Branford Officials Get An Earful on Excessive Dog Barking In Town

BRANFORD, CT - The issue of excessive dog barking and who and how the town should deal with the issue was the subject of a tense discussion at the most recent Representative Town Meeting.

What prompted the discussion was motion on the agenda that would amend how execessive dog barking is defined and handled by the dog warden but the conversation quickly turned into the bigger overall issue of how the town does or does not deal with the problem.

A Branford resident said he has been in "years of therapy" because of having to deal with the fact that one of his neighbors has eight dogs that bark constantly.

"The noise is enough to drive me nuts," the neighbor said. He said he pays $8,600 a year in taxes and asked the RTM if that doesn't give him the right to live in peace.

"My mother had to move out of my house at the age of 85 to get some peace and quiet," the neighbor said.

The resident said he complained to the dog warden about the barking but he said his complaints were ignored.

Officials said the standard that is currently enforced is that excessive dog barking is considered barking that goes on longer than 45 minutes at a time - no matter what time of day or night.

RTM member Marc Riccio said he, personally has dealt with the situation.

"It is my opinion that this excessive dog parking problems that exists in the town has been swept under rug by numerous administrations," said Riccio. He said "this is a topic that has been kicked around for eight years."

"Nobody wants to deal with it," Riccio continued. "Police have told me that they don't want to do. Everybody wants to shovel this under the rug."

Selectman Frank Twohill agreed that 45 minutes is too long. "It should be cut to two or three minutes."

Selectman Raymond Dunbar, who is also a captain on the police force, suggested that "maybe there sould be a sitdown" between the dog warden, first selectman and a representative of the state to come up with a better solution.