Dog owner fined over barking

A DOG owner has been landed with a hefty fine after her pets would not stop barking.

Complaints had been made about Elaine Hart since August last year and she was told in October she needed to keep the barking under control.

But complaints kept flooding in to North Somerset Council throughout 2017 and on February 10 an environmental health officer from the authority visited the complainant’s Weston-super-Mare home and found the noise to be in breach of the noise abatement notice.

Another visit 10 days later found the barking could be heard in every room of the house. The officer could not count exactly how often the dogs were barking because the noise was too constant.

Hart, of Bilbie Road, Westonsuper-Mare, admitted not complying with a noise abatement notice.

She was fined £170 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court.

After the hearing, Peter Bryant, North Somerset Council executive member for environmental protection, said: “We take matters such as this very seriously and are always encouraging dog owners to act responsibly.”