Barking dogs and noisy animals
It is an offence under the Domestic (Feral and Nuisance) Animals Act 1994 for your animal to cause a nuisance to others.
Barking dogs
Council receives many requests to investigate noise from barking dogs.
If you have a concern about a dog barking excessively, we recommend that you first try to talk to the owner before you contact Council. Sometimes this can resolve the situation.
It is also possible that the dog’s owner may not realise that the barking is a problem for other people. For example:
- the dog may only bark excessively when the owner is not home
- the owner may not hear the barking from within the house, or
- the owner may not get woken when the dog barks.
Understanding why a dog is barking can also help you when you are discussing the issue with the dog's owner.
For further information download the:
Other noisy animals
Other animals may also cause noise disturbance, such as roosters, cockatoos and galahs.
As with barking dogs, we also recommend that you try to resolve the situation with the animal's owner before contacting Council.
How to report a noisy animal
In order for Council to investigate a noisy animal complaint, you are required to first complete a diary.
The Dealing with a Barking Dog booklet includes a barking dog diary so you can keep a record of how often and the times when the dog is barking. This booklet also contains information on how to deal with the situation, communicating with your neighbour, and legal requirements.
Download the:
You can submit the diary:
- Online via Report an issue online
- By mail to Merri-bek City Council, Locked Bag 10, Merri-bek 3058, or
- In person at a Council Customer Service Centre.
What happens after you make a report
When Council has received your diary, an Animal Management Officer will visit the owner and undertake an investigation.
Council Officers work with the owner to try to resolve the situation by offering suggestions on how to reduce noise to an acceptable level.