A woman has been hit with a whopping £1,000 fine because her dog would not stop annoying her neighbours with his annoying habit. Susana Johnston was taken to court for letting her pet bark excessively, causing sleepless nights and disrupting the peace for her neighbours in Cwmbran, Monmouthshire.
The 46 year old’s failure to control her dog’s constant barking landed her in front of magistrates last month after a warning failed to quieten the pet.
Now, she’s been ordered to pay £1,000 after the court heard she didn’t take reasonable steps to prevent the barking and couldn’t provide a good enough reason why her neighbours had to put up with the noise, the Mirror reports. Johnston appeared at Cwmbran magistrates court on March 20, admitting to breaching a notice previously served to her over the noise between May and November last year.
Environmental health officers used special equipment to prove that Johnston’s dog’s barking was too loud, according to Wales Online. She was found guilty of an offence under the Environmental Protection Act and told to pay £1,000 towards the council’s prosecution costs as well as a victim surcharge of £26.
Councillor Mandy Owen, who is in charge of the environment, said: “This case serves as a reminder of the negative impact noise pollution can have on the wellbeing of residents. It is the responsibility of dog ownership to manage the behaviour of their dog or dogs to avoid causing problems including preventing them from making excessive noise.”
“I would like to commend the excellent work of the council’s officers in bringing this case before the courts and achieving a successful outcome in the interest of public health protection.”
