Got A Letter Of Complaint From Local Council

[Alpha]

I'm just wondering how many people have received letters and if my house is the one specified as the nusiance house......

The council should only have given letters to the properties on the immediate boundry of the 'nuisance house' ie if its yours then it would be the left & right neighbours and the ones over the back BUT in saying that if you are on a large block where there is possible two or three over your back fence (even if it is not their full block) they will also get letters... so possibly 5.

Not sure about where you are but that was the case with my complaint but luckily I had really good neighbours that stood up for my boys & said they werent a problem, the council then told the neighbour that complained that there was no case against my dogs

Whoa, council gave letters to other HOMES? What letters? Not ones asking if they have a problem with the dogs ,I hope? That is inciting a complaint and CANNOT be done!!! It is up to the primary complaint to appraoch other neighbours and depending on what state you are in one or two have to be ajoining properties to yours, they cannot be across the road or two doors down...other complaints can come from other properties( non adjoining) Have you asked the council if you can see the diaries ( if they exist) to enable you to pinpoint when the problem is occuring...they are helpful ( if completed truthfully) as they usually required a time, duration of barking and causation to be listed which can go a way towards working out if there is a problem and how to resolve it or if it is just viralent complainers. ;)

[kaywoman68]

My neighbour (the one who is home most of the time) received a letter. I know cos she came and told me it wasn't her who put in the complaint.

I put letters in the left and right neighbours, 3 on the side of the road, the one directly behind and 3 across the road on Saturday night. I haven't heard anything from any of them yet.

I haven't asked the council yet about the diaries. Are we actually allowed to sight them? I have been keeping tabs on when mine have been barking and I'm more aware of other dogs now. My gosh, I let my dogs out while I was having dinner last night. I heard a dog barking so I went to let my dogs back in (getting a bit paranoid). Anyway....it turned out to be a neighbour's dog! I have been writing down the times I hear dogs bark (whether it be mine or other dogs).

[cowanbree]

People will be far less tolerant to dogs barking in the morning and waking them up. I know myself I will put up with a lot but if I am woken up more than once in a while I am very unhappy about it. I would sugest you take sas suggestion and walk the dogs in the morning. Yes I know it is early but if you want to resolve the situation something has to change.

You have outlined quite a few changes recently (ie stoped taking them to training, stop taking them to work) that have resulted in the dogs being left home alone more and not being as mentally challenged. Perhaps a necessary evil but ½ hours walks for 2 young dogs really isn’t much.

I would suggest you buy yourslf a tape recorder or even hire a video to run for the first few hours so you can see exactly what is going on. Perhaps you can crate them inside and hire a dog walker to come later in the morning to walk them and put them out in the yard?

Edited December 6, 2006 by cowanbree

[sas]

i'll put more treats out to see if it makes a difference.

If water restrictions aren't a problem, i would put water in the wading pool.

Stacey, I don't think you'd be breaking restrictions by filling a wading pool. If you are then so am I! ;)

I've got two clam shell halves and I fill one with water a couple of times a week so the dogs can paddle.

HTH. :D

What was it about water restrictions that you were unclear on?

[sas]

My neighbour (the one who is home most of the time) received a letter. I know cos she came and told me it wasn't her who put in the complaint.

I put letters in the left and right neighbours, 3 on the side of the road, the one directly behind and 3 across the road on Saturday night. I haven't heard anything from any of them yet.

I haven't asked the council yet about the diaries. Are we actually allowed to sight them? I have been keeping tabs on when mine have been barking and I'm more aware of other dogs now. My gosh, I let my dogs out while I was having dinner last night. I heard a dog barking so I went to let my dogs back in (getting a bit paranoid). Anyway....it turned out to be a neighbour's dog! I have been writing down the times I hear dogs bark (whether it be mine or other dogs).

