Animal problems and concerns

All dogs bark as it is their main form of communication. If you believe it is happening more often and more loudly than is reasonable, the City of Hobart may be able to assist.

In some cases the owner may not realise that the barking is causing a problem. Particularly if it is happening when they are not home.

If you have a problem with a barking dog in your area you can complete the online form.

We are not able to take any anonymous complaints. Therefore we will not respond to any we receive.

The City of Hobart has a process we follow when we receive a complaint:

Stage 1

A letter is sent to the dog owner notifying them a complaint has been received.

Often the dog owner is simply unaware their dog is causing a barking nuisance, particularly if they are at work.

Some dog owners choose to contact a dog behaviour specialist. This helps them with the nuisance barking, and may take some time to achieve a positive outcome. In some cases, the dog owner may need to install extra fencing or create a barrier if the dog is stimulated by sight.

Stage 2

If you feel there is no improvement in the barking after a letter has been sent to the dog owner, you will need to lodge a formal complaint. This is follows Section 47 of the Dog Control Act 2000.

Please contact our Animal Management team on 03 6238 2182. They can provide you with a formal complaint form and a barking diary. This needs to be completed for at least 10 days in a row.

These documents then need to be lodged with the City of Hobart, along with a formal complaint fee. This is outlined in Section 47(b) of the Dog Control Act 2000. The current fee can be found in our fees and charges.

Once the formal complaint form, the diary and the complaint fee have been received, we will begin the investigation into the complaint.

It can be difficult to determine how long the investigation process may take to prove whether a barking nuisance exists. If we are able to prove that a nuisance does exist, then the complaint fee is refunded and penalties will apply to the dog owner.

Please be aware that privacy will be maintained at all times. This is unless we are unable to determine whether nuisance barking exists and you wish to pursue the matter further. This may potentially result in you being called as a witness to attend a Court hearing to provide evidence.

Dog owners are required to pick up their dog's droppings. If they don't, they can be fined.

If you have issues with dog owners not picking up after their dog in your area, please complete the online form.

Dog owners may be fined if their dogs roam the streets on their own.

If you have a problem with dogs roaming in your neighbourhood, please complete the online form.

If a dog attacks a person or another dog, the owner of the dog must notify the City of Hobart within 24 hours of the attack. Not notifying the City is an offence under the Dog Control Act 2000.

If you have been involved in an incident with an aggressive dog, you can let us know by completing the online form. You can also contact the Animal Management team on 03 6238 2182.

Any dog that has caused serious injury to a person or other animal, or is likely to cause serious injury, may be declared a dangerous dog.

The City of Hobart makes the final decision. We will consider all evidence before declaring a dog to be dangerous. The dog owner has the right to appeal the declaration within 14 days of the notice being served.

All dogs used to guard non-residential premises are declared dangerous.