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Barking Dogs

Barking is a natural behaviour of dogs and is one way that they communicate.  However, Council understands that in some cases barking dogs may become a wider community issue particularly when a number of neighbours are complaining about the same barking dog or dogs.

If a barking dog is affecting you, Council advises that you should take the following action/s to help resolve the issue. 

  • Make contact with your neighbour/owner of the dog directly to discuss your concerns.

    The owner of the barking dog may not realise their dog is bothering you or others in the neighbourhood.  The owner may be happy to work with you to resolve the issue.  Discussions with the dog’s owner in the first instance and advising them of when barking is a problem could help them to find the best way to address the issue.

  • Contact the Community Justice Centre (CJC)

    After having discussed the matter with the dog’s owner and bringing the problem to their attention, if the barking persists, then you can contact the Community Justice Centre (CJC).  The CJC provides a free mediation service funded by the NSW State Government to help the community resolve issues/disputes without going to court and has a very high success rate. 

    The Community Justice Centre can be contacted on 1800 990 777,

    or visit their website at: cjc.justice.nsw.gov.au

    If you have no success in the mediation process using the CJC, the CJC will provide you with documentation that can then be used to apply for a Noise Abatement Order or delivered to Council Rangers for Investigation.

  • Request a Noise Abatement Order

    You can apply to the Local Court for a Noise Abatement Order.  If the court is satisfied that the dog is causing offensive noise, or that the noise is likely to recur, it may order the owner of the dog to stop the noise within a specified time or prevent a recurrence. A sample of an application for a Noise abatement Order may be found at https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/Pages/representing/Noise/Forms/S_noise_abatement_order.aspx

  • Contact Council addressing the matter

If all the avenues of dispute resolution have failed, you can contact Council.  This includes asking for all documentation from the Community Justice Centre dispute resolution process, details of all parties involved and written statements from more than one neighbour affected by the barking dog. Council will then investigate the matter and inform all parties of the relevant outcome. In determining whether it can take action Council will need to be satisfied on the evidence that the noise from barking persistently occurs or continues to such a degree or extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of any person.  Council may also need to be satisfied that the barking represents a wider public nuisance affecting a number of residents and is not a private dispute between two parties.   

Last modified: 10 Mar 2023

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