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Laws could keep barking dogs silent I�ve been having problems with neighbors whose dogs bark incessantly. I�ve been tolerating this for at least four months, but now it is beginning to grate on my nerves. I�ve already approached one neighbor about this, but this individual seems to offer only lip service. Can you tell me if there are any laws against repeated barking and offer steps that one can take to resolve this? � Jean L., Central Point If those pups are disturbing your "repose," Jean � or even if they�re just annoying you � you do have recourse under Central Point unnecessary-noise and nuisance laws. The most neighborly way about this, of course, is to approach the dog owner yourself before taking your troubles to the law. But if you�ve already done that and you still have the problem, you can call the police. In Central Point, the police will warn the owner on a first offense. If that doesn�t work, the second time they stop by they�ll issue a citation. Fines, depending on the number of times the police are called out to quiet Fido, run from $25 to $250. Barking dogs also fall under the unnecessary-noise ordinance in Medford. But it�s a bit trickier for police to issue citations. The person who called in the complaint must sign the citation and then testify in court � proving the dog caused discomfort. ("Since You Asked'' is a daily feature in the Mail Tribune that answers questions from readers on virtually any topic of general interest. To submit a question, e-mail us at [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. If you have specific questions about our Web site or other questions about the Mail Tribune, please send them to [email protected] ) Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA