Resident says borough removed authority to cite barking dogs; administration points to state law change

Mary Catherine Romberg of the Farmer's Loop area told the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly on July 24 that she used to get help from borough animal control to stop a neighbor's constant dog barking but was told this summer the borough “no longer has the power to cite the owners of barking dogs” after an ordinance change in January. Romberg said she provided letters, daily logs, videos and sound recordings to animal control and that action last year had improved the situation. This summer, she said, the same neighbor’s dogs are again “constantly barking” and she feels “maddening” stress and “no recourse” after the change. Why it matters: Residents seeking relief from recurring animal noise said the borough was their only effective option. The exchange shows a tension between local enforcement…