I'm at my wits end/dog constantly barking, especially at night.

helptheguy

I live in a mixed estate, mixed being a mix of private and social housing.

Three months ago we got a new neighbour that moved into a council owned maisonette, about 6 weeks ago they got a dog, fully grown, but young from what we can gather,

When our new neighbour is at home the dog seems ok, I think our neighbour allows the dog inside when they are at home, so quite enough,

However they seem to put the dog outside at night just after midnight and I feel for the dog as the dog seems to be happy indoors, the dog has a doghouse,

However the dog barks like crazy from midnight until 9am or so.

Myself and my neighbours are tormented, the dog is so loud we can hear it through our triple glazing, some neighbours have standard single glazing, the dog is a large loud Alsatian.

We have a voluntary residents committee, and we had a meeting on Friday 1st November, all welcome from the social and private houses, the estate is long built, 55 homes altogether and the block of maisonettes are slap bang in the middle of the estate, the dog can be heard from all corners of the estate, we've never had issues with dogs before, not to this extent.

Usually the committee only meets to discuss estate management and collects fees to maintain the communal lawns etc in the estate.

49 of the homes were bought out from the local authorities over the years, prior to the new neighbour we've never had any issues, nor have we ever had an issue with those living in the remaining 6 local authority properties, all bar the new neighbour attends the meetings, they were invited, but they chose not to attend, we are lucky to have such a friendly community within our estate, we take great pride.

One of the local authority tenants mentioned that the right route is to contact the housing department within the local authority/council and raise our concerns collectively,

As I mentioned we are close knitted estate/community and we were all in agreement that we don't want to fall out with our new neighbours, they keep to themselves and we don't know them well enough to approach them, it's not that we are afraid, we just don't want to ruin the tenants happiness especially given we were all as welcoming as we possibly could, nonetheless our happiness and quality of life is being undermined by an unruly dog.

I'm not the chairperson, but instead of officially informing the local authority or dog warden even would it be advisable that someone calls into them and explain the situation, our grievances if you may, some of the residents think that is a bad idea as nobody knows how our new neighbours would react,

we live in a small town where everyone knows each other, and beyond, but there is a conundrum in this situation as we don't know who our new neighbours are, as in nobody in the area has a clue who they are, which is unusual,

What we also found unusual was before the new neighbour moved in properly they erected numerous CCTV cameras and a sign on their gates (front and back and they attached hoarding/fencing 8 foot high) trespassers prosecuted, that's fair game as lots of people have CCTV, but no trespassers prosecuted signage, their postbox is affixed to the gate on the outside. However this information is really relevant as such, but it does discourage us from dealing with the matter ourselves.

In my opinion we should perhaps go the official routes, but we don't want to ruffle feathers or upset our new neighbours.

Any advice gratefully received.

Fann Linn

ISPCA, Housing Authority as they're possibly in breach of Tenancy Agreement or else take a case yourself.

They're your options I'm afraid.

pale rider

you have to take a district court case which is terrible, we have a similar problem where a neighbour leaves their dog outside all day barking at will, it’s awful, their dog has woken us every day for years now but we don’t want to go the only route available….District court.

Try the dog warden, they will call out and check if they have a license, not enough but that’s the law.

helptheguy

Thought so myself, after posting I was reading online and I came across information in citizens advice about dogs being a nuisance, and it pains me to say it , the barking dog is a nuisance.

It annoys me so much that it starts at midnight and so loud it awakes me, I try my best to be asleep by 10.30pm to be up and ready by 7am one night I thought there was a dog in my house it was so loud, it's almost constant, could be awoken anytime between midnight and 7am.

My partner's thinking it could be dangerous to bring up the topic with the new neighbour as nobody knows them, my partner said nobody knows how they could react.

I'm not familiar with local authority rules as I bought my home from a previous tenant turned owner, but a direct neighbour beside me only bought out their home 9 years ago and remembers clearly the terms and conditions when they got allocated the house from the council almost 20 years ago, even got a handbook , and once a revised copy in the post, basic common sense within the contract and handbooks.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122796628#Comment_122796628

Only saw your response after my initial reply.

Thank you, yes it is awful.

I'm not directly beside the new neighbour, I'm about ten doors down around a corner, I have 4 dogs of my own and they know not to bark, on the odd occasion when strangers come to the door, for a split moment.

I only recently got triple glazing at the beginning of the year and when I had double glazing I could hear the birdsong in the morning, triple glazing and I couldn't, but the darn dog I can.

May I ask why you chosen not to go to the district court?

