Latest news with #NoisyDogOrdinance
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dogs barking 15+ minutes is now unlawful in Clarksburg
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — The Clarksburg City Council voted to amend and approve a change to its Noisy Dog Ordinance. During the city council meeting on Thursday, Councilman Wayne Worth moved to amend the Noisy Dog ordinance to issue a warning for a first offense, which the council approved. The council then approved the ordinance in a 5-2 vote, making it unlawful to keep a dog that creates frequent or prolonged noise disturbances, particularly between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Clarksburg Police Chief Mark Kiddy Spoke during the meeting regarding the ordinance, saying, 'Last year, I researched, we had less than 50 barking dog complaints for the entire year. Which isn't a huge number, you're talking two or three a month. I've been answering barking dog complaints for 40 years, I mean, we go, we ask them, 'hey, keep your dog quiet,' 80% of the time we leave and it's over with.' The ordinance establishes increased penalties for violations, beginning with a warning for a first offense. A second offense carries a fine of $200 to $500, and a third offense may result in a fine of $300 to $750. It also specifies that violations occurring more than 24 hours apart are treated as separate offenses, but only one violation can be issued to a dog owner within any 24-hour period. Veterans encouraged to attend PACT Act Claims event in Clarksburg Mayor Jim Malfregot said during the meeting that the ordinance is 'an important step in helping maintain the peace and quality of life in our neighborhoods.' He further explained that the ordinance provides the parameters for excessive disruptive dogs with the goal of creating a balanced approach that promotes responsible pet ownership. Under the newly modified ordinance, a dog may not bark continuously for more than 15 minutes during daytime hours, or more than 10 minutes between 10:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. Also, any disruptive barking, regardless of its duration or the time it occurs, may be deemed a disturbance of the peace. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed Clarksburg ordinance would outlaw owning dogs that bark for 15+ minutes
CLARKSBURG, (WBOY) — The Clarksburg City Council met Thursday evening, where it discussed changes to a Noisy Dog Ordinance it adopted a few years ago. During the meeting, the council unleashed the first reading of the ordinance. The current Noisy Dog Ordinance was passed in 2023, prohibiting residents within city limits from keeping dogs that create excessive noise. The proposed modification would make it unlawful to keep a dog that creates frequent or prolonged noise disturbances, particularly between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Under the modified ordinance, a dog may not bark continuously for more than 15 minutes during daytime hours, or more than 10 minutes between 10:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. Also, any disruptive barking, regardless of its duration or the time it occurs, may be deemed a disturbance of the peace. 'We've gotten numerous complaints from residents that some folks are just leaving their dogs tied up outside, you know, in horrendous weather that we had this past winter, and these dogs are just barking continuously. So, we have to address the situation,' Clarksburg Mayor Jim Malfregeot said. Petition urging Gov. Morrisey to veto microgrids bill gains nearly 1000 signatures Another proposed change allows Animal Control, Code Enforcement or the Police Department to arrest the dog's owner or caretaker if the ordinance is violated instead of giving a citation. The proposed amendments seek to revise the language while recommending more expensive fines for violators. 'I think, I think we visited a lot of these issues in the past, and to me, a lot of this stuff is unenforceable, and it makes it difficult. And it's kind of, you know, personal account type of thing, and you know, I think if there is an issue, it will be seen, but at the end of the day, you know, adding a time limit to barking dogs seems kind of difficult to enforce, and you know, I really don't want the police to be out there enforcing laws that they just can't enforce,' Clarksburg City Council Member Will Hyman said. Under the current ordinance, violators can be cited by an animal control officer, code enforcement official or police officer. If the municipal court determines that a dog exhibits frequent and habitual barking, howling, yelping, crying or squalling that results in unreasonably loud and disruptive noise, the court may order the owner to take action to cease the disturbance or issue a fine. Additionally, the current ordinance outlines specific penalties for violations. A first offense may result in a $50 fine. A second offense carries a fine ranging from $100 to $500, while a third offense may result in a fine between $200 and $500. Additionally, the ordinance clarifies that repeated violations occurring more than 24 hours apart are considered separate offenses. However, only one violation may be issued to a dog owner within any 24-hour period. The first reading of the new ordinance was passed by the council 6-1. The second and final reading will be held on May 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
