Instead, officials in places like Hawaii County speculate that barking complaints have risen in part because more people are home to hear the yapping after losing their jobs.

WSJ: Hawaii Turns to Dog Shrink as 'Incessant Barkers' Cut Plea Deals

"We had to do something because you have neighbors living next to dogs that are barking and driving them crazy, " says Mitch Roth, a Hawaii County prosecutor who takes on barking cases.

WSJ: Hawaii Turns to Dog Shrink as 'Incessant Barkers' Cut Plea Deals

Dog counseling has been in demand in Hawaii County since early last year, when county commissioners passed an ordinance banning "barks, bays, cries, howls" that go on continuously for 10 minutes, or intermittently for 20 minutes within a half-hour.

WSJ: Hawaii Turns to Dog Shrink as 'Incessant Barkers' Cut Plea Deals

Noteworthy recent downgrades have come across large names including New Jersey, Hawaii and Cook County of Illinois.

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