A Dublin couple were today ordered to put an electronic dog collar on their pet Alsatian to curb his excessive barking or face having the animal taken away from them.
Mr Dermot P. Walsh (65) and his wife Dolores (64), denied their four-year-old dog, Chiko, barked excessively when it was kept in the rear garden of their detached home at Glenview Park, Tallaght, Dublin.
Next door neighbour Ms Edel Dooley (70), who runs a nine-room bed-and-breakfast business from her home, claimed the barking had caused her serious distress and discouraged some guests from returning.
Dublin District Court heard the Walshes had failed to obey a court order imposed four months ago to abate the nuisance.
After hearing evidence from Mrs Dooley, her daughter Edel and one of her longterm boarders about the dog, Judge John O'Neill said the Walshes could put a collar on the dog which issues painless electronic impulses to discourage it from barking.
Mr and Mrs Walsh said they had not done this because they believed it was inhumane. Mr Walsh claimed he had the dog with him 75 per cent of the time.
"I have no idea at all why Mrs Dooley is making this complaint," he said. The dog had barked when it was younger, but the had it trained by professionals and now only barked if the postman, milkman or strangers came up to the house.
The Walshes also claimed that much of the barking Mrs Dooley heard came from other neighbours who also had dogs.
Mrs Dooley who logged the number of times the dog barked, including up to 75 times on one day, said it could only come from the Alsation. Mrs Dooley said she believed the dog barked because it was kept in a confined space and was bored.
Judge O'Neill said the Walshes had ignored another judge's order to abate the nuisance, but they would not do so with his order. If the electronic collar does not work, Mrs Dooley could re-enter the case within seven days and he would, in necessary, order that the animal be handed over to the dog warden.