When defending their decision not to issue an abatement notice that would force the dog’s owner to take action to stop the barking, district council staff said only direct neighbours Christine and Trevor Sanderson had complained to them about the dog.
However, another couple living near the same address have now contacted The Ashburton Courier to say they have also complained multiple times.
It comes as the Ombudsman agreed to formally investigate a complaint from the Sandersons about alleged inaction on behalf of the district council.
At the same time, the owner of the dog, Sami Palavi, said he plans to talk to a lawyer about his concerns that Christine has been harassing him about the dog.
The couple, who have complained alongside the Sandersons, did not want to be named.
‘‘We have complained about this dog barking and howling on many occasions,’’ the man said.
Council acting chief executive Jane Donaldson acknowledged the district council had received several complaints from the couple.
‘‘They have been investigated and found to be dogs at an Albert St address and a dog at a different McDonald St address. Our contractor has phoned the complainant to let them know the outcome,’’ Donaldson said.
But the man said since that phone call in February, he and his wife have continued to complain to the district council and the animal control contractor, Talbot Security, by phone and email. None of these complaints had been acknowledged or acted on.
One email from the couple to the district council, dated March 25 and seen by The Ashburton Courier, says: ‘‘The dog was howling and barking on and off all day on March 24 until 10.30pm. At times the howling was for periods of 20 minutes at a time over the course of the day.’’
‘‘We know where it’s coming from,’’ the man said.
‘‘I would be quite prepared to stand up in court and say the dog from (the address) is barking all the time, that’s how pissed off we are.’’
He said the barking had quietened down last week, but had started again over the weekend, although it sounded more subdued than previously.
Palavi said he had taken his dog, a staffy american and french bulldog cross named Nico, to the SPCA in Christchurch last week for rehoming as Palavi was planning to move to the city.
However, on Friday Palavi went and got Nico back after the dog did not settle, and Palavi feared it could be put down. He was no longer planning to move.
He was surprised another couple other than the Sandersons had complained, and believes Christine has been harassing him about his dog barking.
Christine agreed she had been harassing Palavi, as she had knocked on his window at times, to attract his attention so she could tell him about the dog barking, and other times had shouted over the fence.
She was pleased the office of the Ombudsman had recently agreed to formally investigate her complaint, which alleges the district council has failed in its responsibility to issue an abatement notice.
