Community Corner

Is Your Pet a Good Neighbor?

Crestwood's animal control officer offers tips that allow your pet to enjoy the outdoors without bugging the neighbors.

Among a list of other police reports, an 'animal incident' may not draw much attention. It could be a residents notifying police of a stray, or rogue raccoons at the public pool, but the most common complaints are about barking dogs, according to Crestwood's Animal Control Officer.

Nancy Hunt addresses barking and other pet disturbances in a note to residents on the Crestwood city website.

"Having a pet is a privilege and great fun, but it comes with some responsibilities, as well.  Please remember that not everyone wants to live with the drawbacks of having a pet!  Be a good neighbor!" she writes. 

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Crestwood Police field anywhere from 5 to 20 calls per month about animal-related incidents, according to available 2012 monthly data. Incidents are reported more frequently in warmer months.

The same is true in Sunset Hills. The department receives around a dozen calls each month, several of which are due to barking dogs. Most complaintants, however, aren't willing to sign an official violation complaint. If the dog is not barking or subdued by the time officers arrive, all they can do is respond to the next complaint.

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Hunt offers suggestions for pet owners to minimize their noise disturbance to others, and make sure they're not impeding on neighbor's lawns. One way to show respect while enjoying the outdoors is to keep dogs on a retractable leash, and to be mindful of where they wander, she says.

"Ordinances aside, what we should be conscious of is good manners and common courtesy," Hunt writes.

Related articles:

  • Animal Lovers Wanted: Crestwood Animal Control Seeks Volunteers
  • When a Squirrel Gets Loose in the UPS Store
  • Not for the Superstitious: Black Cat at Crestwood Animal Control Seeks New Home


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