Barking dogs

Dogs bark as a way to communicate, however constant barking is a nuisance and can impact the wellbeing of our community.

Dogs may bark more than usual due to:

• presence of a cat, bird or other animal
• hunger, thirst or inadequate shelter
• loneliness
• insufficient exercise or boredom
• lack of training
• discomfort or ill health
• deliberate or unintentional provocation by people or other dogs

What to do about a barking dog

If you have a problem with a dog barking in your neighbourhood, first try to discuss it with the owner. Often the owner is not aware as they are not at home when their dog is barking.

If you don’t feel comfortable to approach your neighbour, you can fill out a bark card and leave it in their letterbox.

If the problem continues, you can contact the Town’s Rangers for advice.

Our Rangers will provide you with a barking dog complaint pack that includes a statutory complaint form and a 7-day dog barking diary for you to complete.

Once you have completed and submitted the complaint form and barking diary, the Town’s Rangers will review the information and begin investigations to address the problem.

Documents

Bark card

Barking dogs information sheet