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While all dogs bark, some do so more frequently and persistently than others. We receive complaints about ongoing excessive barking, howling or whining.
Before you make a complaint, consider the following:
- is the barking loud and persistent? Please note down times and durations of barking
- can you speak with the owners?
- have you tried to leave a note in their letter box to make them aware of the barking issues?
The complaints procedure
The barking process is not a quick fix for all dogs.
- We will first contact the complainant to gather some more specific information about the barking
- An animal control officer may ask you to fill in a barking monitor form or provide recorded evidence of loud, persistent barking
- In conjunction with your gathered evidence, an animal control officer will monitor the barking at various times and dates to establish a barking nuisance
- Once nuisance barking has been established, an animal control officer will contact the dog owner and inform them of the complaint and advise them of their responsibilities and offer suggestions to reduce the nuisance.
- An animal control officer may contact you after 7-10 days of their contact with the dog owner to see if the barking has reduced. If it has, the complaint will be closed.
- If another report is received of the dog barking excessively, a dog control officer will monitor and establish the nuisance barking.
- Once established, an animal control officer will contact the dog owner again and issue a formal warning letter
- Once the formal warning letter is sent the dog owner will have a further 7-10days to reduce the barking.
- If the barking is still excessive after 7-10 days a Nuisance Abatement Notice may be issued, once established. A property inspection may also occur to determine the reason for the excessive barking and a letter of recommendation will be sent to the dog owner.
- If the barking is still excessive after 7-10 days, and established by an animal control officer, or you have given a formal statement attesting to the barking nuisance. The dog owner may receive a $200 infringement or the dog may be seized.
- Once the dog is impounded, the dog owner will need to apply to the council for the release of the dog. The dog owner will need to show how they are going to comply with the conditions of the abatement notice before the dog will be released.
- If the dog returns home and another breach is discovered, the dog may be impounded again, and may be held in the shelter for a possible prosecution of the dog owner.
We address nuisance barking issues on a case-by-case basis as there are a lot of mitigating factors which cause a dog to bark.