Neighbours noisy dog, what's the logical solution?

[MrsJasonBourne]

Some people have recently moved into our road and brought with them what I can only assume is a farm dog. As far as I know the man used to be an estate manager so I'm guessing the dogs were out all day. It's one of two collies, kept outside in a run, and it barks and barks and barks. I have spoken to the owner who just said she was very sorry but they never heard it bark (wtf?) and she'd speak to her husband. Well as they're out at work all day they wouldn't hear the majority of it, but it also barks at midnight, three in the morning, six in the morning, it goes on. What the actual fuck it's barking at I don't know, I shouldn't think it can see much from where it is. Birds in the garden perhaps, or clouds in the sky. I'm guessing it's not used to being left in a run all day. As I write this it's been barking solidly all afternoon. I just want to cry now. Every time I bump into one of the other neighbours they usually say 'have you heard those awful dogs today?' Apparently one old lady over the road was in tears at being woken up by it. What, if any, is our next step? I cannot envisage this going on for much longer.

ring your local environmental health office, they can come round and decide if it's a nuisance or not and what needs to be done.

I've had a look at the coucnil website. It says they cannot take action against 'dogs barking occasionally.' Doesn't say continuously so may be in with a chance. Thanks.

Continuous dog barking can be and is classified as a noise nuisance, and increasingly these days, nuisance caused by dogs is also recognised as Anti Social Behaviour. This is particularly relevant if you have a social landlord as they are generally much quicker to act on these issues and will take ASB seriously. If the neighbour's house is rented, have a word with the landlord.

Before you take this official action, I would have one last chat with the neighbours, politely stating that the dogs ARE audible, both during the day and at night, and that you are aware that some of your neighbours have also considered taking further steps. Being charitable, if they have been living remotely, they may not be used to having to consider their impact on neighbours. This is also an area where petitions by neighbours can reflect a real problem and could be used in support of any actions by Council.

Report to Environmental Health and they will ask you to keep a noise diary, recording incidents over a period of time. Ask your neighbours to also report it - the more neighbours who do so, hte more likely the Council are to take it seriously. Also report it to your local Cllr. As well as reporting the noise issue, it is also worth contacting the dog warden to express your concerns over the welfare of the dog. While it is perfectly possible to keep a dog outside in the appropriate conditions, the fact this dog is being kept alone and barking so much suggests it is bored, and/or distressed. Under Animal Welfare Act, Council can act on this (five Freedoms).

It may also be worth taking legal advice. Your house insurance may provide a legal helpline, cover for costs and specialist legal advice on dog law is available via Doglaw http://www.doglaw.co.uk/index.php here and through other specialist legal people.

You stand a better chance of anything being done by the council if you have other neighbours to back you up.
We had to move house because, basically (too long to go into now) our former neighbour went to work leaving four dogs roaming, barking and howling all day, every day in the house and garden from 7.30am -5.00pm then again fri, sat and sunday evening often until 2am.
Why have dogs if you haven't got the time to spend with them.
I know only too well how upsetting the constant barking is.

2 dogs outside together in a run will not in itself be considered to be a problem if they have adequate shelter, and water. I would approach the council on the basis of noise pollution not welfare, or you risk being shunted off to the wrong department who won't care.

I have collies, and if left out after dust they would bark obsessively at foxes. This is likely to be the problem at night. Ask the neighbours to put them inside at night, or at the very least in a dog house. Collies are very sight focussed so if they can't see the fox they are less bothered.

I did ask the lady if she could have them indoors. She said no, not really.

They also have a garage that would be perfectly adequate for a couple of dogs to sleep in.

They own the house, as far as I know, so no landlord to ask.

Feel really mean complaining about them but god they do my head in. Thanks for all your advice.

Well she's being totally unreasonable in that case. What scuttle said - council, noise diary, the works. We complained about a restaurant fan once, and the council rigged up monitoring equipment and then slapped a noise abatement order on them.