EDITORIAL:

It’s sad that neighbors used to be able to discuss problems like dog barking. It wasn’t so long ago that everyone knew their neighbors on a first-name basis and could just walk next door to let Charlie or Sally know their pet was keeping them up at night. Have we gotten so anti-social that our first impulse is to speed-dial animal control and sic “the man� on our neighbors when that yapping next door gets on our nerves? We’re sure our animal control officers could make better use of their time.

We can appreciate that Costa Mesa City Council members wanted to respond to their constituents this week when they voted to start fining dog owners with yappy best friends, but we don’t think this is the right approach.

And it’s not the fine that really gets our goat. Councilwomen Linda Dixon and Katrina Foley, who opposed the ordinance, argued for lighter fines. Fines start at $200 and can go up to $403.

That misses the point, too.

Let’s start with this question: Why are the dogs barking?

Because they’re afraid. Because they have been left alone for too long. Because they’re hungry.

There are a lot of reasons, but the main thing is the dogs are being abused. A dog left outside to bark all day or night has an unfit owner.

Animal control officers shouldn’t be handing out fines. They should be considering whether to remove the dog from that house.

If you’re the kind of pet owner who doesn’t think it’s a problem that your dog is barking so long that the neighbors are complaining about it then you should seriously re-think having a pet.

And if you don’t, then that’s when government should step in and rescue that poor canine.