Question: How does an owners corporation deal with a barking dog? The dog is upsetting the tranquillity of the residents and the dog owner does nothing to stop the barking.
Answer: Firstly, speak to or write to the owner of the dog and ask them to do something about the problem.
I think it’s steps and stairs. Firstly, the dog owner should be spoken to or written to, the problem the dog is creating should be put to that owner, and the owner should be asked to address it.
You have to remember that some people go to work, leave their dogs at home, don’t realise the dog is barking during the day, only to come home and find people complaining. So speak to or write to the owner of the dog and ask them to do something about the problem.
If that doesn’t work, then you would typically have your Strata Manager, write to the owner of the dog, explain the problem and ask them to deal with it.
If that doesn’t work, you then get to step three, which is to issue a notice to comply with the pets bylaw or other bylaws on that owner.
If that doesn’t work, step four would be to go to New South Wales Fair Trading to have a mediation. Try and resolve the dispute with the owner of the dog.
If that doesn’t work, your final step and port of call is to go to NCAT to seek in order for either the dog to be removed, or to compel the owner to take steps to stop the dog barking.
This post appears in the September 2021 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Adrian Mueller
JS Mueller & Co Lawyers
E: adrianmueller@muellers.com.au
P: 02 9562 1266
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