Driven barking mad...
Neighbour claims that ‘incessant barking’ from a back garden kennel could devalue his house by 25%
THE country is awash with dog grooming parlours and doggie day care centres catering for our beloved pooches.
But a real dogfight over the difference between the two has erupted in north Dublin, following the initially unauthorised development of a kennels business.
Moulin Pooch in Artane has been open for nearly two years as a dog grooming business. However, a wooden chalet was constructed in the rear of the premises without planning permission. At one point, this chalet provided day care for up to eight dogs. This has been reduced to five animals.
Business owner Denise O’Keeffe told the Irish Mail on Sunday that she was initially unaware planning permission was required. She was later allowed to retain the structure by Dublin City Council, subject to a number of conditions.
However, construction lawyer Bruno HerA bots, who lives next door, said his family cannot cope with the ‘incessant barking’ and argues that planning standards should be adhered to. He and his wife have appealed the permission to An Bord Pleanála.
‘I came back from holiday to see that they were building a timber structure in the back yard. I flipped. There is goodwill between neighbours, but I simply couldn’t believe it. It’s like giving someone your hand and they take your arm.
‘All you hear is mad barking,’ added Mr Herbots. In his objection, he included supporting documentation from an auctioneer estimating that the development could devalue his property by up to 25%. ‘However nice they are, such a devaluation of our property is like stealing money off my house and that’s my pension gone,’ he said.
Mr Herbots said that due to the barking, one of his sons is unable to study for his Leaving Cert at home and must be driven to the library.
His wife, Flora O’Mahony, told the MoS: ‘The applicants say they have a “no barkers” policy. This is just utter nonsense. This is not nimbyism – we have had every sort of business in the locality and we put up with all sorts of noise,’ she said.
representative of Ms O’Keeffe told planning authorities that the business is willing to carry out a noise pollution survey to support its ‘no barkers’ policy. However, Mr Herbots has uploaded a video on YouTube which, he claims, highlights the level of barking coming from next door. Ms O’Keeffe, in a statement to the MoS, said: ‘My daycare facility was created and designed to be appropriate for the usage in the area. I don’t have children; my dogs are my babies and I am not embarrassed to say they are treated like babies.
‘My planning application was approved with several restrictions outlined, which I am happy to fully comply with.’
Moulin Pooch manager Krystal Louise Delaney, added: ‘This business has changed my life for the better and I can’t imagine a life without Moulin Pooch. I am 30 years old and in the last number of weeks suffered a mini-stroke that left me hospitalised for over a week. The stress and worry over the concern of losing my job has been a contributing factor to this, in my opinion.’
Of 40 submissions to DCC, there were 11 objections. A petition with nearly 500 signatures in support of Moulin Pooch was submitted to the local authority. Some of the signatories later told DCC they were not presented with the full facts.
Another petition, with 90 signatures against the development, was submitted by Mr Herbots and his wife.
‘All my family can hear is mad barking’