Police take barking dog into custody!
EPPING, New Hampshire - July 10, 2009 - A dog in an Epping neighborhood barked up the wrong tree and ended up in police custody.
Police took the unusual step last Sunday of seizing the barking dog from a Camp Lee Road residence after neighbors got fed up and complained.
Epping police Sgt. Jason Newman said the dog was removed by police because it had been barking much of the day outside the residence while owner Lorraine Neal was away. When Officer Bradley Jardis was unable to locate Neal, the dog was taken to the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stratham until she returned home and retrieved the dog.
Though it was a first offense, Neal was cited yesterday for her barking dog and will now have to go before a judge, who will decide whether she should be fined. Neal did not return a phone call seeking comment yesterday.
"Typically if the folks were home, we'd just ask them to control the dog and keep it inside," said Newman. "It's rare that a dog would just be outside barking and being a nuisance when the owner isn't home."
According to state law, a dog can be considered a nuisance if it barks for sustained periods of more than 30 minutes or during the night hours, disturbing the peace and quiet of a neighborhood. The law exempts dogs used for guarding, working or herding livestock.
The barking can lead to fines of $25 for the first offense and $100 for a second or subsequent offense in the same 12-month period.
Police took the unusual step last Sunday of seizing the barking dog from a Camp Lee Road residence after neighbors got fed up and complained.
Epping police Sgt. Jason Newman said the dog was removed by police because it had been barking much of the day outside the residence while owner Lorraine Neal was away. When Officer Bradley Jardis was unable to locate Neal, the dog was taken to the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Stratham until she returned home and retrieved the dog.
Though it was a first offense, Neal was cited yesterday for her barking dog and will now have to go before a judge, who will decide whether she should be fined. Neal did not return a phone call seeking comment yesterday.
"Typically if the folks were home, we'd just ask them to control the dog and keep it inside," said Newman. "It's rare that a dog would just be outside barking and being a nuisance when the owner isn't home."
According to state law, a dog can be considered a nuisance if it barks for sustained periods of more than 30 minutes or during the night hours, disturbing the peace and quiet of a neighborhood. The law exempts dogs used for guarding, working or herding livestock.
The barking can lead to fines of $25 for the first offense and $100 for a second or subsequent offense in the same 12-month period.
