10 October 2011

Barking dogs



Are barking dogs the bairn of your life or just annoying?
Recent complaints have left me feeling a little helpless in this matter.
When you feel the neighbour's dog is barking excessively then you need to let the person at Council in charge of this (Ken Anesbury) know. He issues you with a diary that you keep for at least 2 weeks. If you can get other neighbours to do this as well this also helps. The usual problem is that the dog owners are unaware that the dog barks excessively when they are out because it behaves beautifully when they are at home. The purpose of the diary is to prove to the dog owner that the dog does bark excessively and then the hope is that hey will use this knowledge to act in a way that might help to change the dog's behavior. The real problem now begins if they the refuse to accept that the problem exists and do nothing.




Section 45A of the Dog and Cat management Act–




Miscellaneous duties relating to dogs
(5) A person who owns or is responsible for the control of a dog is guilty of an offence if the dog (either alone or together with other dogs, whether or not in the same ownership) creates a noise, by barking or otherwise, which persistently occurs or continues to such a degree or extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace comfort or convenience of a person



If the Council can not substantiate as well that the dog is a nuisance then that is the end of the matter as far as Council is concerned. Further civil options are available but may be a lot more expensive. They include;



  • Your own solicitor

  • Southern Community Justice Service (Tel. 8384 5222)

  • Legal Services Commission of South Australia (Tel. 1300 366 424)

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