77-year-old woman will not go to jail

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A 77-year-old woman has been spared from serving a jail sentence - as long as she keeps her dogs quiet.

Barbara Creighton appeared in court Wednesday night because of her barking dogs. Judge Daniel Cavarello told her he is giving a one-year conditional discharge as long as she keeps her canines in line.

"I'm hoping this will do it, and it's going to wash away and be all over and done with. I'm not the only one that has two dogs. There's dogs everywhere. But my dogs just happen to be getting pinpointed," Creighton said.

Tonawanda Town Code prohibits habitual, loud barking or howling. Creighton has pleaded, or been found, guilty of violating that code nine times since May 2009. This summer, she started using special bark collars on her two dogs.

"They bark, and they get that piercing sound in their ears. So, I've had this for about two-and-a-half months, and it's been working," she said.

Town of Tonawanda Police have not received a call from Creighton's neighbors, complaining about her dogs making noise, since July 25th.

In the past, Creighton has been fined and ordered to jail over her dogs, though she's never actually done time. Judge Cavarello told her he gave the sentence that he did, because she has "taken some proactive steps to resolve the issue."

Last month, Creighton told News 4, "If I could afford to sell my house, I would never live in Tonawanda again. Never."