Driven mad by barking

Noise campaign

Excessive dog noise is the focus of the Noise Action Week, which began on Monday.

North Lanarkshire Council is supporting the initiative, which aims to rteach about the impact that noise has on health and wellbeing.

Complaints to the council about continuous dog barking have soared in recent times, with 600 last year, and NLC are issuing advice on the issue.

Operations manager Stephen Llewellyn said: “It’s natural and normal that dogs bark.

“However, it’s when the barking continues over a longer period that it can be annoying to neighbours.

“There’s a range of help available to both dog owners and those experiencing noisy or continual barking and I’d encourage anyone in this situation to contact us.

“A few simple steps can make all the difference to being a good neighbour.

“We want to make people aware of the potential issues that can cause noise nuisance.”

Experts advise talking about dog barking in the first instance, saying: “Your neighbours may not even know about the problem and how it is affecting you.

“Stay calm, listen to your neighbour and give them time to resolve the problem.

“Dog owners should keep calm and try not to be defensive.

“The key is to work out what’s causing the problem. Your dog could be bored, lonely and suffering from separation anxiety.”

Residents can report noise problems and find out about mediation and animal welfare services via North Lanarkshire Council’s website.