Document Barking Dogs for Court Chesterfield Police Say

After a 44-year-old Chesterfield woman was cited for peace disturbance of barking dogs this week in the 1900 block Farm Valley Drive, police shared advice on the topic with Chesterfield Patch.

The main thing to do if you find a neighbor, for example, has persistent barking dogs, is to take it upon yourself to document the times and duration of the disturbance. This could be as simple as writing it down. Video with sound, and photos are helpful, yet still log the time of day, and how long the barking goes on. Don't trespass to get evidence.

Ask a friend or other neighbor to document it too. Police say the more witnesses and evidence gathered the better, if the case goes on to municipal court.

"We do have several ongoing issues with dogs barking and are sending them to our municipal court for adjudication," Chesterfield Police Public Information Officer Steve Lewis said recently.

Lewis pointed out that police work with residents to attempt to solve the barking issues—before moving it to criminal status.

For example, police repeatedly called at the Farm Valley Drive house between June 14 and 17, before issuing the citation at 9:30pm, according to the police log.

When police receive a complaint from someone over barking dogs, they typically respond to ascertain the situation. Many times, the dog has already been brought inside.

However, with persistent complaints over barking dogs, the police will attempt to speak with the dog owner. Consider it a courtesy warning.

"We try to be reasonable, based on the time of day, the surroundings, the degree of disturbance (and other factors,)" Lewis explained.

If it seems that nothing changes and complaints continue, police would then issue a citation to the dog owner. The citation could include a fine and court.

The cost of the fine was not immediately clear in a cursory reading of the Chesterfield city ordinances. Although, in some instances regarding wildlife, fines could be as high as $500 and as low as $5, and include up to 90 days in jail.

St. Peters has a $250 fine for pet nuisance, according to its animal control website. Patch will attempt to get more information about fines, court or jail.

Chesterfield police went on to say that there is frequently a range of tolerance for dog-barking among residents. Some have "zero tolerance" for a bark, while some barking-dog owners insist the dog is not a disturbance at all.

Lewis suggested the solution is often somewhere in the middle.

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