If you've ever lived next door to a dog that just didn't shut up then you'll be wishing you were in Darwin.
The City of Darwin Council l has just passed new legislation that will see pet owners investigated if their pooch barks for more than three minutes. While that doesn't seem like a long time, a non-stop bark is kind of like a fire alarm: every second is auditory agony.
Specifically, the law kicks in when a dog has been yapping for more than three minutes in a 30-minute window at night, as well as six minutes in an hour during the day time.
You can imagine City of Darwin Council workers will be thrilled by getting to investigate all these pooches.
One punter has told the Daily Mail: "It is always a tricky area, but hopefully it will make people a bit more responsible for their dogs. No-one should have their peace broken by a continuous barking dog."
Another added: "Dogs barking all day while the owners are at work...try being a shift worker who needs to sleep."
The council said in a statement: "When you report a barking complaint, you will be asked to provide details about the nuisance that is being caused.
"Council will provide you with a barking diary and you will be asked to keep a log of the dog's nuisance barking over the next seven days.
"A notice will be issued to the dog owner advising them of nuisance barking allegations against their dog.
"After substantiating the complaint, the Council Ranger and Animal Education Officer will provide the dog owner with self-help information and also offer the owner advice and assistance to help them reduce the nuisance.
"During the investigation our Ranger will contact you seeking updates on the nuisance barking. If the nuisance has ceased, the dog owner will be provided with feedback and encouraged to continue with the action they have taken.
"Should the nuisance barking complaint remain unresolved, the dog owner may be issued with an infringement notice or be prosecuted."
But it seems as though the City of Darwin Council has recognised that sometimes dogs just need to bark.
That's why they've added in exemptions to the rule, allowing incessant barking when emergency service vehicles go by with sirens blazing, when a storm is pouring down, when the mail comes to your door and when there's lots of people walking past your property.
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