I have one of the small cameras and monitors you can set up to record on tv, on long play you get 6 hours I think or you could record onto DVD? More than happy for you to borrow it if you like.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

i'll put more treats out to see if it makes a difference.

If water restrictions aren't a problem, i would put water in the wading pool.

Stacey, I don't think you'd be breaking restrictions by filling a wading pool. If you are then so am I!

I've got two clam shell halves and I fill one with water a couple of times a week so the dogs can paddle.

HTH.

What was it about water restrictions that you were unclear on?

The information I have in front of me, from ACTEW, Stage 2 Restrictions from 1 November 2006, still current - state that - and I quote:

"Private swimming pools - Existing pools must not be either emptied or refilled without written exemptions. Previously filled pools must not be topped up without a written exemption unless:

(a) the pool is covered when not in use, and

(b) topping up is undertaken with a hand-held hose only between 7am to 10am or 7pm to 10pm on alternate days as per the 'odds and evens' system."

I'm not talking about a "swimming pool". Perhaps you could explain (with a direct reference from ACTEW, with the date of the commencement of the restriction - if one indeed exists) where a clam shell wading pool is actually classified as a "swimming pool"?

I'd like to invite you around for a "swim" if you are up for it. :D ;)

But you would have to be under knee-height for any kind of "swim" in the clam shell half that I put a few inches of water in so the dogs can cool off. ;)

I can't believe you actually posted what you did. :D

I can't believe that anybody could confuse a wading pool (described in my post as a "wading pool") with a "swimming pool". :D

[Mooper]

I can't believe that anybody could confuse a wading pool (described in my post as a "wading pool") with a "swimming pool". ;)

I think it was a genuine question, Jenny. The ActewAGL guidelines don't say anything about wading pools for humans or animals, so I only top mine up during the accepted hours on the accepted days. And thereafter I bucket it on to the garden. I don't think anyone at Actew will have a problem with that, and it's an issue of wellbeing for the doggies. It might be worth asking them, though?

kaywoman, it sounds like you're controlling the situation as best you can. If you can possibly muster the energy for an early morning walk, or adjust your working hours to accommodate one, I think it will help. It certainly helps calm Jack each morning. He's nuts if he doesn't get his morning stroll ... barks at the birds, the planes etc. With a walk, he snoozes :D

[WreckitWhippet]

This will in no way solve the problem if the dogs are barking, however, if it is at all possible, is there anyway that you could take the dogs with you to work and crate them there for a week or two in the mornings.

The only reason I suggest this, is if a neighbour is not making a genuine complaint and they complain about your dogs barking at 5.30 -6.30 every morning, you can soon catch them out with their ficticious diary.

I say this only because we have had a coomplaint about our dogs in the past, the claimed to have a diary etc and wrote down dates that I was away ( with all of the dogs ) showing.

As i said , it won;t solve the problem, but it will certainly prove if it's a genuine complaint.

[kaywoman68]

You have outlined quite a few changes recently (ie stoped taking them to training, stop taking them to work) that have resulted in the dogs being left home alone more and not being as mentally challenged. Perhaps a necessary evil but ½ hours walks for 2 young dogs really isn’t much.

I only took them to work when they were little. They have been at home for the SAME AMOUNT OF TIME since they were 4 months by themselves and never had a problem. I think the main concern is the length of time specified in the complaint. DAS says it's been happening for 4 -5 months (around the time of my fostering). Not sure if it's just a coincidence.

I'm not going to hire a dog walker because I dont trust anyone to come in my house/yard when I'm not at home, even if it is to take my dogs out.

The information I have in front of me, from ACTEW, Stage 2 Restrictions from 1 November 2006, still current - state that - and I quote:

"Private swimming pools - Existing pools must not be either emptied or refilled without written exemptions. Previously filled pools must not be topped up without a written exemption unless:

(a) the pool is covered when not in use, and

(b) topping up is undertaken with a hand-held hose only between 7am to 10am or 7pm to 10pm on alternate days as per the 'odds and evens' system."

