LAPD provides clarification on unreasonable animal noise complaints

Published on October 18, 2024

From a dog's perspective, a photograph of a small white dog with brown markings on a leash walking on a trail. The male dog owner, holding the leash is blurred in the background.
On June 11, 2024, the Los Alamos County Council adopted updates to Chapter 6 of the County's Ordinances, which include revisions to Section 6-6, unreasonable animal noise. Persistent barking from dogs falls under this section. Alongside these changes, the Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) updated its internal policy to better clarify procedures in response to these noise complaints.
Recent feedback from community members has revealed some confusion regarding how LAPD and Animal Control Officers (ACOs) handle animal noise complaints under the updated code and policy. In an effort to clear up any misunderstandings, the LAPD has uploaded the policy to its website at https://losalamosnm.us/AnimalControl under the heading “A Pet Owners Guide to Ordinances” and is providing the following summary of the updated response protocol.
  • To report an animal noise complaint, residents can contact the Centralized Dispatch Center (CDC) at 505.662.8222 or complete the online form on the Animal Control webpage under the heading "Unreasonable Animal Noise Complaint Report.” The LAPD requests residents not to use the Community Development Department’s anonymous nuisance code complaint form to report animal noise issues. For an investigation to proceed, the LAPD and ACO require the name and contact information of the complainant.  
  • Upon responding, the police officer or ACO will listen for the reported animal noise (such as barking). If the noise is confirmed, the officer will assess the surroundings to determine if someone or something is provoking the animal to make the noise. Officers will wait for the situation to normalize after the disturbance has cleared and observe if the noise continues.
  • Officers will then approach the animal's owner to inform them of the complaint, advising them on steps to prevent further disturbances. Depending on the findings of the investigation, a citation may be issued. In cases requiring follow-up, officers with Animal Control will handle the ongoing response.
  • The officer will notify the complainant that the animal owner may receive an initial warning and be given a reasonable timeframe to resolve the issue.
  • If the noise persists, rather than reporting every instance, complainants are encouraged to maintain a log of continued disturbances and gather evidence, such as recordings.  
  • If the problem is not resolved after the first warning and a reasonable amount of time has elapsed for the animal owner to remedy the situation, a second warning may be issued. The officer will explain that continued noise violations could result in criminal charges filed in Municipal Court.
  • In certain situations, the officer may personally witness a noise violation and issue a citation to the animal’s owner without courtesy warnings.
  • If the officer does not witness the noise violation, the complainant must be prepared to participate in collecting evidence if they wish the case to proceed.
Substantively, the revised policy emphasizes fairness and discretion, prioritizing cooperation with animal owners to resolve noise issues before issuing citations. However, citations may be issued earlier, without a courtesy warning, if the animal owner is uncooperative or if the noise disturbance is severe. If the investigation reveals sufficient evidence to support the violation, charges may be filed. Conversely, if there is insufficient evidence, the investigation will be closed.
 
To view the updated policy, please visit the webpage at https://losalamosnm.us/AnimalControl.  

For further inquiries, please contact Animal Control at (505) 662-8179.

 

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