Bark bark etc.

[domtyler]

A neighbour has seen fit to buy a dog for his kids and has just left it out in the back garden where it is barking and whining non-stop, all day, all night.

This has been going on for a couple of weeks now but they seem to have now left it in their garden permanently to look after itself.

I have looked at the RSPCA site, but the advice is not clear. I cannot see into their garden as they are a couple of doors down. While the noise is annoying, it is not quite bad (i.e. loud) enough to warrant getting the council involved.

What should I do?

-Ignore it and hope it goes away/dies?
-Confront the neighbour? He is a six foot something Greek/Cypriot bloke with a bad temper.
-Steal the dog and take it to Battersea?
-Kill the dog and bury it?
-Report to the authorities?

 

[Kirstie]

A neighbour has seen fit to buy a dog for his kids and has just left it out in the back garden where it is barking and whining non-stop, all day, all night.

This has been going on for a couple of weeks now but they seem to have now left it in their garden permanently to look after itself.

I have looked at the RSPCA site, but the advice is not clear. I cannot see into their garden as they are a couple of doors down. While the noise is annoying, it is not quite bad (i.e. loud) enough to warrant getting the council involved.

What should I do?

-Ignore it and hope it goes away/dies?
-Confront the neighbour? He is a six foot something Greek/Cypriot bloke with a bad temper.
-Steal the dog and take it to Battersea?
-Kill the dog and bury it?
-Report to the authorities?

I'd call the RSPCA - it doesn't sound like the dog is particularly happy with the situation either.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

a friend of mine had that problem, eventually he'd had enough at about midnight and told his wife he was going to sort it out. anyway, he got back in bed, and the dog was still barking. when his wife asked what he'd done, he told her he'd put the dog in their own back yard, to let next door see how they liked it.

 

[asterix]

 

[domtyler]

I'd call the RSPCA - it doesn't sound like the dog is particularly happy with the situation either.

Yeah, that was my initial thoughts and I went straight onto their site. However, they have a big list of preconditions that need to be met before you can report something. Like they want photographic evidence of suffering, diaries kept and so on. If the dog is being fed and watered (they have something called the five F's, free from hunger etc.) then there may not be a case. I suspect that the dog has food and water and a kennel in the back garden.

 

[snorri]

Perhaps just a chat with the desk officer at your local police station? You would not need to make a formal complaint at first, but they could perhaps advise of the best approach to take in your locality.

 

[asterix]

..must admit I had that problem in Suffolk. My neighbours were renting the house and were realistically, just trash. They had two of the sods an alsatian and a large incredibly dim collie of some kind they never took 'em for a walk. They used to put them out at midnight and they'd start up. The garden was full of crap and rubbish.

First I spoke to them about it and she took it personally, so talked to the guy who was a USAF no-hoper and he just said it was what dogs did, then I got the council who tried to reason with them. Eventually I moved to Manchester for a bit of peace. The person I sold the house to said she liked dogs..

 

[betty swollocks]

Keep a log. Keep a diary or video diary. Involve the local council/police. If he is a council or Housing Association tenant, he's probably breaking his tenancy agreement.
Solicit the views of other neighbours: what do they think?

 

[ChrisKH]

Yeah, that was my initial thoughts and I went straight onto their site. However, they have a big list of preconditions that need to be met before you can report something. Like they want photographic evidence of suffering, diaries kept and so on. If the dog is being fed and watered (they have something called the five F's, free from hunger etc.) then there may not be a case. I suspect that the dog has food and water and a kennel in the back garden.

Which doesn't help if you have a yappy little runt who is put out at 6.00 am when my neighbour gets up, 8.00 pm when my kids are put to bed and 11.00 pm just before my neighbour goes to bed. The dog is only being territorial but I'm beginning to consider whether a couple of drops of LSD on a piece of chocolate would be the best course of action.

 

[dan_bo]

.. Eventually I moved to Manchester for a bit of peace. The person I sold the house to said she liked dogs..

you moved to manchester for a bit of peace?!

 

[The Young Soul Rebel]

Phone the council. It is a noise nusiance.

 

[Paulus]

I take it that the dog is still a youngish puppy? It should not be left out, particulary as it is still a bit chilly at the moment. A call to your local RSPCA letting them know the circumstances may do the trick. It sounds likely that it could be a cruelty case and they do take such things seriously.

 

[domtyler]

Phone the council. It is a noise nusiance.

Yeah, I looked at the council website too and they need a diary etc. and they come and take noise meter readings at your property. It is a couple of doors down from me so is not that loud compared to, say, loud music pumping through the walls. I doubt if they would do much.

 

[Baggy]

I'd ring the council and see if they have a Dog Warden. They usually work within environmental health and investigate this kind of problem.

 

[4F]

I had this problem a few years ago. The neighbour 3 doors away used to work shifts (sometimes doubles) and would leave his dog outside all the time and it would constantly bark. One night I went round and pinned an anonymous note to the door (my missus would not did not want me to put my name on it) which said that unless he sorted this problem out I would sort both him and his dog out !

Problem stopped the next day