What should we do-dogs barking!?

Question

What is the law regarding dogs. This is because our next door neighbour leaves their dogs locked up alone in the house for up to 9 hours a day while they are at work and they constantly bark throughout the day. They recently opened their back door when they got home from work and their was dog poo all over the kitchen floor.

Answer 1

Have a word with your local RSPCA inspector.  You'll find the number in the phone book.

Answer 2

mind your own business !

Answer 3

Call the council, Environmental Health.  And when your neighbours are asleep, lower a cheap alarm-clock through their letterbox, on a piece of string, to go off in the early morning.  With a note telling them how annoying unwanted noise is, don't they agree?

Answer 4

Report your neighburs to the RSPCA and they will do something baout it

Answer 5

Are you in the UK?  If the dogs bark like that it's considered a public notice and there are certainly laws governing it.  Also, speak with the RSPCA for advice, the dogs sound distressed.

Answer 6

I would just send them an anonymous letter about the dogs barking and what times and for how long they bark..

I keep my dogs locked in one room and sometimes they do have accidents on the floor while I'm at work. Unfortunately, I have to work and my boss won't let me leave at lunch and I can't get a dog walker out in the  middle of nowhere where I live. If my dogs were barking all day, I'd have no way of knowing that as I'm not there. But, if someone sent me a note about it, I'd try to correct it. I would have to know it was happening though to do anything about it..

If there was more f***s then would be normal for an 8 hour period for the number of dogs and there are other things to suggest the dogs aren't being cared for, then it may be report worthy. Most areas do have some kind of barking dog law, but, they vary widely by area. Your local police should be able to tell you what the law is in your area. Some areas just have "quiet time" laws where dogs would get in trouble for barking at night. Other areas also have laws about how long a dog can bark, for instance, anymore then a 1/2 hour is nuisance barking.

I would contact the neighbor first though, anonymously even. It really isn't fair to punish someone for a condition they may not even know exists.. Many shelters euthanize problem barkers, so while the owner will get a fine the dog will die.. Just something to keep in mind..  

Answer 7

You don't say where you live, so there's no way anyone can tell you what your local regulations are on this without further info.

However, having seen many debates involving both sides on this question, and the results achieved, I have to say the most honest, and very often most constructive route is to steel yourself and approach the neighbours directly.

This should be done in the most calm and diplomatic way you can muster. You may actually find that either: a. They are not aware of what goes on when they aren't there. Although the kitchen floor covered in poo makes this unlikely. Or more likely, b. That they are in a situation where things have changed since they got the dogs, they haven't enough time now, or just were ill-advised in getting them, and are already breaking their heads what to do about the problem.

In either case, calling protection laws or dog control on them is likely to achieve little except getting their backs up, meaning they won't listen to anything you say in future, if they get the smallest inkling you called them, and be sure they will.

On the other hand, if it does turn out they are just at their wits' end, you can give them good advice. Such as, to research whether there is a possibility to have them exercised half-way through each day. If they aren't free to do it themselves, then there is a good chance they could afford a reputable dog-walker, to break up the day for their dogs. 9 hours is not an acceptable period for dogs to be left unattended, but if it were broken in half by a nice walk, with another by the owner at either end, the dogs would probably fall in happily with that routine quite quickly.

Good luck approaching the neighbour. But done carefully this way is usually the most effective as well as the most peaceful that I've ever seen.

Answer 8

You need to contact your local Environmental Health Office. They have to investigate every complaint.