CONSTANTLY BARKING DOGS

Contrary to popular belief, the RSPCA do not have any legal powers to investigate noise issues in regard to barking dogs, so unless you are seriously concerned about an animal’s welfare, ie, believe the dog is being mistreated or injured in some way, they cannot attend.

In UK law, so long as the animal has food, water and shelter, constantly barking does not constitute a welfare issue and therefore the charity, who are not a law enforcement agency, are unable to take steps to remedy the situation.

Should you have urgent welfare concerns about abuse or injury to the animal in question, then call the RSPCA Emergency line on 0300 1234 999

If you are concerned about a constantly barking dog, or dogs, you will need to report the situation to Surrey Heath Borough Council’s Environmental Pollution Team on 01276 707100.

However a sound being audible in your home does not automatically make it a statutory nuisance and it should not be assumed that it can be resolved by council intervention.

The Environmental Pollution Team has a staged approach in dealing with noise complaints 
and determining if the noise is a statutory nuisance. An officer will not normally go out to witness a noise problem on your initial call to the Council, other more informal action is taken first.

However, before the Council takes any kind of action, they advise trying to resolve the problem informally. For instance, with barking dogs, the owner may be out of the house and not aware that their dog is causing a problem.
A neighbour may be upset if Council or legal action is used before a direct approach has been made to them.

Surrey Heath Borough Council’s website states “It is very important that people do their best to resolve any problem in a friendly way. Let your neighbour know of the problem and the way the noise is affecting you in the first instance.”

Download the Noise Nuisance Information.pdf from Surrey Heath Borough Council'website which explains fully the entire process regarding noise complaints, including noise from barking dogs.