For those that didn't already know, the current Twin Falls ordinance regarding barking dogs allows for your neighbor to record images and audio taking place on your personal property to use in reporting your pet to animal control.

Yesterday while I was at work, my wife called me a tad worked up over an exchange she had with a neighbor she caught using her cell phone to record our dog at the backyard entrance door to our home. She was recording through the slots in our wood fence from her backyard, and admitted to my wife that she was recording our dog.

So, I rushed home because I could sense my wife was extremely unhappy about what she had seen. My wife called the Twin Falls Police Department as I was heading home, and they told her our neighbor was perfectly in her right to do that. I don't blame the police department at all, they are simply doing their job by enforcing the law...or lack there of.

So, we called the police department and they sent over an officer Wednesday afternoon just after 5:00 p.m. After speaking with the officer, who was extremely professional, we were again told that she has the right to do this, as long as she is on her property while she is filming.

backyard
Greg Jannetta (the view into our backyard from where our neighbor was standing)
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Here's why this bothers me. What's to stop someone from recording my wife sunbathing topless in our own backyard, or what's to prevent a pedophile from recording my 4-year-old son playing on our property. By Idaho law, all a person needs is a barking dog, and they can record whatever they want to on your personal property.

I spoke with someone from the Twin Falls code enforcement office today, and they too told me that there is no Idaho law against someone doing this.

Joshua Palmer, of the Twin Falls code enforcement office, was kind enough to send me the link to all city codes. He went onto say that barking dogs are the "largest complaint to dispatch" in the city.

I am completely floored by this. Oh yea, and if city animal control gets involved, you can be summoned to appear in court.

So, Twin Falls beware. If your dog is barking in your backyard, whatever you are also doing back there is open to becoming a home movie for your neighbors. All they need is the sound of your dark barking.

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