An animal can be considered a nuisance if it exhibits one of the following behaviors:
1. To bark or howl so continuously or incessantly as to unreasonably disturb the peace and tranquillity of the neighborhood. However, the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any commercial dog kennel permitted by zoning law where located.
2. To damage or destroy the property of another person or public property, or to repeatedly deposit its bodily waste upon such property.
3. To cause unsanitary, dangerous, or offensive conditions due to inadequate care of facilities or due to the size, type or number of animals maintained at a single location.
4. To interfere with the freedom of lawful movement of persons, to chase vehicles, or to create a nuisance in any other way.
Barking Complaints Three-step Process
1ST COMPLAINT
1. Complainant is required to provide SASA with the address where the dogs live. Possible number of dogs and their descriptions is helpful for the officer responding to the call.
2. Name, address and phone number is required of the complainant. We DO NOT give out this information to the owner of the dogs.
3. A “Notice of Complaint” is left with the owner of the dogs. If no one is available, the notice is left on the door.
2ND COMPLAINT
1. Complainant is required to provide SASA with the address where the dogs live. Possible number of dogs and their descriptions is helpful for the officer responding to the call.
2. The complainant must come into SASA and sign the second complaint. A valid driver’s license, or form of identification is required.
3. Complainant is advised to keep a log. The log includes date, time, and how long the barking lasts. Also include conversations or confrontations that might occur between complainant and owner of dogs. The log is to be kept for a minimum of two weeks.
4. The officer assigned must make contact with the owner of the dogs.
3RD COMPLAINT
Barking complaints require complaints from two different households. If two complaints come from the same person, the third complaint must come from a second household. That household is also required to keep a log for a minimum of two weeks. Logs and statements are then turned into SASA. SASA can only respond to a barking complaint two times within a six month period. If a third complaint is not made, the process starts over six months after the second complaint.
Neglect or Cruelty Complaints
1. Complainant must provide SASA with an address where the animals live. Descriptions of animals and number of animals involved is helpful for the officer responding to the call.
2. Type or description of neglect or cruelty is required.
3. Name, address and phone number is required of the complainant. We DO NOT give out this information to the owner of animals.
Contact Sutter Animal Services Authority for assistance with a nuisance animal.