I'm not talking about a "swimming pool". Perhaps you could explain (with a direct reference from ACTEW, with the date of the commencement of the restriction - if one indeed exists) where a clam shell wading pool is actually classified as a "swimming pool"?

I'd like to invite you around for a "swim" if you are up for it. ;)

But you would have to be under knee-height for any kind of "swim" in the clam shell half that I put a few inches of water in so the dogs can cool off.

I can't believe you actually posted what you did. :D

I can't believe that anybody could confuse a wading pool (described in my post as a "wading pool") with a "swimming pool". :D

I NEVER said a wading pool is classified as a swimming pool. I dont know where you got that idea from ;) My reasoning is why use it when I dont even water my plants very often? :D There's plenty of places where there's shade in the backyard and they've got a HUGE bowl of water for them to drink. If you choose to put water in your wading pool for your dogs, that's your decision. It's my decision not to let them have the wading pool for the moment. I rather be able to supervise their 'pool playing' time. They're also going to be swimming on Saturday and Sunday.

Maybe you should look at the website again. Stage 3 restrictions are coming into place on 16 December. A wading pool to me pretty much comes under a water feature (when I look at the water restrictions). A few inches of water in a wading pool will equal to a few buckets of water and that can be better spent on watering my plants which are dying.

Under Stage 2 and 3 water restrictions

Private ponds and fountains

Fountains must be switched off.

Only ponds that support fish may be topped up, and then only using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can.

[kaywoman68]

I can't believe that anybody could confuse a wading pool (described in my post as a "wading pool") with a "swimming pool". ;)

I think it was a genuine question, Jenny. The ActewAGL guidelines don't say anything about wading pools for humans or animals, so I only top mine up during the accepted hours on the accepted days. And thereafter I bucket it on to the garden. I don't think anyone at Actew will have a problem with that, and it's an issue of wellbeing for the doggies. It might be worth asking them, though?

kaywoman, it sounds like you're controlling the situation as best you can. If you can possibly muster the energy for an early morning walk, or adjust your working hours to accommodate one, I think it will help. It certainly helps calm Jack each morning. He's nuts if he doesn't get his morning stroll ... barks at the birds, the planes etc. With a walk, he snoozes :D

Thanks Mooper. Im trying to adjust my body to get up earlier in the morning but it just isn't working. Orson and Oi gets excited at times when they know they're going for a walk and they can start barking for a few minutes. Can you imagine if I take them for a walk in the morning one day and they get excited? :D

I really want to find a job that gives me heaps of flexibility so I can have a job and go to uni at the same time.....it just doesn't work cos I dont get enough hours which means I dont get enough money to cover bills and expenses.

This will in no way solve the problem if the dogs are barking, however, if it is at all possible, is there anyway that you could take the dogs with you to work and crate them there for a week or two in the mornings.

The only reason I suggest this, is if a neighbour is not making a genuine complaint and they complain about your dogs barking at 5.30 -6.30 every morning, you can soon catch them out with their ficticious diary.

I say this only because we have had a coomplaint about our dogs in the past, the claimed to have a diary etc and wrote down dates that I was away ( with all of the dogs ) showing.

As i said , it won;t solve the problem, but it will certainly prove if it's a genuine complaint.

I have been taking them to work since last thursday and leaving my foster at home. I have been circling around the block 4 - 5 times before I actually drive off to work and I've heard nothing at all. My foster is hopefully going to his new home on Saturday so after that, I will be able to really monitor the situation.

I think my dogs are happier when they go to work with me. I put them in the dog run with my mum's dogs and they just play and run around all day. They get tired and sleep the whole way home. I drop them off then go to my other job.

I have been using a citronella collar so that has decreased the barking a bit cos now they know if they bark loudly they get squirted so they growl :D

Edited December 6, 2006 by kaywoman68

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

No KW my answer wasn't directed at you - it was directed at sas who rather pointedly asked, after quoting yours and my posts, "What was it about water restrictions that you were unclear on?"

