Dog Complaints: Barking, Bites, Attacks, FAQs
If you are experiencing conflicts with a dog, this fact sheet is intended to explain generally what your rights and responsibilities are to see that the situation has an appropriate outcome. It also outlines what the City of Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will do and answers frequently asked questions.
We encourage you, although you are not required, to first talk to the dog’s owner about the problems you are experiencing. In many situations, this is all that is needed. Too often, people call Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services for enforcement without first having spoken to their neighbors. As a general rule, we find that trying to work it out amicably often yields the quickest and best results.
Barking Dog Complaints
Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services has literature on how to keep a dog from barking, responsible dog ownership, and even training dogs that exhibit aggression. Most of these are available on our website at www.rcpets.info.
Talk to Owners
In many cases after a complaint is lodged with Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services, an Animal Services Officer will talk to the owner of a dog who is creating conflicts. The officer must be provided the address where the dog lives in order for this to occur. Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services can ask the owner to confine the dog, explain the dog control ordinance, and even provide information on community mediation services. At this point of the process, you may remain anonymous.
Two Party Tickets
Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will only talk to the owner one time about a particular dog. If the owner fails to correct the violation and the complaining party (you) desires prosecution, the complaining party must sign a citation (ticket).
Animal Services Officers cannot sign the tickets instead of you as they were not present when the offense took place. Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will deliver the tickets to the owner and to the court. At this point, a judge will address the situation. You may be called to testify at a hearing. Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services does not track court cases or how the case is resolved. Once tickets are filed with the court, the judge makes all decisions regarding the dog. You may contact the court to inquire about the status of the case.
Dog Bite/Attack Complaints
If a dog has attacked you (this does not have to include a bite), you have several different choices in how this matter can be handled. You may ask the Animal Services Officers to talk to the owners (if the owner has not already been warned in the past), you may sign a ticket for the dog harassing a person (a violation), or you may sign a dangerous dog complaint.
Other than a “talk to owner,” Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services cannot sign the tickets for you and the complaint cannot be anonymous. Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will deliver the tickets to the owner and to the court. At this point, a judge will address the situation. You may be called to testify at a hearing. If the judge declares the dog dangerous, the law requires and allows the court to do only one of two things: 1. Order the dog confined; or 2. Order the dog destroyed. Once tickets are filed with the court, the judge makes all decisions regarding the dog. You may contact the court to inquire about the status of the case.
Emergency Dog Complaints
If the dog is a stray dog who is attacking you, your pets, or your property, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will pick the dog up 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Stray Dog Pickup
During regular business hours, Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will impound stray dogs.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Can you talk to the owner again if he/she doesn’t control their dog?
Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will talk to the owner about a particular problem or a particular dog one time as a courtesy. If the owner does not change his or her conduct or continues to allow the dog to disturb others, the next step is for the complainant to sign tickets.
Can I sign tickets and remain anonymous?
Why can’t Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services prosecute the dog’s owner without my having to appear in court?
The law does not allow “hearsay” testimony. When Officers do not witness the offending conduct, they are not permitted to testify. Since you are the complainant and you witnessed the conduct, the law requires that you file the complaint and testify at any hearing. In addition, the Constitution entitles an accused to face and cross–examine his/her accusers.
Can I sign multiple tickets?
Each offense and each different day may allow you to sign another ticket, but Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services will not allow itself to become involved in neighbor disputes not associated with dog control enforcement, will not allow itself to be used as an instrument of harassment of neighbors, and may refer you to the court for further action.
Can’t Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services force the person to leash his dog?
Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services can talk to the owner, can deliver tickets you sign, and can deliver a dangerous dog complaint. Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services can tell dog owners what the law requires and even impound a stray dog not on their property in a town with a general leash law, but as a general rule, only a judge can order someone to confine their dog.
Can’t Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services just take the person’s dog?
In most cases, no. Pets are considered property, and the Constitution does not allow anyone to be deprived of their property without due process of law. Depending on the circumstances, this generally requires a judge to either sign a seizure warrant or hold a hearing where you may be called to testify.
My neighbor’s dog was on my property at night and I called Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services emergency number. Will someone respond?
The emergency phone number is for stray animal emergencies only. An emergency is an injured or vicious dog. A stray dog running on your property does not constitute an emergency.
Sharing one’s life with a dog is an uplifting and rewarding experience for many. It is unfortunate when the result is neighborhood strife. Assuming all parties are reasonable in their expectations, that’s the last thing anyone wants. For more information on Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care & Services , you may telephone RC Pets at (909)466–PETS and ask to speak to an Animal Services Officer.
