Madam, In recent months you have published several letters from readers complaining, rightly, about anti-social dog owners who allow their animals to foul footpaths. That is not the end of some owners' sins.

A number of selfish people feel that it is perfectly acceptable to inflict on neighbours a barrage of barking when they leave their animals out in the garden for hours at a time.

Anyone living in the Kyrle Street area will be all too familiar with hysterical yapping which can punctuate the hours from early morning to 11pm, and beyond. There is also the lonesome hound which barks mournfully every ten seconds for hours, presumably when left alone in the house.

These people are breaking the law by creating a public nuisance and, under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the local Environmental Health Department must take 'all reasonable steps' to investigate neighbours' complaints. In the recent past owners have been taken to court and some have even had to get rid of their animals. I urge neighbours to complain.

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