Barking dogs cost owner $940

by Colton Shone/KTAR (July 15th, 2009 @ 11:56am)

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PHOENIX -- A Valley woman was fined $940 and placed on three years probation Wednesday for letting her dogs disturb the peace.

Renee Maurer was sentenced in Phoenix Municipal Court for noise caused by her dogs, a miniature poodle and a pomeranian.

The judge said the fine would be reduced to $296 if Maurer successfully completed probation.

The judge also ordered that the dogs wear bark collars if they are outside more than 15 minutes at a time.

Maurer said she will keep the dogs inside most of the time.

Maurer was convicted Monday of disturbing the peace through the constant barking of her dogs.

Maurer said the problem began when she got a letter complaining about her barking dogs from a man with a return address two miles away from her house in northeast Phoenix.

"I called the police," she said. "I said, `I don't know who this man is, but he says my dogs bother him.' And, I asked all of my neighbors around me. Nobody seemed to have a problem."

Her next-door neighbor, Matt Mancini, said he had no problem with Maurer's dogs, a miniature poodle and a pomeranian.

"I actually got approached to sign a petition. We weren't comfortable doing that because I thought it was kind of ridiculous," Mancini said.

Maurer said the petition that led to the charge against her came from the man who sent the complaint letter and a woman on her block, who is a friend of the man.

She said she could now become a repeat offender.

"All they have to do is say my dogs are barking, even if they're not, and I will be going back as a second offender."

News/Talk 92.3 KTAR went to the house of the woman who helped file the complaint. She refused to comment.

Maurer said she tried to solve the problem.

When she first got warnings, she said, "I tried to buy barking collars. I didn't want to do that, but I thought maybe that would create peace. The clerk at PetSmart told me that barking collars hurt the dogs and she recommended that, instead, I take a dog training class."

Maurer also said that neighbors never came to her to directly discuss the problem.

Last 5 Comments

• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  dogs barking

  wily228

  dogs only think of 1 thing at a time, If they bark usually they see something out of place. what were they barking at. was it someone different in the neighborhood. or was someone there that didn't belong.They alert you to Intruders, Fire , or things that are different in the house.when dogs bark they're only trying to alert someone. they can be controlled.I have 2 well behaved dogs.

  27500
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Barking Dog- noice ordinaces

  Lisa U

  Finally someone is held accountable for their annoying dogs. If you are worried about "burglers" in the neightborhood then put your mutts in YOUR house and let them bark if someone tries to break in YOUR house but I do not need your dog watching out for mine or all the other houses in the neighborhood. People getting their sleep is FAR MORE IMPORTANT then 4-legged untrained so called pets being "harmed" by a barking collar. Which is a load of crap anyways! Shock away!! I betcha they will stop barking sooner rather then later.

  27247
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  DOGS

  AL GOMA

  It's about time a judge did something for people who don't live with animals. As it is, just about every hotel room in America is now contaminated with dog droppings. My ears hurt from all of the barking that I am subjected to. I can't go to a public park without worrying about slipping on dog excrement. Our society has gone beyond the ancient Egyptian dysnasties that were wiped out as they worshipped golden statues to cats and dogs. Last week a female motorist opted to crush three humans beings so as not to hit a dog. And who does this gutter-language using reader who wants us to "get real" think he is? The head cheerleader for PETA?

  27169
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  What have we come too? Come on now!

  ChefJohnAZ

  ok, there really has to be more to this than two dogs barking. Not to mention the fact that the dogs can have their voice boxes surgically modified. Not that I endorse it or not. But at what point are we over restricting ourselves and making stupid restrictions on living life! Who's gonna monitor this, that lady is screwed cause all it takes is one neighbor, dogs barking or not, to turn her in and she's done! Come on people, think................If I wanted to I could cry robbery, rape, dog bark or what ever if I wanted to and then the proof is up to the law enforcement and you to proove you didn't do it!

  27091
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  For The Love of Barking Dogs

  kgs

  Optimistically the neighbor who complained can now sleep sound at night. With the dog not barking the neighborhood buglers, deviant, rapscallions, ‘et al’ can roam the streets wilily and not fear for the neighborhood quidnunc (street urchin*) has done the job. * “Two-faced person who tries to ruin others' happiness, because they can't have what they want.” [www.urbandictionary.com]

  27086
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