Hillsborough County Officials Are Cracking Down On Dog Owners Who Let Their Dogs Bark
Hillsborough County commissioners, fresh off a slew of complaints about constantly barking dogs, is considering a crackdown on owners who let it go on.
The Commission is considering unspecified fines and even jail time for owners who allow their dogs to bark for twenty minutes straight or more.
Right now, there are no laws in Hillsborough County dealing with barking dogs.
So to craft an ordinance that will stand the test of legal scrutiny, commissioners are looking at what various rulings say about the subject.
The Florida Supreme Court, for example, says dog barking becomes a nuisance when they “are unreasonably loud, raucous, jarring, disturbing, or a nuisance to a reasonable person.”
Other rulings define a nuisance as something that “interferes with a neighboring property owner’s right to enjoy the use of his or her home.”
The possible new ordinance will be discussed Wednesday at an Animal Advisory Committee meeting.
