Animal issues and smells

Most noisy animal complaints are about barking dogs, however we are able to investigate all domestic animal noise.

As animal noise usually lasts a short while or is intermittent, it can be difficult to assess the level of nuisance or catch the animal in the act. Please read the informtion on reasonable versus unreasonable dog barking below for guidance. We want everyone to enjoy living in their homes and we would ask all residents to be both considerate and tolerant.

First, we suggest that you have a friendly and informal conversation with your neighbour as they may not be aware their animal is causing a disturbance. You may wish to use our Dear neighbour card.

If the Dear Neighbour card approach is not successful, please use the form below to report it to us.

Dog barking is normal and dogs are not expected to be silent. Some level of noise is part of everyday living.

What is usually reasonable? This type of barking is not normally treated as antisocial behaviour:

• occasional barking in response to normal activity such as the arrival of visitors or deliveries
• short lived barking that stops naturally or when the owner intervenes
• barking during normal daytime hours
• brief barking linked to routine, such as before walks
• infrequent barking when the owner is briefly out

What may be unreasonable? This type of barking could be investigated:

• happens regularly for long periods
• is repetitive and persistent day after day
• occurs late at night or very early in the morning
• continues when the owner is not present and is unmanaged
• has a clear impact on neighbours’ sleep, health, or enjoyment of their home

Each case is assessed individually, considering frequency, duration, time of day and impact.

If your dog is prone to barking you could consider seeking advice or information from a dog trainer or charity. Dogs are more likely to bark when left alone. You can find out more on helping your dog get used to spending time alone on the Dogs Trust website.

If your neighbour fails to clear up after their animal in their garden or communal areas, try speaking to them to make them aware of their responsibility.  You may wish to use our Dear neighbour card.

If the Dear neighbour card approach is not successful, please use the form below to report it to us.

A fixed penalty notice may be issued if a Community Protection Officer witnesses an owner failing to pick their dog’s poo in a public space.

You can report dog fouling in public places on our report a local problem form below.

It’s against the law to let a dog (all breeds) be dangerously out of control anywhere, including in the owner’s home.

A dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:

• injures someone
• makes someone worried that it might injure them

A court could also decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:

• it attacks someone’s animal
• the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop the dog attacking their animal

If a dog has bitten or is dangerous and you believe it lives in a council property, report it to the relevant Housing Officer.

If you fear for your immediate safety, contact the Police.