Dog owner fined £110 over barking

A WOMAN from South Yorkshire has been ordered to pay out almost £900 after allowing her dogs to bark so loudly and frequently that her neighbours could not hear their televisions.

By The Newsroom

Published 12th Jun 2013, 01:01 BST

Tracy Jane Smith, of Woodfield Road in Balby, Doncaster, appeared before the town’s magistrates last week charged with failing to comply with an abatement notice.

The 42-year-old, who denied the charges, was ordered to pay out a £110 fine, £750 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Doncaster Council first received a complaint in September 2005, but “informal action” resulted in peace until 2012, when more complaints were received.

After an environmental health officer heard several incidents of continued barking, Doncaster Council served an abatement notice in April 2012 – but this was breached three times, before the matter was refered to the courts.

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said yesterday: “This case went on for a prolonged period of time.

“The sound of the dogs barking was so loud that neighbours could not even hear their television.”