Noise complaints about barking dogs in the UK have shot up by almost a half over the past three years, according to new data. The Covid pandemic led to a huge spike in the number of domestic pets, with 4.7 million UK households welcoming in new creature companions during lockdown.
But with life returning to normal, and people heading back to the office, these animals are being left on their own and it’s becoming an escalating issue. Now new figures have revealed that the number of complaints made to councils specifically about noise from barking dogs jumped 43 per cent between 2019-20 and 2021-22.
Terry Fisher, from property buying website www.webuyanyhome.com, says the problem is likely to get worse. He said: “While most people view the odd dog bark as the normal backdrop to a residential area, persistent barking can be infuriating – especially if you are trying to concentrate on work or get children to sleep.
“So it’s easy to understand why these disturbances are reported to the local authority in an attempt to quieten the din. But the increase in incidents across the country over a relatively short period is staggering.
“Our research found that between August 2019 and July 2020 there were 18,108 official complaints about barking dogs creating a noise nuisance. Over the 12 months up to July this year, there were 25,971. That’s a huge leap of 43 per cent.
“It’s at the stage where many councils are even putting this type of canine-related disturbance in a category of their own in a bid to monitor the scale of the problem.”
The largest percentage rise was in London’s Richmond and Wandsworth borough, which saw a 349 per cent leap over the three years – from 61 complaints to 274. Hot on its heels were Torbay in Devon (303%), Richmond upon Thames (300%), South Norfolk and Broadland (216%) and East Devon (206%).
The council with the highest number of individual complaints in 2021-22 was Birmingham, where town hall officials fielded 1,537 negative reports. Swansea (1,116), South Lanarkshire (986), the Belfast City region in Northern Ireland (752) and Rotherham in South Yorkshire (693) made up the top five on the list of canine complaints.
We Buy Any Home obtained the stats via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to every local authority in England, Scotland and Wales. And the wider picture is that around a third of all noise complaints are due to canine noise.
While a dog barking isn’t illegal, if it is found to constitute a “statutory nuisance” you could be getting a knock at the door. Councils can serve a noise abatement notice through the courts via the Environmental Protection Act 1990 if they believe the barking to be a “material interference with the comfort and enjoyment of another’s home”.
This would take into account the duration, level and time of the barking – with fines of up to £1,000 if action isn’t taken. Mr Fisher added: “While there have always been irresponsible and selfish dog owners, Brits are renowned pet lovers and most people take excellent care of their furry friends.
“What we’re seeing with these figures is the fact that many people got new pets, and in particular pooches, during Covid lockdowns for companionship and exercise.
“That was fine when the vast majority of people were working from home, but many have now returned to the office for at least part of the week and these pets are feeling neglected.
“They are obviously finding it hard to cope and are reacting in the only way they know how.”
While incessantly barking dogs are an annoyance for neighbours, they can also hamper the sale of a property.
A survey commissioned by www.webuyanyhome.com found that 40 per cent of UK adults have been involved in a dispute with a neighbour over noise.
Meanwhile, 16 per cent said loud pets were a contributing factor in them wanting to sell their home.
Mr Fisher added: “Getting your house ready for a sale is stressful enough, with a host of cleaning and DIY jobs often needed to bring it up to a presentable level.
“But while the inside might be spotless, we know from our customers that what’s outside can also have a huge impact on potential buyers.
“A lack of parking and busy roads often put them off – as do loud and annoying noises.
“So there is the potential for barking dogs to scupper a sale and leave people’s hopes of buying their dream property in tatters.”