I still believe that the tone of the question wasn't genuine but attempting to cause a fight. ;)

I also believe that a wading pool simply can't be confused with a swimming pool when we are discussing the context of water saving measures such as those commonly referred to as "water restrictions". A wading pool is by its very nature - and perhaps indeed definition - as a small, shallow pool designed to allow wading only. A swimming pool, OTOH, is a deep (more than knee-deep, I would guess) pool designed for swimming - and I believe swimming is something done with the whole body of the swimmer IN the pool - immersed in the water and moving through it by way of the movement of limbs to propel the swimmer.

But if sas would like to clarfiy exactly what was meant by the above question "What was it about water restrictions that you were unclear on?", please do so. Because from the tone and context of the aforementioned question, it was to provoke an argument rather than a discussion or even a measured and intelligent debate. :D

KW - back to the topic - if you can record the dogs when you're not home, via video or audio, please do that so you can hopefully pinpoint which dog/s are barking, when and for how long.

[kaywoman68]

No KW my answer wasn't directed at you - it was directed at sas who rather pointedly asked, after quoting yours and my posts, "What was it about water restrictions that you were unclear on?"

I still believe that the tone of the question wasn't genuine but attempting to cause a fight. ;)

I also believe that a wading pool simply can't be confused with a swimming pool when we are discussing the context of water saving measures such as those commonly referred to as "water restrictions". A wading pool is by its very nature - and perhaps indeed definition - as a small, shallow pool designed to allow wading only. A swimming pool, OTOH, is a deep (more than knee-deep, I would guess) pool designed for swimming - and I believe swimming is something done with the whole body of the swimmer IN the pool - immersed in the water and moving through it by way of the movement of limbs to propel the swimmer.

But if sas would like to clarfiy exactly what was meant by the above question "What was it about water restrictions that you were unclear on?", please do so. Because from the tone and context of the aforementioned question, it was to provoke an argument rather than a discussion or even a measured and intelligent debate. :D

KW - back to the topic - if you can record the dogs when you're not home, via video or audio, please do that so you can hopefully pinpoint which dog/s are barking, when and for how long.

Thanks :D

I'll wait till my foster goes first then try to sort things out. It's not going to do much good with a cassette tape recorder cos it wont actually support my evidence of the time and date. I have been keeping a log of the barking when I've been home. I've also noted stuff like people screaming, birds chirping etc.

[Alpha]

Thanks smile.gif

I'll wait till my foster goes first then try to sort things out. It's not going to do much good with a cassette tape recorder cos it wont actually support my evidence of the time and date. I have been keeping a log of the barking when I've been home. I've also noted stuff like people screaming, birds chirping etc.

Be aware that we were told by the AMo at our council the following: barking at cats, birds, machinery, tradespeople on other properties or vehicle is not permissable nor acceptable reasons for barking. Barking in play or upon your return home is ok if it is limited and not excessive (WTF ) barking at visitors is NOT acceptable, BUT barking at intruders is What if it is my MIL? Whom my OH thinks as a visitor but I see as in intruder???? ;)

Keeping a log is a good idea, especially if other dogs in the area are barking or ( as in our case) the neighbours are inciting the dogs to bark if its been a quiet day and they have too many lies in the diary. You can ask to see the diary and request they delete any identifying information, tell them that you want to see the time patterns and causations so to enable you to rectify the problem. Our AMO showed us the diary and it had details like " unable to have upstairs windows open" as an effect on the complainant...BINGO, Gotcha only one house with a second story near us...ipso facto, council declined to allow us to see any subsequent diaries later on as hubby approached the neighbours and they thought council told us who they were It can be hard if you don't see the diaries as you have no real start point for moderating a behaviour or making a change to something like what door you use to leave the house, etc.