Next Step?

[AK_Blue]

We have a belligerent neighbour next door who have a king charles cav which sleeps all day and is awake barking all night. The owners keep it on an outside balcony, it is never walked, and it never sees grass. Totally neglected and bored and it's not easy to see why it barks non stop, and the owners never tell it to be quiet.

History is:

My husband went next door and told them the dog keeps our young kids awake (1 and 5yrs old) and asked if they can let it indoors to sleep. It was a good talk which left us hopeful. They put their dog in the garage for approx 2 weeks. Then they went back to putting it on the balcony again. My husband asked why, and they told him it was crapping everywhere, so it's back on the balcony.

We rang the council (clarence valey council) after being kept up until 4 am one morning when it started barking non stop at 10pm. After the council visit, they went back to putting the dog in the garage for another 2-3 weeks, then it's back on the balcony.

Rang the council Ranger again, and they asked us to keep a diary, and then they will corroborate our diary with our neighbours and issue fines/ barking collar or confiscate the dog. Problem is, the older lady on the other side wears hearing aids, and takes them out to sleep, so she's not kept up and the next neighbours are nearly 100 mtrs away. So the council then says they can do nothing, that's their protocol, and say we should take court proceedings against the neighbours. Or suggested to send my husband over there to deal with them the old fashion way. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!?!

Last night the dog barked from 1am to 5am off and on. My husband lost it and was shouting at their house to shut the dog up, but they didn't even stir.

What can we do next?

Edited March 4, 2011 by AK_Blue

[BC4ME]

I would be making a video diary that way you have evidence that it is their dog barking. Video diaries are much better as you can actually see and hear how bad it is.

As for keeping you up at night. I would be going over and knocking on their door and say "I'm sorry to wake you up at this late hour but your dog is barking and waking up my children can you do something to stop it barking". Every time the dog barks go and do this they will get sick of being woke up at all hours of the night like you are.

Keep at the rangers tell them that your children's health is being affected as they are not sleeping.

Hope this works.

[Kirty]

Oh how frustrating! We used to live next to people like that and I would sometimes end up in tears at 5am because I was so tired but couldn't get to sleep because of the dog barking. I even resorted to hosing the dog at one point (which I don't condone, but hey it worked). I felt sorry for the dog (same as your neighbour's dog - not walked, not allowed inside, etc) but I was so angry at the owners. I had a newborn baby at the time as well and I was at my wits end. Miraculously they started to keep the dog inside and that was the end of the issue. I'm not sure if someone else complained or what happened, but you have my full sympathy.

[AK_Blue]

Thanks for the good replies. It looks like something that I'm going to have to persist at with the rangers. I like the idea of going there at all hours of the night and knocking on the door. I'm not sure if I'm brave enough though. These are some big scary people next door. The police have been to their house to break up their domestics in the past, so the other next door neighbour tells me.

My husband gets so annoyed, I think if given the chance, he'd more than hose the dog! At the end of the day it's the dog we feel sorry for. It has no chance of having any kind of happy life.

[OSoSwift]

Get their phone number and ring them every time the dog barks and keep ringing them until they do something about it.

Take a video diary and keep at the ranger!

[poochmad]

There's nothing more annoying than a barking dog. We have a Blue Heeler that barks non-stop throughout the night, drives us nuts. I just don't see how or why the owners can't hear it, or don't stop it.

Personally, I wouldn't go knocking on their door, especially considering they have had domestic disturbances. I think you need the rangers to handle it. I'm surprised that they haven't taken more notice as usually a nuisance barker is quickly dealt with by law, and in fact, it's every dog owners nightmare to have a dog reported for barking.

[Elsha_UK_AU]

As a Cavalier King Charles owner it really upsets me that they would treat their dog this way (let alone any breed....). CKCS are people pleasers, they love affection and they do not thrive without human companionship. They are companion dogs.

If they are not giving their dog the love and attention he/she needs, then I can understand the barking. Our 2 are alone during the day whilst we work and besides the odd bark if a neighbours dog barks...they are pretty much content to hang out with eachother.

I can fully understand the dog barking if he/she is left on a balcony - that's just awful.

I would video diary it and continue to complain to the council etc.

Good luck

[Red Fox]

Send your husband over there for another chat, perhaps ask if they'd consider rehoming the dog.

In the meantime the video diary is very a good idea and can be presented to the council as proof if you need it. Perhaps even a security camera set up to record with times, dates, etc?

Failing that I'd go out there with an airhorn everytime the dog barks and give them a taste of their own medicine

[AK_Blue]

It's like the people next door have even thought about us videoing the dog. After the last council visit, while the dog was being kept in the garage 24/7, the woman who owns it was draping sheets and floor rugs over all of the balcony railings, so you literally can't see the dog and conditions it lives in.

My husband climbed onto the railing a while back and stuck his head over the balcony, he said the balcony was covered in what looked like a week's worth of poop and urine, and it stunk like nothing he's ever smelt before.

I wonder if sending a video of that alone to the rspca would be enough to get the dog rehomed?

[Red Fox]

It's like the people next door have even thought about us videoing the dog. After the last council visit, while the dog was being kept in the garage 24/7, the woman who owns it was draping sheets and floor rugs over all of the balcony railings, so you literally can't see the dog and conditions it lives in.

My husband climbed onto the railing a while back and stuck his head over the balcony, he said the balcony was covered in what looked like a week's worth of poop and urine, and it stunk like nothing he's ever smelt before.

I wonder if sending a video of that alone to the rspca would be enough to get the dog rehomed?

Perhaps....

I'd be more inclined to report it to the council as a health hazard

Poor little dog though I'd seriously talk to them about rehoming it. I wonder if you could convince the other neighbour to let you set up a video camera and/or tape recorder on her side too. Even if you can't SEE the dog you'd still have evidence that it was barking, times, dates, etc.

[AK_Blue]

I'm going to take our dog for a walk this afternoon when my son wakes up. I might knock on the other neighbour's door and have a chat with her.

[Bully]

I'm going to take our dog for a walk this afternoon when my son wakes up. I might knock on the other neighbour's door and have a chat with her.

Good luck. Hope you get results this time Poor dog, sounds like it would be much better off rehomed with a loving family

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Sadly, the RSPCA would not be likely to take any action against this situation, even though the dog's living conditions are not exactly ideal. If it's toileting then it must be getting food and water, and if it's on a balcony it must have shelter. There, basic needs met...no problem for the RSPCA to investigate. It has "more important" things to do, dontcha know?

Talk to the owners about rehoming the dog. It has no quality of life in this situation. Offer to help them find a more appropriate home if you can...has the dog been desexed, is it wormed, vaccinated, chipped etc?

As for the barking and lack of council action, keep at them. Keep a video diary. Once a day, ring them to report what hours the dog barked for that morning. Once a week, send them a link to your video via the web. Demand they take further action, it's their JOB to stop this sort of thing.