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A noisy dog can distress and disrupt neighbours. We investigate complaints about excessive barking, howling or whining.
Before you report a barking dog, consider the following:
Read more about the complaint procedure and see a letter template if you want to leave a note in a dog owner's mailbox.
If you have already spoken to the dog owner and the barking has not improved, if it is unsafe or you are uncomfortable to approach the owner, call us to report excessive barking.
We:
If there is no improvement and we are notified that the barking is still a nuisance, we will investigate further.
This may lead to the dog owner being issued a nuisance abatement notice and other enforcement actions.
To report excessive barking, call:
If we receive a complaint and our animal management officer has reasonable grounds to believe a dog’s barking or howling is creating a nuisance, we can:
If we prosecute the owner for breaching the notice, the court can impose a fine of up to $1500.
For a list of infringement offences and fees, check the Dog Control Act.