Animal issues

• Early Training - Enrol your dog in training or puppy school to prevent nuisance barking habits.
• Exercise and Attention - Ensure your dog gets appropriate exercise based on its breed and size.
• Medical Check - Consult a vet to rule out any medical issues causing excessive barking.
• Provide Shelter - Give your dog a kennel for shelter and warmth; consider keeping them inside at night.
• Enrichment - Offer a large raw bone or chew toys to keep your dog occupied.
• Limit Triggers - Move your dog to a location where it can’t see passersby if they bark at people walking by.
• Positive Reinforcement - Reward your dog when it is quiet. Do not reward barking with attention or treats.

Under the Companion Animals Act 1998 nuisance barking is defined as: A dog that makes a noise, by barking or otherwise, that persistently occurs or continues to such a degree or extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of any person in any other premises.

Often, dogs will bark more when their owner is not home. Boredom, loneliness, and anxiety are some of the main reasons why dogs may bark excessively. Potential ways you could determine if your dog is barking excessively include asking your neighbours if they can hear you dog barking while you are not at home, or installing an interactive video camera to enable you to see, hear and speak to your dog(s) while you are away.

If you have received a letter from Council about your dog barking and you do not own a dog at all, please disregard the letter. It would also be helpful to contact Council’s Customer Experience Team to advise that you do not own a dog on (02) 4934 9700.

While some NSW legislation allows Councils to address nuisance barking dogs, directly speaking with the dog's owner is often the quickest and most effective way to resolve the issue. Other pathways, such as guidance from Legal Aid NSW or involving local courts, can also help resolve disputes efficiently. 

Council will continue to collect complaint data and may intervene in cases where a meaningful outcome is likely. However, investigations by Rangers can take time. If an investigation determines that a barking nuisance exists and the dog owner fails to take action to reduce the barking, Council may consider enforcement options. These can include issuing a Notice of Intention to declare the dog a nuisance or a Noise Abatement Order. 

If your dog is found to be barking excessively and causing a noise nuisance and you fail to take reasonable actions to stop the dog from barking, then issuing fines is one method Council officers may consider to encourage compliance and resolve the nuisance barking.

No, Council will not seize a dog for causing a barking nuisance. However, if you have an inappropriate number of dogs residing at your house, Council may order you to reduce the number of dogs at your house.

When dealing with personal information, Council must comply with the Privacy and Personal Information and Protection Act 1998. 

You may apply for access to information by lodging a request for access. Please note, applying for access does not guarantee that it will be granted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of that information, e.g. complaints.

A dog can be declared dangerous if it is:

• Trained to attack people or animals to guard their humans or property
• Involved in a severe attack with another animal or human
• Declared dangerous by another local council.

Restricted dogs laws in NSW apply to:

• American pitbulls or pitbull terriers
• Japanese tosas
• Argentinean fighting dogs
• Brazilian fighting dogs
• Presa Canarios
• Any dogs declared by an authorised officer of a council.

If you’re an owner of a restricted breed or a declared dangerous dog, your dog must:

• Be desexed, microchipped and registered
• Be kept inside a purpose built enclosure with warning signs displayed
• Wear a securely fitted muzzle when outside its enclosure
• Stay on leash on walks, even in a designated off leash dog area

Owners must also pay an annual permit fee to keep the dog if it’s declared dangerous.

Lost cats are far more likely to find their own way home than with intervention. Council Rangers will only collect a cat if:

• the Ranger forms the view, at their sole discretion, that the cat is genuinely a stray, homeless or feral cat, rather than a lost or roaming cat.  
• if the cat is in a food preparation area and either their owner is not present or they are not willing to remove the cat or for the protection of the cat
• if the cat is at risk of injury
• if the cat has been lawfully seized by you, based on reason and necessity and in-line with the exceptions outlined in the Companion Animals Act 1998.

‘Food preparation areas’ are public places where food is prepared for human consumption or where humans consume food, such as restaurants, cafes and commercial kitchens. Cats are prohibited within 10 metres of such places.

There are no protected wildlife areas in the Maitland Local Government Area.

Breaching the Companion Animals Act 1998 or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 can attract serious penalties including fines of up to $33,000 and imprisonment.  You may also be responsible for vet costs or other compensation.

Remove attractants

• Remove anything that may attract cats to your property (e.g. food, open bins, rodents, undesexed cats, faeces)

Modify your garden and fences

• Use large bark mulch, pine cones or pebbles around your garden beds and plants
• Use plants in your garden with citrus smelling foliage
• Plant ‘cat deterrent’ plants in your flower beds such as mint, lemon thyme, lavender, rosemary, rue and geranium
• Limit access via tree climbing by fitting a smooth metal or plastic band around the trunks of trees around your property boundary
• Modify fences to prevent entry (e.g., netting, rolling cylinders, sheeting)
• Install barriers (e.g. lattice) to physically block access

Deterrence strategies

• Install a sensor light activated by movement
• Install garden ornaments that make noises in response to movement\
• Install motion activated sprinklers

Please refrain from using deterrents that are toxic to cats, such as citrus peels, or that may impact other domestic animals or wildlife in the vicinity. Cruelty to animals is illegal under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979.