Website and telephone payments Sunday 19 May
Our website and telephone payment systems are unavailable between 9am and 2pm on Sunday 19 May. You will not be able to pay for any council services on our website or over the phone during this time.
Dogs barking can be a serious annoyance if it happens frequently or for prolonger periods. Find out how to reduce and report instances of barking dogs.
It’s normal and natural for dogs to bark, but when it happens frequently or for a long time it can be annoying and upsetting for your neighbours. Often, this problem occurs when the owner is out of the house and does not realise there is a problem.
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, a barking dog can be a "statutory noise nuisance". An owner could be taken to court if nothing is done to stop the nuisance.
Below you will find information which may help to reduce barking and resolve issues with your neighbours.
If your dog barking is upsetting your neighbours, the first step is to talk things over with them. Stay calm and try to see it from their point of view, and bear in mind you might not know how serious the problem is if your dog is barking more when you’re not at home
There are some simple steps you can take straight away to cut down the amount of noise your dog is making. This will help calm the situation between you and your neighbours, and give you time to work out why your dog is barking:
If you don’t take steps to solve the problem and we conclude that the noise created amounts to a statutory nuisance, a noise abatement notice can be served requiring the noise to be reduced to an acceptable level.
If you fail to comply with an abatement notice, you could face prosecution and a fine of up to £5,000 (and possibly further fines of up to £500 for each day on which the offence continues after conviction).