Different people have different tolerance levels for barking. What one person considers a nuisance may not disturb someone else. Council has therefore defined nuisance barking in its Local Laws to include:
Barking noise that disrupts or inhibits an activity ordinarily carried out on adjoining or nearby residential premises, such as holding a conversation or sleeping.
Under the Local Laws, the keeper of a dog must ensure that the dog does not cause an unreasonable nuisance.
Some of the criteria that Council will consider when deciding whether a nuisance is unreasonable include:
- The number and location of complaints received
- The duration of the noise:
- more than 5 minutes in any 30 minute period between 10pm and 7am the next morning
- more than 10 minutes in any hour between 7am and 10pm that day.
We can only take action once it is established a barking noise is unreasonable.
