Commission temporarily renews kennel license for 801 W. 7th after neighbor complaints about barking

Anaconda — The Anaconda Deer Lodge County Commission on Oct. 1 temporarily renewed a kennel license for residents Danae Beachley and Gerard (Jared) Otto at 801 West 7th Street, ordering the owners to contain animals, relocate visible front kennels and return for a compliance review in three months.

The hearing followed multiple nuisance complaints about persistent barking and other animals on the property. David Josephson, the county animal-control officer, told the commission that under the county nuisance ordinance he records at an address for an hour; "If in that hour I hear 15 minutes or more of barking, I consider it a nuisance," Josephson said. He confirmed he had received several complaints about the address and had conducted field observations.

Owners told the commission they operate a boarding business in addition to keeping four registered household dogs. Gerard Otto said he canvassed the immediate block and presented signed statements from neighbors who said they had no issue with the operation. "I brought some footage from our property," Otto said, offering video he said shows the owners bring dogs inside nightly and lock them in a sunroom before quiet hours. He said he would relocate kennels to the rear of the property and was "100% open to resolving this." His wife, Danae Beachley, said the dogs are typically supervised and brought indoors between about 7 and 8 p.m.

Neighbors told a different story. George Kovacic said the operation has "ruined our whole summer" and described frequent overnight disturbance. "They are the most irresponsible pet owners on the face of the earth as far as we're concerned," Kovacic said, describing barking that he said began as early as 4 a.m. and continued through the day.

Commissioners weighed competing accounts and technical evidence. One commissioner noted the kennel structures in front of the house made it more likely dogs would be placed there and bark; others urged a practical solution to balance the owners' livelihood and neighbors' right to quiet enjoyment.

Commissioner Smith moved to temporarily approve the kennel license with conditions requiring the owners to (1) relocate or otherwise enclose front kennels to a location away from the closest neighboring residence or create an interior enclosure on the rear portion of the lot, (2) keep animals confined to the owner’s property, and (3) install or otherwise make available to county staff a means of objective noise monitoring so animal-control staff can document nuisance periods. Commissioner Gates seconded. The motion passed 3–1; Commissioner Bodette recorded the lone opposition.

The commission directed staff and animal-control to document compliance during the three-month period and report back at the re-evaluation. If the conditions are not met or monitoring shows continuing, repeated nuisance barking under the ordinance standard, the commission may consider additional enforcement, including license revocation. The commission also noted the separate county boarding/kennel provisions in the ADLC animal ordinance that may apply moving forward.

Next steps: The license will be re-evaluated at a commission meeting in three months; animal-control will assist with monitoring and reporting on compliance.