SADDLE RIVER, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – A New Jersey town wants to get tough on excessive dog barking and a new proposal could even land a noisy pup’s owner in jail.

The proposed ordinance in Saddle River would prohibit loud, continuous barking for over 20 minutes during the day, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

It law would get even stricter at night, with penalties kicking in for barking lasting more than 15 minutes from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Saddle River officials say the nonstop barking cuts into the “comfort or repose of anyone in the vicinity.”

Dog owners who break the new rules could face fines ranging between $100 and $1,000, but owners could also receive a sentence of community service or even prison time.

The judge in each case would reportedly make the ultimate decision on the penalty.

A public hearing and vote are scheduled in Saddle River on March 18.

Comments (44)
  1. Pete Griff says:

    This will never be enforced on inner city thugs

    1. Anna Cirulis Taylor says:

      LOL What thugs do you think live in Saddle River?

  2. Ronald Raymond Russell says:

    If you have to tell a neighbor that his barking animal is a problem…. then that person is not a neighbor at all… just someone who lives there.
    And to some of you…. You need to stop putting the value of a dog, higher than a humans. It is not ok to feed a dog and starve a person….. and that is what many of you would do if you had to make the choice…… ” If I were the devil, I would convince people that their dogs life is more valuable than a persons”….. Paul Harvey 1964

  3. Good ordinance. Nothing worse than to have to lay awake at night and listen to some neighbors stupid dog yelp and bark all night. Put the neighbor and dog both in jail.

  4. junglecogs says:

    Government overreach… nawww, never happen.

  5. Buddy Burke says:

    Cities are extremely noisy places always. Nobody that chooses to live in one is entitled to absolute peace and quiet and no court decision will change that ever. From traffic residuals, garbage pick up, airport and seaport activity to sidewalk yelling and cussing. Some people are simply chronic complainers. Go live in the desert, mountains or countryside for the serene silent life you’ll never get in any city…

  6. Gary Griffin says:

    My mom lives in a town where I think ownership of at least 5 dogs is mandatory

  7. Kenny StJohn says:

    Look, I am a lifetime god owner. We have always had dogs in our home. Anyone that allows their dog to annoy their neighbors is not a good owner.Also, they are not good owners to let their dogs bark and yelp endlessly. Fine them and if that doesn’t work remove the animal from the home.

  8. Mike Arvand says:

    damn straight. nothing worse than an asshat dog owner who won;t respect others rights.

  9. James Kelley says:

    Had a bad neighbor that would not manage their dog. After asking nicely and seeing no change, I took a box of rat poison, emptied it out, and just left the empty box near the owners back door. They got the message and no more problems!

    1. David Switzer says:

      So you’re a dog killer. Yeah, that’s MUCH better than the horrible person who didn’t control his dog. Sick.

      1. JD Davis says:

        I give the owners one warning, the I start the war.

    2. Jim Dea says:

      Yeah, it’s idiots like you that make me wonder why I like most dogs more than most people. You are an evil, wicked taker of innocent life and you won’t go unpunished.

  10. Marty Petersen says:

    I am betting these dogs are kept outside, have not been spayed/neutered, have not had any training and have owners who consider them property and not part of the family.

  11. About time. Dog owners are full of entitlement. Too many people equate dogs with humans. The latest scam is the emotional support dog. They get a sham psychologist to order one as medically necessary, which allows owners to beat local ordinances against dogs. Our obsession with dogs needs to stop.

    1. Tim McDonald says:

      It’s about bloody time. Amazing how the owner is the only one who can’t seem to hear them incessantly bark. I applaud this.

  12. Fritz Vondago says:

    Just put the stupid barking dogs down for gods sake! Thats enough punishment (in $$$ and emotions) for the owners in most cases. Why should the tax payers have to foot the damn jail time bill to incinerate a moron animal owner? Use some common sense people, jezzz!

    1. sammie515 says:

      Shoot the dog? Really? How about we shoot noisy kids too or yappy neighbors?
      There are “no bark” collars that will work just fine, just make the owners purchase and use them. In extreme cases, there is surgery to take care of the problem.

      1. How about making the owner wear the No-Bark shock collar while sitting outside with the dog while it barks incessantly. That should get the point across.

  13. Will Hunt says:

    I don’t agree with putting folks in jail but having put up with neighbors’ incessantly barking dogs is a serious nuissance.

    1. Patrick Stewart says:

      It’s high time these nuisances were dealt with, these people obviously do not deserve dogs! And what about these people with pit bulls that aren’t secured sufficiently to keep them from hurting other people? What about them?

