New animal noise control rules
Published on November 18, 2014
Barking dogs are a common cause of neighbourhood complaints. The Council has set limits on the amount of noise that is acceptable for dogs or other noisy animals to make.
Noise limits
Noise guidelines are based on the total amount of animal noise over certain time periods. If the following noise levels are exceeded, the owner may be issued with an on-the-spot fine.
Permitted animal noise levels
| Time |
Day |
Noise limit |
|
7am to 10pm
|
Every day
|
No more than six minutes animal noise in any hour
|
|
10pm to 7am
|
Every day
|
No more than three minutes animal noise in any half-hour
|
Handling animal noise complaints
If a dog or any other pet is annoying you, approach the pet's owner as soon as the problem arises and state your case clearly and politely. If, for example, a dog barks from loneliness or boredom when the owners are away from home, they might not realise their dog is causing a nuisance.