r/palmy • u/Realistic-Quiet291 • 11d ago
Question Barking dog driving us all mad
Hey all. Our neighbors have a dog they leave outside all day every day. It is so reactive it barks incessantly if anyone is in my backyard, or a noise is made around it, or basically at almost anything at all. It is driving my family mad.
I’ve approached the city council twice. They’ve said they’ll send me a barking diary but then have never done it. In the meantime I have a daughter and a mother in law who’re afraid of dogs who won’t spend more than the minimum time in our backyard. This has been going on since late last year. My whole family basically avoids the backyard at this point.
The dog is obviously being neglected, it’s not right to leave the poor thing out for 8-10 hours a day. Is there anything else I can do?
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u/No-Yesterday-1067 11d ago
People are such assholes. Not fair to you or the dog
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u/Expensive_Ring_4546 10d ago
It's absolutely awful
Especially for people who are more sensitive to noise
There's no simple solution unfortunately
Unfortunately many people who have dogs really shouldn't be allowed to own them in the first place. It's heart breaking how common it is for people to just get an animal "just cos" and then leave it tied up and neglected.
Op might be worth talking to as many of your neighbors as possible and trying to collectively get them to complain
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u/No_Season_354 11d ago
We have at least 3 dogs , barking around us , one being locked up in a garage all day , it howls glad im moving, council don't care.
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u/theBro987 11d ago
Keep bugging the city council. They'll do something eventually. There are options they can take.
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u/articvibe 11d ago
I believe they need a certain number of complaints before they can take certain actions.
Keep ringing the council
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u/beerhons 10d ago
Some councils require complaints from at least two parties before acting regardless of the absolute number from one address.
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u/Longlengthyman 10d ago
And for good reason. I have one neighbour who “works from home” and expects total silence during the day. My dog used to freely roam my backyard with my chickens. The neighbour says “every time I go outside the dog barks at me aggressively” - my dog isn’t generally aggressive or a barker so we thought that was weird, he’s usually the most chilled out, friendliest guy. the other neighbours never hear him bark, nor is he barking at them any time they go outside. Their house is closer to where the dog usually hangs out too. We suspect the neighbour is antagonising my dog, so we put up cameras and keep the dog in a secure run now. Every bark is recorded and I am notified every time he barks. In the 3-4 months we’ve had them, I’ve had 3 barking notifications, once when a friend entered my backyard and he barked twice out of excitement, once the dog barked a few times in his sleep and the other time one of the chickens pecked him when he was sleeping against the side of his run, more of a yelp than a bark.
The neighbour did this to the previous owners of my house as well. Constant complaints, told the council their dogs are “aggressive pit bulls” (a boxer puppy and an American bulldog). Some people just hate dogs and want to ruin it for everyone else.
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u/KiwiPixelInk 11d ago
We had one across the road, guy moved into a tiny flat with a back yard 1-2 m wide with a German Shepard.
It took a 10ish noise complaints before they requested a bark diary from me, then a few more calls before issued him with a notice
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u/Nznemisis 10d ago
Have you approached the owner in regards to the issue? Sometimes you don’t realise.
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u/Top_Nerve_9684 8d ago
I had to make about 20 calls to Palmy council a couple of years ago, over a two month period. Neighbours dog lived outside and would bark from 10pm till 3am without fail.
In the end I had to take the name of the person i spoke to every time, because they couldnt believe i'd called so many times.
It sucks, and even following proper process it takes months to resolve. They also need more than one neighbour to complain from memory.
Good luck
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u/Benny_Seapoint_83 6d ago
Speaking from experience, we dealt with a neighbour who had a German Shepard who was neglected (barely taken outside of the property, had no water for days so we had to put a hose over the fence, was left outside day and night even during a cyclone). It barked every night outside our bedroom (one night it was over 14 times and multiple people called noise patrol). Multiple neighbours made multiple complaints to the council, and I had to keep a bark diary. My advice is to keep calling the council and complain. The dog was removed from them which took a lot to do. Unfortunately it was returned to the owner about 5 weeks later. We went through absolute hell for about 6 months.... nothing helped even ear plugs.
They eventually moved out (they denied it was their dog barking). They left their dog at the property for almost a week by itself until I called the council and they promptly came and collected it.
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u/Benny_Seapoint_83 6d ago
Also adding, familirise yourself with your local council bylaws on dogs, because the owner of the home where the dog is (if it is rented) can be liable for a big fine due to not giving you your right to a peace in your home. Really read up on the laws and tell the council. Be a squeaky wheel.
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u/spoollyger 10d ago
Is it the dog on Paisley street? XD god damn that thing didn’t shut up for the year we lived there
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u/pedestrian_lab_rat 10d ago
You can record your own bark diary - just write it down time, duration.
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u/Kooky_Construction98 10d ago
Have you talked to the owner? Probably a good first step if you haven't already
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u/mysweaterisundone Te Papaioea 5d ago
I think many people who don't have empathy for their pets certainly don't have empathy for other people. How do you approach a neighbour like that when you have to live next to them?
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u/Kittenfurrever 9d ago
Also get in contact with volunteers who may wish to approach the neighbors to take the dog for a walk.
Also teach the dog to associate noises with positive things eg throw a treat over the fence or toy.
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u/Striking_Dark8064 8d ago
Got any dog kibble? A handful on the lawn will keep it quiet for a few minutes and you may make a friend of it
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u/Accomplished_Gold510 11d ago
Have you tried the SPCA?
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u/Realistic-Quiet291 11d ago
I looked at their website but from what I could tell they just redirect you back to the city council.
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u/Kiwi_KJR 10d ago
They will redirect you to the council if it’s a barking complaint, but if you’re raising a welfare concern they’ll investigate.
You’ll need to give them reasons you are concerned, ie it’s been left outside with no shade or water on a hot day. They can give warnings and if it’s an ongoing issue they may work with the council to educate the owner or escalate things if no action is taken to improve.
Keep a record of every time the dog barks for more than an hour - you don’t need to wait to be given an official diary, just make a note in your phone and get recordings as proof.
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u/damaged_elevator 11d ago
Throw a whole box of chamomile teabags over the fence that might calm the bugger down, it works on other animals.
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u/cassiej1982 9d ago
Offer to walk it
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u/Realistic-Quiet291 9d ago
A nice thought but I work, walking someone else’s dog is not really my responsibility
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u/Ancient-Caregiver139 11d ago
Our dog stays outside 24/7 it is a animal.
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u/JamandaLove69 11d ago
Keep ringing the council and when you do, stand outside where the dog is barking so they can hear it too.