  14. JoAnn Peeler says:

    I have to laugh at the comment that says dog’s are silent hunters. Many dogs bred to hunt in a pack like Beagles or Fox Hounds bay to let the pack know they’ve picked up a scent. You can’t train this out of most of them from my experience because its so deeply instinctive. It would almost be as hard to train a human not to blink when something unexpected is direct at their eyes. If I lived in NJ I definitely not let my dogs out for more than 20 minutes at a time, but that’s usually 3-4 times a day. I another animal (like a squirrel, rabbit, snake is in my yard) you better believe they are going to let me any everyone in hearing range know.

  15. Jon Raitmon says:

    Dog owners get jail — shooter, thieves, rapists, forgers, Hillary — nooo problem.

  16. I have VERY barky dogs. They are part Schnauzer, it’s just part of the breed I have to put up with. But I control them and do not let them excessively bark. That’s my responsibility as an owner, not to let my dogs being a nuisance. People who let their dogs bark like that, just don’t care, or get off on the power they have to control the neighborhood. Definitely a passive/aggressive thing going on using the dogs.

    1. Dave Hardesty says:

      Sadly many dog owners neglect to control their dog children just as bad as they neglect to control their own biological children and they should suffer the consequences for that as well.

  17. Carter Gwynn says:

    Lock them up

  18. This is a great idea. I have had to move because of bad neighbors and their barking dogs.

  19. Gabriel McKing says:

    legally what your dog do is your responsibility
    so if your dog assault:your guilty of assault
    if your dog vandalise: your vandalising
    if your dog break the law: YOUR BREAKING THE LAW
    take your responsibility and admit a dog is too much for you before it get you in jail

  20. I would rather listen to dog barking during the day for an hour than listen to most humans. If lawmakers feel the need to pass new rules regarding annoying dog barking for over 20 minutes, then they should also adopt the same laws for annoying people who talk for more than 20 minutes! Dogs bark, most people are stupid and lawmakers will continue to try and pass dumb laws. The facts of life!

  21. CJ Osborne says:

    Dogs belong IN THE HOUSE! They cannot protect you and yours unless they are INSIDE THE HOUSE! They must be taken for daily walks. They must be let out at set intervals (5 minutes is fine) to relieve themselves between their walks (they do most of their business on their walks, with the owners taking baggies to clean up the mess and bring it home for proper disposal. A DOG THAT BARKS IS IN SEVERE DISTRESS! (Most of them are silent hunters.)

    A dog should NEVER be chained for any reason. A dog should NOT be “left alone” in the yard. They are social creatures and need to be WITH PEOPLE! If I heard a dog barking, I would call the appropriate agency and report them. I LOVE dogs and despise people who don’t care for their dogs. The ONLY time a dog should be outside is when the HUMANS are outside with him/her/them. If you can’t TAKE CARE of a dog, then DON’T HAVE ONE!

  22. Mike Powell says:

    About time.

  23. Robert Middlebrook says:

    This is hilarious, a local heroin dealer did like three months.

  24. Dale Edwards says:

    Our next door dog barked all day and all night, until we complained constantly. Now it only barks from 7am until 11pm when the owners put it in because the bylaw officer told them they’d get fined. The whole neighborhood wishes someone would kill it.

  25. Alison Milne says:

    Ah now I know where my neighbor got the “20 minute” rule for barking. Been in my house in NV for 22 years and never had animal control out until the last 3 years because of the lovely b$tch that moved in 3 years ago. She texted my one neighbor (lives directly next door) that 20 minutes of barking was the limit. Well surprise, surprise when animal control came out and I told them the 20 minute rule that the b$tch was spouting their response was “No that isn’t the rule.” Seems like the “rulers” in this NJ town are the same as my b$tch neighbor.

  26. Charlie Harper says:

    Lock ’em up.

  27. Mikhail Anatoli Golitsyn says:

    Jail the owners and shoot the dog! No excuses and no exceptions!

    1. Darin DeNiro says:

      Let’s shot you instead.

      1. “Shot you”? You sound like a real genius there, Darin.

        1. Jerry Walton says:

          You have never sent a misspelled text? Right. I’m sure you are perfect.

          1. crowbayte says:

            Yes. I am prefect!

  28. John Melicharek says:

    Looks Like The Leadership Of Saddle River NJ, Wants To Play At Being Two Bit Dictators !! Must Be Democrats, Now Days Known As Socialists !!!

  29. Adrian Pineda says:

    I think you will find an overwhelming level of support for this idea.

  30. Terry Mi says:

    I like everything but the severe penalties. I would like to see a warning for first time offenders.

    I swear that some dog owners just don’t hear their dogs barking.

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