I'll have a chat with the neighbours on the the group chat and mention dog warden, it's that or inform the local authority, or both, which we don't want to do,

We may do something as we are driven mad now, even whilst I'm typing this now I can hear the damn dog, always after midnight, thankfully none of the Neighbours dogs join in, that'd be disastrous.

What I can't understand is why the dog is inside all day and put out in all weathers at night, I know animals can get separation anxiety, a good owner should have control of their dogs.

Perhaps the dog is full of energy, I walk mine twice daily, they are my reason I get my 10000+ steps per day, lol.

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pale rider

not interested in the hassle or the costs involved in going to Court.

watchclocker

If they have all those signs up, then it's very likely that they put the dog out as a guard dog at night. There sounds to be some mental health/paranoia issues at play.

I don't have any advice, apart from to get ear plugs. There's a dog that barks all day long near me, I'm not exactly sure which house either, but they bark from 6am all day. I use earplugs to block them if having a lie on and they do help.

ted1

If you call to the neighbours, and end up going the court route or warren route. Unfortunately you’ll be identified as the main complaint and could bring trouble to yourself.

Try sending a letter from the residents association

radiospan

Surely talking to them about it should be a first step and see if ye can agree on something?

Second step: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07LHBMFW2/

whelan2

Ring the dog warden, you don't have to give your name and ask what your options are. I'd be slow to approach the people myself

FishOnABike

If planning permission was not granted for the 8ft high fencing it may be in breach of planning regulations. A fence more than 1.2metres high to the front of the house or 2 metres to the side or back would need planning permission. If they are tenants it would also probably be in breach of their tenancy agreement.

Mrs OBumble

Start with the landlord, ie the council.

I'm surprised if a council tenancy allows keeping a dog.

felonious_Gru

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797029#Comment_122797029

Anyone so inconsiderate enough and lacking in cop on as to allow a dog to become a nuisance to it's neighbours, is not someone you can talk to, they just aren't

The law is extremely weak in Ireland in this area and no officer of the state has probably less teeth than a dog warden, they are a bad joke

I know exactly how I'd solve the problem but I'm not saying it here

Ella108

Oh I hear you. I had experienced something similar very recently actually and I looked into all possibilities how to handle it best.

You are entitled to your quiet hours, and this must be so frustrating , compounded by lack of sleep it's going to be be hard to tackle this in a civil way but that's your best option.

Here's how I handled it ( not implying you should do the same )

I saw the neighbour outside, I reached out, with a " hi" and being empathetic about how their dog could be sick if it was barking all night. Then, I got a surprised looked, like what, what, was the dog barking all night? Yes, I said, and I offered if anyway I can help as it is worrying to see the dog in distress etc etc. The owner also mentioned how it's not their dog they are just minding over weekends bla bla. It wasn't as loud the next day.

Oh, I was being civil as possible and even with the knowledge their tenancy doesn't allow dogs or pets.

You know your rights, and you can start here:

https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/1e785c-dog-control/

gipi

There are a number of dog breeds that are not allowed in local authority rented accommodation - the list includes German Shepherds (Alsations).

As mentioned earlier, the neighbours may be in breach of their tenancy agreement if they have one of the restricted breed dogs.

Contact your local authority.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797245#Comment_122797245

We as a committee were thinking so, most of our dividing walls front and back are no higher than four foot, so we thought it unusual that they erected such high fencing, we don't really mind, it doesn't bother us really, the new neighbours are extremely private, as I mentioned nobody knows who they are , we don't know if they came from the next towns or villages, we popped an invite to our residents committee meeting, they never showed up, and if any of us are out and about walking and they are out on the path or going to their car they won't even acknowledge us, they make a beeline towards their house/garden,a few residents think the new neighbours might be a inter county transfer

Most of us are aware of what you mentioned, regards the erecting of the fencing.

felonious_Gru

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797488#Comment_122797488

Local authorities have lots of " not allowed" on their rule books, they are too lazy to enforce most of them

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122796866#Comment_122796866

Understood.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797000#Comment_122797000

Possibly true, they've made no effort to engage with any of us.

They are very secretive.

Our hope is to engage with the new neighbour without getting authorities involved, I personally am at the end of my tether, whilst earplugs are a great idea, nobody should have to put up with incessant barking especially at night.

I personally might pop a note through the thr letterbox explaining the situation, I don't want to get off in the wrong foot either or even put myself into harms way.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797025#Comment_122797025

That's what I fear, I/we don't want trouble.

