5.08.350  Definitions.

(a)   "Animal Services Officer"  means a City of Tracy Animal Services Officer, assistant, or the City Manager's designee. 

(b)   "Hearing Officer"  means a person designated by the City Manager to conduct an administrative hearing. The designated Hearing Officer shall be an impartial person, such as: 

(1)   A City employee from a department or division other than the Police Department, Animal Services division, or Code Enforcement division; or

(2)   Someone selected randomly from a panel of law students and/or local attorneys willing to volunteer as a Hearing Officer; or

(3)   Someone hired from an organization which provides Hearing Officers, in which case the cost will be shared equally by the City and the person cited.

(c)   "Owner"  of an animal shall include a keeper, custodian, handler, or a person having immediate control of the animal. 

(d)   "Potentially dangerous"  describes an animal meeting any of the following criteria: 

(1)   Any animal which, when unprovoked, on two (2) separate occasions within the prior thirty-six (36) months, engages in aggressive behavior including, but not limited to growling, barking, chasing, lunging, and behaving in a manner that requires a defensive action by a person to prevent bodily injury when the animal is off the property of the owner of the animal;

(2)   Any animal which, when unprovoked, bites a person inflicting a less severe injury than that defined in subsection (e) of this section;

(3)   Any animal which, when unprovoked, has killed, seriously bitten, inflicted injury, or otherwise caused injury attacking a domestic animal off the property of the owner of the animal.

These are Tracy's laws. Stop your dog from barking. It isn't wanted, It is rude. It is selfish. It is against the law. Grow up. Obey the Law. It's people's mature to protect themselves. Everyone who lives near this dog and it barks all the time, call the police. The citations start at $100, the second $200, the third $300, and it just keeps going up. Perhpas they will learn to be responsibile instead of making excuses and justifications for not properly training their dog. Irresponsible dog owners should not be allowed to have them. So, thoroughly read the law, because allowing your dog to bark more than 10 minutes is against the law. Got it?

I strongly disagree with you. I have two dogs and they are like family to us. If someone were to tresspass on my property I would want them to bark. I have an inconsiderat neighbor who has five dogs. They bark 24/7. If the dog (s) is out it is barking. Lets just reconize the fact that some dogs are barkers and some are not. These dogs bark at the wind. They bark at their shadow. They bark at a dog turd. It's so bad that I hate living in my subdivison and would move if I could afford to. I'm sleep deprived. I get woke up all the time by the barking dogs. It's effecting my health. I have another neighbor who has two dogs. One would bark at an intruder but rarely ever barks. The other would bark at a dog fart. Every city in the United States has had to deal with the barking dog issue. In my humble opinion Spring Hill is twenty years behind on the issue. My neighbor is an inconsiderate bastard and he's flipped off the codes department and police department. These codes were inacted to assit in situations where a barking dog is intrusive. I couldn't enjoy a cup of coffee on my deck because of these damn dogs. I couldn't have a family get-to-gether without this intrusion.

Yes, jmcgranahan, it is YOU that is missing something.  It's COMMON SENSE the knowledge to know the difference between 'barking' at a stray cat or a passerby neigbor; and CONSTANT barking at the WIND!!  I had a dog that did just that, and since that was HER personality, she was only aloud outside for an hour at a time, because I HAD CONSIDERATION for the neighboor.  Hell, it bothered ME at I was her co-owner (my wife's mutt)  But where I come from. Flint, MI,. there are NOISE ORDANENCES in effect and any CONSTANT barking after 10:00 pm could result in a HEFTY fine.  A barking dog is one thing, one that barks at everything including a passing leaf or a flying insect is another.  And YES, animal comtrol WILL do somthing about it here.  Take a look at:

http://www.nonoise.org/lawlib/cities/atlanta.htm

It is against the law for a neighbor to have a dog bark for longer than 10 minutes continuously and it has to be at decent hours as well not in middle of night.  You can get your neighbor fined as well.  Call and file a police report asap I have been tortured for four years over dog next door barking for 4-8 hours straight!  You have rights!  Good luck!