Wolverhampton pet owner must pay £780 over dog noise
A pet owner whose dogs' continuous barking made her neighbours' lives an 'utter misery' will have to pay out hundreds of pounds after the case ended in court.
Environmental health officers investigating Lyndsey Bailey recorded 53 barks per minute from 'four or five' dogs at her semi-detached house on Ringwood Road, Bushbury, a court heard.
The yelping persisted for the full half-hour officers spent investigating and was audible over the sounds of a neighbour's television, a court heard.
Bailey, aged 25, had an abatement notice served to her by Wolverhampton City Council on February 11, 2013, warning her to stop her dogs barking or face penalties.
She was first convicted for breaching the abatement notice in August, before the latest breach on August 26.
Neighbours compiled a log of the noisiest days in August and September, the dates for which were read out in court and showed major disturbances on most days.
Mrs Jacky Bramley, prosecuting on behalf of Wolverhampton City Council at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court, commended the neighbours for their bravery in giving statements, adding that their lives had been made an 'utter misery'.
Bailey did not appear in court and was not represented.
There is currently a warrant out for her arrest, the court heard.
In a letter to the courts, she pleaded guilty to a single charge of contravening or failing to comply with an abatement notice.
In her absence on Tuesday district judge Michael Wheeler fined Bramley £110 and ordered her to pay £650 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
