager Michael Quinn to change the ordinance so enforcement would be easier.
The revised ordinance may go to the council Sept. 18.
