Legislative Council Petition: #524 | closed

Petition Allow complaints about excessive animal disturbances

73 signatures This petition is not sponsored

smit.jani@yahoo.com started this petition

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that Melbourne is the fastest growing region in Australian and has limited accommodation available, which promotes small lot housing. Melburnians have great love and affection for pets. However, these two factors have created an issue due to negligence from pet owners which in turn snatches away a neighbour’s right to live peacefully.

Many times, pets are left in backyards unsupervised, creating a nuisance for the peace-seeking work from home professionals, kids, homemakers and elders who are exposed to excessive barking and attacks on the shared fences, which poses a threat to their mental and physical health. Current council rules discourage victims from lodging formal complaints regarding the mental and physical humiliation faced, which disturbs their daily routine because the council cannot help framing charges on pet owners for such injustice. This type of nuisance also reduces the chance of renting out property because renters also hope for a peaceful life. Because the noise and nuisances produced by pets within their owner property is not considered an offence, irresponsible owners let their animals disturb neighbours as they know no action will be taken against them.

Like noise produced by electronic device is considered harmful, excessive dog barking and their attacks on shared property should be considered harmful for the mental, physical, and financial health of neighbours. Neighbours should have the right to complain about the noise and harm caused by animals and the council should be responsible for taking strict action against the owner. There should be a financial penalty for dog owners who leave their pets in the backyard for more than half an hour. Wood planks and adjoining fence should be created to stop their dogs accessing the shared property like walls and fences and anti-bark devices should be installed on the fence of the dog owner where the complaint has been raised.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to review laws to enhance the ability for people to complain to local councils about disturbances caused by animals and require councils to take strict action against an owner, including the use of financial penalties and other methods.  

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