I am by no means the type that believes people should not have dogs but am a firm believer some people are horrible pet owners. I am a home owner and a lifelong resident of Lawndale. Over the past decade my street went from quiet and peaceful to a dog kennel full of noisy neighbors. Dogs and pets in general are not toys or status symbols, they are living creatures with feelings and emotions.
Unfortunately Animal Control seems to do zero in an instance of barking dogs. I know because I spent years trying to get them to do anything about the overwhelming amount of incessantly barking dogs around my home. Its not just me but my grandmother (at her home) and a few other home owners on the street this affects. The Humane Society is like the Better business Bureau and Ill leave it at that.
Taking it into my own hands I first go to the front door of the home with the barking dog, if nobody answers I leave a note about the issue. Massive amounts of police complaints and calls to the Animal Control dept yielded nothing. After literally years of lost sleep and annoyance we discovered that there is a sure fire way to get something done about it courtesy of a friend that is a retired LA County Sheriff, the South Bay Mediator. One call and he professionally and kindly takes action.
His name is Mike Schweid ..310..374..7037..
He is a good guy and also doesnt believe people should have to give up their pet to appease others. Instead he presents options along with an explanation that incessant dog barking is against the law, fines can follow along with loss of the pet. He places blame on nobody but does understand its generally a bad pet owner in question that doesnt comprehend the potential outcome. The general solution is rather simple, humane, cheap and effective, a citronella collar.
Ive learned most people with these dogs take any complaint no matter how kind you may be as offensive and personally. They have learned to simply block it out and continue to ignore the dog. Mike does his homework which includes getting the offending address, running that through to see if it’s a rental or home owner, if the pet is licensed and if any complaints are on record attached to that pet owner. As you read he will need the house address, type of pet, ask you to keep a log of barking and most of all, patience so he can try and work things out.
The last thing you want is for it to come to court, fines and loss of the pet. Ive yet to have it go further than him but its getting very, very close with the people across the street and some sort of toy dog that’s left outside to bark from dusk till the wee hours of the morning. It just echoes through my home and the neighborhood since they have an alley behind them. Needless to say ill be giving him a call to come out again tomorrow.
Give Mike a ring and have the information handy. Make sure to write a letter to city hall in his favor as well since its a service funded by the city. His job and our sanity depends on it.
