Barking Dogs
In many of the nuisance barking complaints investigated by Council, dog owners have stated, “I wish that they had spoken to us about it”. In addition, requesting Council involvement in the first instance may get the task of solving the problem off on the wrong foot. At the end of the day we all need to live together and in most instances this is the preferred and best-tested method of solving the issue
Of course, if for some reason you simply cannot approach your neighbour or if the approach does not work, Council can provide some advice and assistance to you and the dog owner to resolve the issue.
If a request about a noisy dog is received, Council's General Inspector may observe the dog to assess whether it is creating a noise that 'persistently occurs to such an extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of others' (Section 45A, of the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995)
Most requests about noisy dogs received by Council are handled informally and through mediation. This way all parties are given the opportunity to work towards a resolution.
Note: the person making the request needs to be willing to keep a diary recording the extent and occasions that the dog causes a nuisance.
Please call the Customer Service Centre on 1300 785 277 to discuss the problem with the General Inspector or alternatively complete a Barking Dog Complaint Form
(223 kb) and submit it to Council.
Please also click on the following Information Guide link for some useful tips.