It Seems To Be A Word - Gotta Love It

Having little to do this evening, I decided to attend a "barking dog" meeting at the local fire station. Actually the one in Kachina, but still local. The woman from the Coconino County Health Department (read animal control) briefly talked about the ordinance covering barking animals, then listened to the onslaught of vingettes. Vingettes of dogs at large, agressive dogs, people who walk dogs off leash in the forest, vindictive neighbors, and even vocal canines. I found it odd that only 30% of the dog bit involved barking dogs; you know that topic the meeting was supposed to be about. The crowd was less than satisfied with the ordinance and wanted a new one. Some wanted to know if they could sue nearby owners of barkers due to a reduced "quality of life." There was no clear answer from the woman from the county. She kept trying to keep it focused on BARKING, but some in the crowd were intent on discussing a shooting incident involving an agressive dog, resulting in a dead person. The reality of living in the county, and Kachina/Mountainaire in particular hit home with disappointment, and gasps were heard from many when one woman stated that her neighbors have FOUR dogs, and most residents here have AT LEAST TWO. She wanted statistics on the number of dogs out here. Her arithmophilia was contageous and others soon asked about dog license records. The obsession continued to grow. The question was eating them all: just how many dogs are there in Kachina Village and Mountainaire. I refrained from telling them to multiply the number of people by four. Yes the barking is a problem, and sometimes the barking level is off the scale, but I prefer that to the constant yapping into cell phones by some of my neighbors. It is to the point that I can not sit in my own yard without listening to someone's private conversation.