Atlanta City Council sets new limit on 'excessive' dog barking
ATLANTA - If you live in Atlanta and have a pup who likes to speak his mind, you may be in for a pricey penalty.
The Atlanta City Council is beefing up punishments for pet owners whose animals make too much noise.
The new ordinance cuts the amount of time pets can make noise before owners run the risk of being cited and paying a $150 fine.
Previously, pets could make noise for 20 minutes with "individual interruptions of less than 20 seconds" at a time before being penalized.
Now, 10 minutes of barking, howling, or whining can be considered a nuisance.
The fine will also increase for each citation given, but a pet can't be taken away from its owner for being too loud unless there are other circumstances dealing with its safety.
And for dog owners thinking that they may be unfairly targeted, the new change to the rule also applies to cats, birds, or other animals.
The change will need to be approved by Mayor Andre Dickens before it is set into law.