Loud Dog Law Vote Sets Standard in Ohio

February 7, 2008 | by Matt Van Hoven

CINCINATTI – Hamilton County, Ohio, animal control operates only on a complaint basis. So after an anonymous resident repeatedly called to report barking dogs at a boarding facility, they were required by law to respond.

But when it came time to do something about the barking, county law fell short. According to Zoning Administrator Russ Sparks, Hamilton County doesn’t have a barking ordinance on the books. His hands were tied in that situation.

In hopes of resolving the loud dog issue, county commissioners voted this week on a zoning amendment. The move, aimed at setting acceptable decibel levels, could also require outdoor dog runs to have a six-foot fence surrounding them. The barriers decrease the audible range of dogs’ barking.

The proposal only applies to a few communities in the area. Others have laws governing decibel levels. But the county’s proposal may not be feasible for some kennels. After all, how do you prevent a dog – make that dogs ¬– from barking?

Studies show that dogs bark for a multitude of reasons. Fear, loneliness and excitement are all cause for the vocalizations. However, canines are descendants of wolves, which do not bark. In fact, throughout history, humans have bred dogs to bark. One major reason was because canines were – and are – primitive alarms.

The dogs this law targets aren’t meant to catch thieves, though. Instead, the canines are in the kennel because their owners are out of town.

The proposal sets the permissible level at 62 decibels during the day and 52 at night. In comparison, lawnmower noise reaches between 85 and 90 decibels.

The ordinance begs the question – can a county law solve the barking dog problem? Do you think fences are enough to muffle loud canines?

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