How to report a barking dog in Victoria

The rule

Section 32 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 says the occupier of the premises where a dog is kept must not allow it to be a nuisance. Barking makes a dog a nuisance if it “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.”

There is no set number of minutes. The council decides whether the barking is an unreasonable disturbance, which is why it asks for a diary.

Talk to the owner first

Agriculture Victoria suggests talking to the owner clearly and politely before anything else. They may not know there is a problem if the dog only barks while they are out, and you may be able to help them work out why it barks. The barking dog letter generator writes a friendly note if talking is hard.

Free help from the Dispute Settlement Centre

The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria gives free advice to help neighbours sort out problems such as barking dogs: call 1300 372 888. Its mediation is free, voluntary and confidential, with a trained, impartial mediator. It is part of the Victorian Department of Government Services.

Complaining to the council

If every approach to your neighbour has failed, you can lodge a complaint with your local council.

• A diary. The council may ask you to keep one for a few weeks, to record how often the dog barks. The printable bark diary has a line for each bout.
• Another neighbour. You may also need support for your complaint from another neighbour who is affected.

What the council can do

1. Give the owner a warning, or a formal Notice to Comply to stop the barking.
2. If the notice isn’t followed, issue an infringement notice.
3. If the problem goes on, take legal action and seek a court order.

If a court finds the owner guilty, the Act lets it order them to take specific action to stop the nuisance, and not following that order is a further offence.

Keep a record

A phone can keep the log while you sleep. Left near a shared wall or window, DogQuiet logs each bark it hears with the time, how long it lasted and a short clip, and makes a PDF report. It is an approximate record, not proof: it can miss a bark or log another sound. Keep your own diary alongside it, and ask the council what they accept.

Elsewhere in Australia

Other countries: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, England and Wales, Scotland, Toronto, Calgary. The general steps, the evidence officials ask for and when to call the police are in how to report a barking dog.

Sources

Official pages this guide is based on, all read in October 2026:

1. Agriculture Victoria (Animal Welfare Victoria). Barking dogs. agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/dogs/dog-training-and-behavioural-problems/barking-dogs
2. Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria. Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria. disputes.vic.gov.au/
3. Victorian Legislation. Domestic Animals Act 1994, section 32 (authorised version 093). legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/domestic-animals-act-1994