Need Surveillance system to prove my dogs don't bark

[2sleepy]

Animal control has decided to allow people to complain about barking dogs and fine you without any proof. I asked them how I can fight something like that and was told that I need to get a video/audio surveillance system that time stamps the incidents in the complaint and prove my dogs didn't bark at the time indicated.  There is no time limit as to when the person can initiate the complaint, so I am guessing I would need to keep a few months of recordings, and since I am trying to prove something didn't happen I would need video and audio recording running 24/7 and would need the audio to be able to be played back.  I am expected to bring whatever equipment is necessary to animal control when a complaint is made to demonstrate that it was not my dogs. Yes, I know this sounds crazy but there is not much I can do about it.
 
I need ideas for a relatively inexpensive system that would do the job. I only need to show a 16'x30' deck.  I would need cameras that can stand up to snow and some ice.  I hope someone can point me in the right direction because I have spent all day trying to find something that will work and I am thoroughly confused.
 
thanks in advance!

 

[dgage]

Will be interested in the response. One question though, how do they expect you to certify the time of recording as computer based time could obviously be changed?

 

[2sleepy]

Will be interested in the response. One question though, how do they expect you to certify the time of recording as computer based time could obviously be changed?

I asked them that and was told not to worry about it, that they would accept whatever date/time was displayed.  I have never gone through anything like this in my life,it's real tough to prove a negative.. I will just have to do the best I can and if this continues I guess I will have to hire an attorney.  I was looking at either the Uniden G655 or the Uniden UDS655, It doesn't look like they time stamp but the data is supposedly in folders by date and time, They both record and play back both video and audio. Data is saved to an SD card, but I don't think it would be difficult to copy the data into folders on an external drive, I have two 1 terrrabyte external drives I could put into use for this.    

 

[dgage]

Well I wish I had that option as for a while I had two large (Rottweiler-mix & German Shepherd) next door that would bark at me or my family anytime we left the house or were in the yard. It has improved but for a while I wanted to do bad things, yet felt I had little recourse.

Now, I can't see how the burden of proof is on you. Burden of proof would need to be on the accuser and how do they know it was your dogs or a neighbors dogs? I'm not a lawyer but I would expect it to be an easy case to win if it went to court.

Sorry you are having to deal with this.

 

[tmbrown97]

amazing...
 
Honestly if you have any old computers laying around, I'd probably do something with a webcam pointed out a window recording 24/7.  It sucks that you have to have a recording of nothing happening at a given time - rather than setting it to only record on audio or video... but at least you don't need super high quality - just enough to see if it's your dog barking.
 
Some creative people have put webcams inside a glass jar outside with good results through all sorts of nasty weather - it could get the job done.
 
Otherwise I like the grandstream cameras - they're affordable and IP with audio and with some software you could record that 24/7 as well.

 

[drvnbysound]

Well I wish I had that option as for a while I had two large (Rottweiler-mix & German Shepherd) next door that would bark at me or my family anytime we left the house or were in the yard. It has improved but for a while I wanted to do bad things, yet felt I had little recourse.

Now, I can't see how the burden of proof is on you. Burden of proof would need to be on the accuser and how do they know it was your dogs or a neighbors dogs? I'm not a lawyer but I would expect it to be an easy case to win if it went to court.

Sorry you are having to deal with this.

 
This is exactly what I was thinking as well. Isn't that the point of, innocent until proven guilty? It's not the other way around.... you shouldn't be proving your innocence.

 

[sda]

This is exactly what I was thinking as well. Isn't that the point of, innocent until proven guilty? It's not the other way around.... you shouldn't be proving your innocence.

Welcome to the new world order.  Its only going to get worse.

 

[2sleepy]

amazing...
 
Honestly if you have any old computers laying around, I'd probably do something with a webcam pointed out a window recording 24/7.  It sucks that you have to have a recording of nothing happening at a given time - rather than setting it to only record on audio or video... but at least you don't need super high quality - just enough to see if it's your dog barking.
 
Some creative people have put webcams inside a glass jar outside with good results through all sorts of nasty weather - it could get the job done.
 
Otherwise I like the grandstream cameras - they're affordable and IP with audio and with some software you could record that 24/7 as well.

I just looked at the Grandview cameras and played one of their sample videos. It is time stamped, but I can't figure out if there is a menu on their software that allows you to jump to the time/date you need to view - and the camera's don't seem to have a built in mic but they do have audio in/out.  I can't even tell if I bought a separate mic if the audio would be recorded and would play back with the video.  

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I was wondering at one time about using a dog bark detector (like a Barker Breaker) and modifying it so I could get a contact closure and use that as a time stamp (or to trigger a video recording with pre and post times, etc...)

 

[signal15]

http://www.dropcam.com
 
A couple of my friends have these and love them.  They are easy, and they store your video in the cloud.

 

[2sleepy]

http://www.dropcam.com
 
A couple of my friends have these and love them.  They are easy, and they store your video in the cloud.

I was so excited..I went to their website and reviewed some of the video clips, it looked perfect. I wouldn't even mind paying the $30 a month for cloud storage - but, animal control does not put a time limit on how long this woman has to complain after an incident..I called support and they said there is no provision for storing data longer than 30 days, or for storing anything other than a video clip of an individual time/date locally.  They also don't have outdoor cameras and don't suggest exposing the cameras to temperatures above 90 degrees or below 30 degrees (it's 21 degrees here right now)  

 

[signal15]

I was so excited..I went to their website and reviewed some of the video clips, it looked perfect. I wouldn't even mind paying the $30 a month for cloud storage - but, animal control does not put a time limit on how long this woman has to complain after an incident..I called support and they said there is no provision for storing data longer than 30 days, or for storing anything other than a video clip of an individual time/date locally.  They also don't have outdoor cameras and don't suggest exposing the cameras to temperatures above 90 degrees or below 30 degrees (it's 21 degrees here right now)  

 
Maybe the best thing to do is to complain that you heard barking coming from her house.  Repeatedly.
 
Additionally, how is it even legal to fine someone without having proof they are guilty?  Seems like paying a couple of hundred bucks to an attorney to write a letter to Animal Control and this lady might be money well spent.

 

[2sleepy]

IDK how they get away with this but they do..This is a strange place, Reno NV is sort of like Mississippi of the West.  All I know is that after they found me 'guilty' they said I would be facing two more hearings for additional complaints, the fine doubles each time.  I asked how they could accept more complaints before I even had the first hearing and the animal control guy said "yeah that seems odd".  If I get a 4th complaint I get charged criminally.  This is insane and is driving me out of my mind.  I have been calling attorney's and so far I have had NO luck finding one that wants to take on Animal Control.   
 
Does anyone know anything about this?  http://www.homemonitor.me/   The camera is expensive, but the software seems to do what I need, It's a Y-Cam and they are available far cheaper if you don't buy them with the homemonitor software, but apparently you can't get the software unless you buy it in a special package bundled with the overpriced camera.   

 

[drvnbysound]

Maybe the best thing to do is to complain that you heard barking coming from her house.  Repeatedly.
 
Additionally, how is it even legal to fine someone without having proof they are guilty?  Seems like paying a couple of hundred bucks to an attorney to write a letter to Animal Control and this lady might be money well spent.

 
Nicely played!
 
I'm curious to know where the OP lives to be fined for barking dogs...

 

[Desert_AIP]

Just get some B-roll of your yard and superimpose the appropriate date and time each time you need the "evidence".