BISBEE — Though it looked like the ordinance would be tabled for more discussion at one point, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors approved revisions to the animal control ordinance after making a few changes of their own.
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Searle was referring to the articles of Section 8 that deal with barking dogs. The ordinance states in 8.1: “It will be unlawful for any person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any dog to permit said dog to bark, howl or otherwise make noises so as to disturb the peace and quiet of any person or persons at any hour of the day or night.” 8.2 states: “An Animal Control Officer who believes that any animal within county limits is barking or howling or otherwise making disturbing noises, and that noise will continue, may impound the animal.” Section 8.3 sets a fine of $30 per instance in addition to impound fees.
Residents have voiced dissatisfaction and pointed out that people in rural areas want their dogs to bark and howl for their protection, and that of their livestock.
Linda May Guerin of Hereford said, “Dogs were made to bark. They’re here to protect us in rural areas.”
His suggestion to strike the “bark, howl or otherwise make noises,” and change it to follow the state statute of “excessive and unrestrained barking” was OK’d.
Supervisor Ann English pointed out that most of the complaints as provided by county Deputy Chief Rod Rothrock were from the Sierra Vista area. The Sierra Vista unincorporated area gets 1,575 complaints annually that make up 42 percent of officers’ workload.
“They’re urbanized and want control of what their neighbors do. People don’t call in the rural areas,” English added.
Rothrock said 3,744 complaints are responded to by five animal control officers, costing more than $500,000 a year, which was a choker for English, who said, “I can’t believe we’re spending $500,000 a year on this. It’s outrageous. What is the county’s responsibility for barking dogs? It’s not a health or safety issue.”
Searle and Supervisor Pat Call disagreed and believed the county needed the authority to deal with noise complaints of animals.
Another change recommended by Searle was in Section 4.1, the definition of abandonment. “Abandonment means either leaving an animal unattended for more than 24 hours or releasing the animal upon public highways, or public or private lands, or failing to provide proper or adequate food, water, exercise, shelter or medical care.” He did not agree with the setting the time limit at 24 hours as some people go away for a weekend and leave plenty of food and water for animals. “That’s hardly abandonment.”
English and Supervisor Pat Call agreed.
In other business the Cochise County supervisors:
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement between Cochise County and the Sierra vista designating the city as the fiscal agency to continue with financial matters for the Upper San Pedro Partnership through February 22, 2013.
• Approved an amendment to an intergovernmental agreement between the county health department and the Arizona Department of Health for an HIV prevention program in the amount of $18,666.
• Approved the acquisition of a 1.93-acre portion of Coffman Road at a cost of $3,000 per acre.
• Tabled a request for a time extension on Bachman Springs Phase 1 subdivision until March 23.
• Approved the abandonment of a portion of the east side of San Fernando Avenue from Ramsey Road north to Sagebrush Road.
Comments
Rob Roy wrote on Sep 9, 2011 10:40 PM:
Seems to me the great idea people have is to tie up the police with petty complaints so they cannot protect us against the REAL dangers that face Arizona every single day - Sounds like a great idea to me?? That is sarcasm by the way if you could not tell.
If that's a great idea let's do away with cars because they make noise when you press the gas pedal!
People grow up and get involved in issues that really matter, PLEASE! "
Ian wrote on Feb 17, 2011 8:53 PM:
Is this just a consipiracy of people that don't like dogs?....or could it possibly be something valid that a responsible Law Officer would find it his job to protect. These are the ones who pay his salary as well. You should educate yourself on the harmful effects of this force fed noise.
Visit barkingdogs.net and learn the facts about this blight. The repercussions of this ignored safety issue include violence against humans as well as dogs, all paying the price when the people hired to protect them aren't interested in their needs.
In turn this will create more work for police when the harm could have been avoided if they intervened as they should.
Think outside of your limited framework. "
Deb wrote on Feb 17, 2011 8:42 PM:
Actually, if you've ever been kept awake night after night, or repeatedly awakend during the night or prematurely in the A.M. by a neighbor's barking dog you will understand that sleep deprivation, and thus dog barking, certainly is a health & safety issue that can also have a profoundly negative affect on people other than the person who is being kept awake.
Sleep deprivation is very damaging psychologically & physically. Even minor changes in sleep can impair a school kid's learning, memory, attention, concentration. Sleep is needed to regenerate certain parts of the body, especially the brain, so that it may continue to function optimally. After periods of extended wakefulness or reduced sleep neurons may begin to malfunction, visibly effecting a person's behavior. Researchers in Australia and New Zealand reported that sleep deprivation can have some of the same hazardous effects as being drunk. Even healthy people's brains mimic certain pathological psychiatric patterns when deprived of sleep.
Sleep deprivation has the potential to cause cognitive deficits (difficulty concentrating, inability to form clear thoughts, decreased problem solving ability to name of few), cardiovascular problems (increases C-reactive protein), metabolic/endocrine changes, weakens the immune system, increases inflammation...
So dog barking certainly is a matter of health and safety, and it's not just a matter of urbanized people wanting to control their neighbors, like Ann English implied.
Wake up, Ann. "
QuietCochiseCounty wrote on Feb 17, 2011 7:01 PM:
Barbara wrote on Feb 17, 2011 1:11 PM:
Are you kidding?
The World Health Organization states that barking dogs are NOT just a nuisance, but rather a serious health hazard.
Sounds like some folks need some education as to the harmful effects of barking dog noise.
See: Barkingdogs.Net "