A NAILSEA pet owner has been ordered to pay almost £400 in fines and costs for failing to stop her dog barking. Julie Hollyman, of Ridgeway, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an abatement notice when she appeared before North Somerset Magistrates.

A NAILSEA pet owner has been ordered to pay almost £400 in fines and costs for failing to stop her dog barking.Julie Hollyman, of Ridgeway, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an abatement notice when she appeared before North Somerset Magistrates.North Somerset Council had received complaints of the noise of a dog or dogs barking at her home for some time.And in December 2005 an abatement notice was served on Ms Hollyman requiring her to provide adequate supervision of the dog or dogs to prevent undue barking/howling and to take any other action necessary to prevent the nuisance recurring.In February and August 2006, the council wrote to Ms Hollyman following further complaints of dogs barking at the property.In January this year, the council's dog warden visited the address following a further complaint and over a nine minute period counted over 600 barks and saw a German Shepherd dog at a gate to the rear garden.He spoke to a man at the property and asked him to stop the dog barking.As the warden left the address, he could hear the dog begin to bark again.Magistrates fined Ms Hollyman £150 for failing to comply with an abatement notice and ordered her to pay £240 towards the council's costs.North Somerset environment and consumer services group manager Mandy Bishop said: "This type of noise nuisance can really affect people's quality of life."In this case, the householder was given advice and adequate opportunity to make arrangements to make sure the nuisance did not continue."I hope that as a result of the prosecution, her neighbours can enjoy the peace and quiet they are entitled to.