Why this angry note has divided residents of the Blue Mountains near Sydney: ‘We have had enough!’
Why this angry note divided residents of the Blue Mountains near Sydney: ‘We’ve had enough!’
A handwritten note complaining about a dog’s constant barking has sparked heated debate and division in a community near Sydney.
A Blue Mountains woman received the passive-aggressive note, which accused the dog of barking non-stop for almost three hours and urged the owner to show more respect for others.
“We do not understand how careless and inconsiderate you can be to the other residents who live around you,” the neighbor wrote.
The Blue Mountains resident took to Facebook on Tuesday to rage about this note from a mysterious neighbor
‘There are many neighbors who have already submitted complaints to the municipality about the hours of barking they experience from your dog.’
The neighbor added that the problem had been going on for years before he threatened a final ultimatum.
‘We’ve had enough! If we have to continue this for another day, we will take legal action against you,” the note ends.
But the woman fired back, releasing the note on the community’s Facebook page
‘We have received your intriguing letters about our dog’s ‘epic barking sessions’. It’s quite a mystery since you chose to stay in the shadows,” she wrote.
“And keep leaving out the witch (sic) ‘neighbor’ you’re talking about if you have the balls to threaten my mother, next time you have the balls and knock on the door.”
‘And to be clear: the municipality has already given us a good bill of health in the field of noise pollution. But kudos to your investigative skills, but it seems like you may need to reevaluate your leads.”
She later added that the dog was old and kept indoors.
The note and the dog owner’s response sparked a furious debate on the Blue Mountains Facebook page.
“I find this aggressive post much ruder than the letter, regardless of the dog tagging issue,” one man wrote.
‘It’s probably a good move not to provide name and address details if you can expect such reactions.’
Others told the pet owner to be more considerate of neighbors, especially those who work from home.
A helpful resident shared the link to the NSW EPAs tips for dealing with barking dogs.
“Endless dog barking is the worst, not only for those who have to endure it, but also clearly for the dog that isn’t getting its needs met,” one woman wrote.
Another added: ‘Incessant dog barking is enough to put someone’s head in it.’
A third wrote: ‘What about the stress the dog must be under when it barks for three hours? Is there anything you can do to help the dog not get so scared?’
Others sided with the dog owner and agreed that an anonymous note was a cowardly move.
“If you want to resolve the issue, please leave your name and contact information and perhaps consider a more comforting tone in your notes,” one man commented.
Even the local radio station joined in on the saga.
“It seems they have abandoned the conciliatory approach after years of putting up with the noise,” Radio Blue Mountains 89.1 said.
‘I just don’t see it being solved with anonymous aggression. Aggression, whether anonymous or reciprocated, is unlikely to lead to a useful outcome.”
Some did their best to lighten the debate.
“I should have gotten a cat,” one woman joked.
According to the Blue Mountains Council, it is the owners’ responsibility to ensure their pet does not cause noise pollution.
‘The intermittent and persistent nature of a dog’s barking can be very disturbing to nearby neighbours. Understanding why your dog barks and what you can do to identify and remove triggers is essential.
The municipality also advises residents with noise complaints to first talk to the neighbors involved, because they are not aware of the problem.
The neighbor claimed in the note that the barking dog problem had been going on for years