Barking dogs put residents on edge

OFFICERS at a local council are dealing with mounting complaints about barking dogs from annoyed ratepayers.

Sorrel Council said “difficult” and “ongoing” complaints were “continuing to take up a lot of council’s resources”.

There are currently 12 unresolved barking dog complaints across the municipality, which encompasses towns including Dunalley, Dodges Ferry, Primrose Sands, and Sorell itself.

“We are receiving more written official complaints than previously, which requires greater resourcing and investigation,” Sorrel Council senior compliance officer Darren Carter said.

Mr Carter said council officers could sit outside a property for lengthy periods of time to obtain accurate barking records.

These officers will often compile detailed lists of dates, times, and possible causes for the dog’s barking, and will typically speak with the owner, assess their property and provide advice on how to deal with the barking.

Dog owners face fines or abatement notices if an issue is identified, and the matter can sometimes be referred to the courts if it can’t be resolved.

“Noise such as dog barking can be a significant source of annoyance to members of the community,” Mr Carter said.

“The volume, intensity, duration and time of the day all influence the level of annoyance.”

RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Jan Davis said managing barking dogs was always the owner’s responsibility.

In the City of Hobart, there are currently 42 ongoing unresolved barking dog complaints (with three being formal unresolved complaints).

In Glenorchy, there are eight unresolved complaints, while there are four in Clarence, and none in Kingborough.