When I read the article regarding Tagish’s challenges with dogs barking, I was surprised and concerned that there are obviously many more people sharing the same disturbances of sleep, peace and quiet as our family and neighbours do.
We reside in Sunnydale-West Dawson and have three neighbours who own dog teams. Their dogs bark and howl around the clock for hours on end.
I have lived in this neighbourhood for six years and even though we have voiced our concerns, and even though the neighbours are fully aware of how these dogs disturb our sleep and peace, they have made no attempt to resolve this problem. In fact, their responses to our concerns have not been civil and they deem us to be the troublesome ones.
Every day, I am awakened prematurely by barking and howling and it continues throughout our daily meals, while we are working in our yard, trying to have a conversation and relax with friends and family on our deck. It is never ending. I have hardly ever had one full night’s sleep since I moved here. I am exhausted when I get up each morning and struggle throughout my work days with tiredness.
The only peace I sometimes get is when it is raining.
When my husband first arrived here, there was not a single dog musher in our neighbourhood. Regardless of the dog-mushing community this area has since become, it is inconsiderate to expect everyone to have the peace and quiet of their own homes invaded upon by almost constant noise. We live in a wonderful place and have worked hard to build up the little paradise we have created on our property, yet the quality of our lives is severely diminished due to this issue.
In most other communities there are noise bylaws preventing neighbours, and their animals, from disturbing others between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Ninety-five percent of the people would not need bylaws such as this because they are considerate, decent citizens that work together to create a functioning community.
Unfortunately, the other five per cent of the people need to be governed by laws because they lack common sense and show a complete lack of consideration for others.
Finally, if dogs carry on for hours on end in this manner, their needs are not being met and perhaps the law and Humane Society should become involved.
Dear residents of Tagish: I congratulate you on doing the right thing. Taking action to protect your sanity, health and your quality of life is important. It appears to me this issue is more widespead than it seems. More steps toward a future when people with and without dogs can live together in harmony need to be taken.
Ava Steffens
Dawson City