Your Neighbor’s Noisy Pets And Animals: What Do You Do? [Block Talk]

ACROSS AMERICA — We love our pets and other animals, but our neighbors don’t always share our affection when our dogs bark incessantly, our free-range cats prowl and yowl, and our rooster crows at the break of dawn?

Most people don’t mind an occasional disruption. But a frequent or constant cacophony of noise can suck the joy out of spending time outdoors.

Having a friendly talk with the neighbor is a recommended first step in solving animal-related disputes. If that doesn’t solve the problem, do you call local animal control authorities? Is a nuisance lawsuit the answer?

Local ordinances may or may not help. For example, some pet industry estimates put the number of Americans who have backyard chickens at around 12 million, a number that surged during the pandemic and high egg prices. Does your local ordinance ban roosters, which aren’t necessary for egg production? Should it?

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About Block Talk

Block Talk is a regular Patch feature offering real-world advice from readers on how to resolve everyday neighborhood problems. If you have a neighborhood etiquette question or problem you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com, with Block Talk as the subject line.

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