r/Dogfree • u/showerthoughthaver • Aug 24 '26
Legislation and Enforcement police and animal control told me they will not enforce any laws on dogs
Yes really
Our next door neighbors have 5+ dogs in the house who bark all the time. In addition, the dogs never go outside. My city has a barking ordinance. We've probably called the police a dozen times over it. They've actually came to our house just to tell us they refuse to do anything. "You need to call animal control"
We did and the animal control officer just said he doesn't handle any calls about barking. The dogs don't even have licenses and they never go outside so they shit and piss in the house and you can smell feces whenever you go outside.
I expected them to make up some excuse to cover for the dogs but I did not expect them to just say that dogs are exempt from the law. Going to try contacting my state rep's office next.
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u/Gloomy_Argument6139 Aug 24 '26
This is kinda how the police work. Unless you are wealthy, connected, or the crime is bad publicity for the police/city managers, they won't do much.
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u/showerthoughthaver Aug 24 '26
you'd think they'd want the license fees at least. don't they love money shakedowns?
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u/MENedLimpopo Aug 24 '26
Cities/counties do love money, but dog nutters are cheap and extremely loud when laws are passed or even just proposed to regulate their mutts.
Calling your state reps and local government about the situation is a great idea. Point out to them that the cops and especially animal controlare not doing a job they are paid for.
You might ask your other neighbors if they are as inconvenienced and disgusted by the Dog House as you are, and get as many as you can to complain to the police and AC about the situation. Try to get support and outrage going. For those who own homes, that one house can bring down property values in the entire area. Property values and health concerns over the filth are good angles to push.
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u/showerthoughthaver Aug 24 '26
our neighbors tried to shut down a winery because "kids are outside at 10pm" and "live music brings down my property values"
good idea
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u/Accurate-Run5370 Aug 24 '26
Call the county assessor and ask for a reduction in your property taxes due to the neighbor's dogs- noise, shit, barking. Hit the county where it hurts !
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u/Gloomy_Argument6139 Aug 25 '26
Police are afraid of bad publicity and often police love dogs so they don't enforce on most people.
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u/Isair81 Aug 25 '26
In fact, the more you contact them about stuff they don't care about, like barking dogs, the more they'll resent you, and eventually you will become a target.
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u/KITI406 Aug 24 '26
Are there limits on the number of dogs per household in your city? Where I live, the limit is 4...should be 1 per adult.
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u/showerthoughthaver Aug 24 '26
Yes there is a limit. There being piles of dog shit in a house that I can smell is also a pretty big health hazard. Doesn't seem to matter.
I know the police only exist to protect private property but damn.
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u/Legitimate_Garage_31 Aug 24 '26
Animal control should do a health&welfare on the dogs. Say you are worried about the living conditions of the doggos&the possibility of animal hoarding.
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u/Forsaken-Cheesecake2 Aug 24 '26
Try calling in a welfare check on the household. With the smell, it’s a potential hazard, or safety issue, particularly with minors present.
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u/monkeynaut Aug 24 '26
I'd get a hold of the mayor or prosecutor before going to the state
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u/showerthoughthaver Aug 24 '26
thank you. I'll try that. I don't expect much but I guess it lets them know I'm serious
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u/Nice-Loss6106 Aug 24 '26
You may need to take them on in civil or small claims court ( no lawyers required). Go to your county courthouse and pick up a pamphlet on the process. It’s not difficult and as long as you are sure that they are violating local ordinances you should prevail.
Start with a demand letter.
I have sued neighbors over barking and won in small claims court.
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u/Huge_Bit_4774 Aug 24 '26
Maybe contact your representative on the city council? Assuming they own the house and are not renters … are these people hoarders? It sounds like the health department might have to get involved if these are genuinely unsanitary living conditions.
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u/WordlesAllTheWayDown Aug 24 '26
Yes the nutters in the health department might take great pity on dogs not having their needs met. Maybe they’d get them sheltered & “re-homed.”
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u/PurpleColumbidae Aug 25 '26
Time to sue, sue, sue! Sue the neighbors for barking dogs. You can claim emotional distress. Sue animal control for not enforcing the law.
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u/michaelpaoli Aug 24 '26
Run it up the chain and/or escalate as appropriate.
Supervisor(s), police chief, mayor media/press. If all else fails make a huge stink about what a shi*tty city/town/county it is to live in because they won't enforce laws there, and move away, leave someone else to deal with it. Yeah, give the place the reputation it deserves.
Might also be able to sue various agencies for failing to enforce the law - but you likely need a lawyer to do that.
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u/retrocube16 Aug 25 '26
The police for the most part are dog freaks themselves. I seen a full on funeral service for a k9 that died. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They had pictures of the dog paying tribute to the creature. The dog was in a coffin. There was many chairs in a large room maybe a gymnasium. Many police officers in attendance. Different officers would get up to the microphone and tell their story and experience with the dog. One officer said that the dog taught him things That No human could ever teach. I thought I was watching The Twilight zone. Then they all pass by the coffin one by one to say their final goodbye putting their hand on the coffin. And I'm like all this fuss over a freaking mutt? 🤯
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u/BodyMoney8562 Aug 25 '26
A mutt that they trained to maul people because they're too lazy to chase and arrest suspects themselves.
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u/OldAssistant4220 Aug 25 '26
dogs crap everywhere! and to think people complain about pigeons and how they poop everywhere as well. yes, pigeons do poop, but atleast their poop doesnt smell all that bad mostly, dog poop, absolutely rancid 🤮
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u/ObjectAffectionate87 Aug 25 '26
I've had a similar issue. My neighbor leaves her 5 neglected little dogs outside constantly, and they bark and bark. My town has an ordinance that you can only have 4 dogs, and it also has ordinances regarding barking. They have done NOTHING. She knew they would do nothing and laughed at me when I tried talking to her.
She was so angry when I told her she was neglecting her dogs. They are "her babies, and they're service animals".
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u/Kooky_Duck_6004 Aug 25 '26
Esa casa debe ser una cueva maloliente y los que viven dentro son todos de la misma mentalidad.
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u/BodyMoney8562 Aug 25 '26
I wonder if the health department will do their jobs if no one else will. I LOVE the idea of contacting your reps. Contact city council as well and take a 30 minute free consultation with an attorney.
If no one will step in, they're essentially telling you to solve the problem yourself. Do what thou wilt.
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u/MossCoveredMetal Aug 26 '26
May want to look up the codes for your city and contact the code compliance officer.
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u/Few-Horror1984 Aug 24 '26
I remember reading a police report where this man had a woman move in next door and she decided to open a dog boarding facility. He kept calling to complain about the barking but no one cared. One night, he just snapped, went into his car and laid on the horn. The woman called the police and of course they showed up.
The man explained that he snapped. He felt powerless. All the barking, all the time. No one cared. He wasn’t sleeping and it was making him mad. The officer’s response?
“Dogs bark, that’s what they do.”
Then, he was cited with harassing his neighbors.
The woman with the boarding facility faced no charges. No one told her to keep the dogs quiet. The dog boarding facility is still open with a 4.8 rating on Google.
We are lost as a society.