Barking Dogs are inevitable. Let’s face it, dogs bark! But when the noise continues and the owners do nothing to stop it, it becomes a nuisance to neighbors.

• The first step is to talk to your neighbors about their barking dog. If they leave their dog outside when they’re not home, chances are they don’t know the dog is creating a ruckus.
• If the owners do nothing about the noise, or are unreachable, your next option is to call Animal Control at 605-367-7000. You need to call when the dog is barking.
• An officer will respond to the area, park up the street and listen. If the barking continues steadily for several minutes (8-10) the officer will knock on the door and attempt to make contact with the dog owners. Often, simply informing owners that they face citations if the dog doesn’t stop barking provides enough incentive to get them to take the dog inside and abate the nuisance.
• If the officer can’t make contact with the owners, he or she will leave a notice of the complaint for the owner.
• Also please realize that sometimes the owner needs to make special adjustments to take care of the dogs barking. Please allow them 24 hours to fix the problem.

*If your dog is a barker and you need help to control the behavior please contact your veterinarian or local animal shelter for tips and advice.