Laguna Beach to cite owners over excessive dog barking

Thirty minutes of incessant dog barking, or 60 minutes of intermittent barking, within a 24-hour period would now constitute a violation of the municipal code.

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - The city of Laguna Beach is looking to take a bite out of its barking dog problem and increase safety for canines.

Laguna Beach is setting limits on how long dogs can bark before being cited and they're banning dogs from being walked by a moving vehicle.

Michael Obrand, a longtime resident of Laguna Beach, made his plea to the City Council on Tuesday.

"I got to tell you, I was very pleased to hear that the city is going to provide additional mental health services, because if you pass this ordinance as it’s written, we’re going to need that," Obrand said. "I really want you to think about the impact of what you were about to pass here. You’re talking about 30 minutes of incessant barking over a 24-hour period. I’m not anti-dog. I’m anti-inconsiderate dog owners. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a dog bark without stopping for 30 minutes. Dogs bark and bark for a few seconds at a time. It may go on for hours on end, and that’s what we’ve been dealing with."

Under the new ordinance, citations can be issued if a dog barks non-stop for 30 minutes or intermittently for an hour over a 24-hour period.

It also will make it illegal to tie a dog to a bicycle, e-bike, or other moving vehicle to walk a dog, when it "endangers the health and well being of the animal or the public."

The ordinance goes into effect in 30 days.

The council asked staffers for a review after six months.

So far this year, the city has had 73 barking dog complaints, but no citations have been written. Twenty-three complaints resulted in warnings.

The first citation costs $100, the second offense is $200, and a third offense is $500.