The law allows 10 dogs per household. Charles Duncan, manager of field services at the Humane Society, said the difficulty in citing barking-dog owners is that an officer can't issue a citation if the dog is not barking upon investigation. A warning is issued first. A citation is issued only if it is within six months from the warning or a previous citation. Duncan said the Humane Society issues collars that emit a spray of citronella that discourages barking to repeat offenders.
Officers hand out pamphlets with several suggestions for quieting barking dogs.
Skip Lee, a dog trainer, recommends training dogs both to speak and to be quiet on command to solve the problem. It issued 54 warnings and 11 violations. Police also respond to barking-dog complaints because it might indicate a burglary, said Sgt. But a Makakilo couple said police dispatch tells them it's not a police job when they call 911. They are so fed up with barking dogs, they are selling their home.