Council investigates complaints regarding Companion Animal Behaviour.

This includes complaints regarding straying animals, aggressive animals and dog attacks, and nuisance animals including barking dogs and noisy roosters.

To make a complaint or for advice regarding these types of matters contact Council directly on (02) 4677 1100.

A dog attack must be reported to Council and can be reported 24 hours a day to our after hours service by contacting (02) 4677 1100.

Council does not investigate animal welfare matters. For all complaints of this nature we urge you to contact RSPCA on (02) 9770 7555 or the Animal Welfare League on (02) 8899 3333.

Barking Dogs

Constant barking from dogs can disrupt neighbours and become tiresome.

If a nearby dog is constantly barking you can:

Talk to the Dogs Owner

The owners may not notice their dog is bothering you and will often be happy to address the issue.

You may be more comfortable sending them a letter. If this is the case you can download our Barking Dog Letter Template.

Contact the Community Justice Centre

If the problem persists, you may contact a Community Justice Centre (CJC).

These government-funded but independent centres specialise in settling differences between neighbours through mediation, where you meet with the dog's owner and a CJC representative to try and solve the problem. This process will not cost you any money and has a high success rate.