Barking Dogs

Y

Young One

A few posts under my belt
Does anyone on here have any experience with getting the borough council do actually do anything about noise complaints?

I've been on correspondence with Environmental Health for nearly a year about someone who leaves barking dogs outside for hours at a time and they've been as useful as a chocolate teapot- my requests for updates have frequently gone unanswered and I've now been told the case was closed because I didn't respond to a letter- a letter I never received.

To top it all off, because I can only hear but not see the dogs, the RSPCA won't come out either. How I'm supposed to be able to see and give detailed medical information on a pair of dogs which never leave their fenced garden is beyond me. I can't believe the RSPCA won't even carry out an initial visit to check on welfare without (apparently) me climbing into someone else's garden to check for them first!

Does anyone know any other routes I can try to get this sorted?
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Is anybody else affected by the situation? Unfortunately, the level of complaints seems to be important in terms of getting a response - could you get others in the vicinity to complain, also?
 
Y

Young One

A few posts under my belt
I spoke to my neighbour before putting in the initial complaint, as they have lived here for a very long time and know everybody in the street. I've been told that there have been numerous complaints about the same dogs and the owner takes pride in throwing every warning letter they receive into the bin. Because this person suspects my neighbour of having made the complaint, they've made a spurious complaint against my neighbour too.

While SBC must have all this on record, I have a sneaking suspicion that prosecutions cost too much money for them to do anything.
 
wmrcomputers

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
If there's one thing us British are good at, it's moaning about things but doing very little about it. My point being that although you've been TOLD others have complained before, it doesn't mean that they actually have... and unfortunately, if it turns out that your alone in this then you'll have probably already been nicknamed at the council as "The whinger" or words to that effect.

We have 3 dogs. They bark once or twice when let outside in the garden (excitement hoping for cats I think), but then only usually do the odd single bark to remind us they're out there - unless the binmen are about. If anyone complained about these short spouts of activity then I'd refer to them as miserable beggers with nout better to do. However, if the kind of thing you are dealing with is non stop, hour at a time barking then you have every right to complain. Be warned though - these things never end nicely when you drop complaints on a neighbours doorstep!

Asses the situation - decide whether bad enough to pursue (and consider negatives) - If not bad enough or negatives outweigh it then sometimes it's simpler to "put-up and shut-up". :(
 
wmrcomputers

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
wmrcomputers said:
If there's one thing us British are good at, it's moaning about things but doing very little about it.
Click to expand...

Reminds me of many moons ago at the "Ricky Arms". The landlord and landlady at the time were such lovely people, but the beer regularly tasted of line cleaner. Everyone in the pub moaned (to eachother) but never said a thing about it at the bar. My dad and I did, but were told "well nobody else is complaining so if you don't like the beer then drink elsewhere".
 
H

Hetairoi

Well-Known Forumite
Having been accused of have one of these barking dogs I know that there really isn't much that the council will do!

You need to keep a diary of when and for how long the dogs bark and go round all your neighbours and get them to sign a letter of complaint.

Try getting your local councillor involved, they are due for re-election soon.

Even then you probably won't get any joy off the council, they really don't care.
 
Y

Young One

A few posts under my belt
There's not much I can do to find out if my neighbours have actually complained- the council won't release that information and I'm not going to interrogate each and every resident within barking distance.

Obviously what I'm dealing with is incessant barking- for example, the barking on Sunday was 5am to 3pm non stop. It ruins the summers because we basically can't enjoy any time in the back garden or with the windows open.There is no way I can put up with this for another year.

I've already made the decision to continue the complaint - my problem is that the officials I've been dealing with have been far from competent and I wanted to know if there are other options. I have already kept and handed in a diary to the council- they've proceeded to do nothing with the information. Perhaps my local councillor is the next place to go - but I've just checked and the borough elections aren't until 2015 so I doubt I will have any luck there either.

Bollocks
 
wmrcomputers

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Young One said:
each and every resident within barking distance.
Click to expand...

I like what you did there ;)

Young One said:
Obviously what I'm dealing with is incessant barking- for example, the barking on Sunday was 5am to 3pm non stop. It ruins the summers because we basically can't enjoy any time in the back garden or with the windows open.There is no way I can put up with this for another year.
Click to expand...

Now I seriously feel for you.... you can't put up with that crap! Have you tried recording it (audio or video) to show the council what you are living with? Your own home or rented? If rented ask your landlord to take some kind of action - especially if the neighbouring property is with them also.

Sounds extreme, but threaten the council that if they do nothing to help you you will write to local papers etc about the whole situation. It's amazing how much that line has helped me in the past.
 
Y

Young One

A few posts under my belt
We own and so do they. I'm hoping the next stage is council noise monitors in my garden- hey, its only been a year.
 
wmrcomputers

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Good luck in any case - keep us posted. Oh, and welcome to the forum. Stick around.... some really nice folk on here :)
 
CreamCake

CreamCake

Well-Known Forumite
Been there, done that, had to move before I got a police record. You will get little help and your health will suffer if you are not careful.
Once friendly communication breaks down with the other party things can escalate depressingly fast. And I'm a dog owner!
Very best of luck.
Jean-Paul Satre was correct about 'other people'.
 
That-Crazy-Rat-Lady

That-Crazy-Rat-Lady

Well-Known Forumite
I am very aware of my dog barking, I haven't had him long and the first couple of months he would bark late and night when I let him out before we went to bed - it drives me crazy and I don't want me neighbors to hate me!

We have been doing some anti bark training and it seems to be going well!

At one point I considered an anti bark collar that emits an unpleasant sound when the dog barks - but good old fashioned consistency and a strong 'NO' seem to be working well!

However on my anti bark hunt I came across things like this:
http://www.primrose.co.uk/advanced-dog-bark-stopper-p-765.html

Anti bark devices for your neighbors dog, I can't vouch for the website or products as not having used them but it seems to have some good reviews and for £20 may be work a pop!

I feel your pain, my old neighbor had a dog that barked constantly every morning, little shit drove me mad and I'm determined to have a better, well behaved dog that is a nuisance to no one but myself!
 
Y

Young One

A few posts under my belt
The problem is that barking is several doors down- there are dogs between us and them who aren't noisy shits who I wouldn't want to accidentally poison/ feed to death/ scare with noise.

That advanced bark stopper looks brilliant actually - although the range is too small!
 
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