Our aim is send a group letter from the residents association to remedy the situation.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797264#Comment_122797264

We might have to, we have the tenant liaison officers number and if we can't remedy it ourselves we may have to contact the liaison officer.

Pets are allowed providing they are under control, alas in this case the dog seems to be out of control, unfortunately.

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797264#Comment_122797264

They do. Normally confined to one dog only and not one on the dangerous breeds list.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797320#Comment_122797320

Bang on, I have a to tend to agree, as I've mentioned they seem to be very unapproachable, we are very wary of them.

Yeah with our research we've come upon a dead end, I personally read on a forum where someone had a dogs were out of control and they barked day and night and sometimes broke out, the dog warden was involved and his assessment was the dogs were well looked after, not underweight, etc, and advised that the dogs owner garden was more secure and take steps to stop the dogs barking, bring them on walks to tire them out etc, it was left at that apparently.

I kind of understand what you mean.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797485#Comment_122797485

Mine and our thoughts exactly regards our quiet hours. It is very frustrating and sleep interruptions does not help anybody or stress levels, etc, almost half the households have school going children and it's having a detrimental effect on them, in regards to their concentration etc.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122797488#Comment_122797488

We may look into that, perhaps through the tenants liaison officer if we have to go through that route, I came across guidelines on the local authorities website, in bold , highlighted italic underlined sentence,

Says, we encourage residents to approach each other before contacting the relevant department within the local authority.

It goes on to take careful approach and not to put untoward pressure or to upset the neighbour you are approaching or to frighten, disturb the peace, not to inconvenience them , irritate or alarm them.

It also goes on to say if the person you are trying to discuss matters with shows disinterest or points out you are unwelcome and doesn't want your presence you should disengage.

The website information seems to discourage people like ourselves contacting them, the local authority...

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122798141#Comment_122798141

Thank you for your input.

I don't mind how many dogs people have been it in a private or social authority house,

Dogs like company.

It's best to keep the dogs under control.

whelan2

How about going over to their house in the middle of the night banging on the door and shouting shut the **** up. You can only be nice for so long. Who do they think they are...

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122798315#Comment_122798315

Believe me I and others have thought about it,

How can they even sleep themselves.

Although me and another neighbour think's that they sleep during the day until about 4 pm, most of their movements are after 4pm, we don't know what they are at between midnight and 9am, the odd bark during the day between 9am and midnight though not as loud as nighttime...

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122798477#Comment_122798477

Probably cultivating cannabis. Is it not noise pollution they can be reported for. Also the dog sounds like it's in distress with the constant barking. Surely the animal health and safety authorities could pay them a visit.

helptheguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122799840#Comment_122799840

That made me chuckle, I sincerely hope not though.

The dog seems to be somewhat happy during the day,

I met with some of my friends and neighbours today and the consensus is to contact the tenant liaison officer first thing, the chairperson is going to make the call and see what happens from there.

I will post an update.

helptheguy

So as promised an update.

The residents association chairperson rang the local authority housing liaison officer, and she visited alongside a welfare officer and dog warden on Friday.

They investigated the situation and reported back to the residents association chairperson.

The dog was deemed safe, no threat to others, etc, the dog didn't go into attack mode, was very friendly with the dog warden.

However the liaison officer and welfare(social worker) officer did have stern words with the tenant, was warned if the dog was deemed out of control or a nuisance and they received a report again from neighbours, the dog has to go, the tenant, owner has to prove and show the dog is under control.

It turned out the dog was there since day one bad the owner only put him(the dog) out at nighttime approx 6 weeks ago when the fencing in the back yard was erected, that was done to prevent the dig from jumping boundary walls, and for safety in case neighbours reached over walls to pet the dog or throw scraps, etc, they were satisfied as long as mentioned below,

The liaison officer and welfare officer said providing the surrounding neighbours didn't mind the newly erected fences , the fencing can stay, and the welfare officer next week is going to visit or contact the 4 surrounding neighbours to see if they have no objections to the fence, the officers are going to visit again in the 6th of December to ensure and advise on the situation,

The fencing erected on the front gate has to be dropped by 6 foot as the officers stated that it wasn't in keeping with the area, the panels can be cut down to size as they were only bolted onto the existing steel frame gate.

The tenant was also advised to make it clear that CCTV was in operation they noticed a small sticker at the side of the house noted CCTV was in operation and recommended 2 signs to be erected one in the front gate or wall and another on the back wall, along with beware of the dog signage.

For confidentiality purposes they couldn't go into full details discussed with the tenant.