But she says the threat of losing her dogs because of the complaints has now left her in a state of paranoia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt consumes me. I can\u2019t escape.\u201d <\/p>\n
Hastings District Council says the complaints about the two dogs started in February 2025, and come from five sources, \u201cbut mostly from two properties\u201d.<\/p>\n
Council regulatory solutions manager John Payne said it was a difficult situation for dog owners and residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe strive to work with all parties to achieve satisfactory resolutions. Each year HDC Animal Control deals with about 500 barking dog complaints \u2013 99% of which get resolved,\u201d Payne said.<\/p>\n
The council has agreed to stop calling her.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the dog owner\u2019s discomfort, officers will stop calling,\u201d a council spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur officers do not want to be seen as intimidating, especially as these calls are designed to help owners, by providing information on the nuisance their animal is causing, so they can do something about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The spokesperson said the council was still getting complaints about the address, with the latest on January 30. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese will be managed in writing, following the regulatory process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sam\u2019s father Trevor Hall says the system is flawed.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeeping complainants\u2019 names anonymous allows them to use the system to bully and harass neighbours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trevor said it had been incredibly hard to watch his daughter become stressed, anxious, and worn down by the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe feels harassed, bullied and is even fearful of leaving home in case her dogs are unfairly taken.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe now padlocks her gates every time she goes out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sam said everything was fine with the dogs for eight months. Then the complaints started.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have dropped notes in letterboxes with our address, asking anyone with a problem to come and talk with us so we can solve it. We also posted it on social media.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hall said she just wanted to live peacefully in her home with her partner and dogs.<\/p>\n
But the calls and letters keep coming.<\/p>\n
She claimed council officers sat in her street every day for two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was stressful and intimidating. I just want them to stop ringing me, especially while I\u2019m at work and stop giving us letters unless they have evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The spokesperson said officers spent some time in the area to observe the dogs\u2019 behaviour, to determine if the complaints were legitimate. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe dogs were heard barking on and off.\u201d<\/p>\n
They also surveyed the neighbourhood, with five people supporting claims that the dogs were creating a nuisance.<\/p>\n
Hawke\u2019s Bay Today knocked on several doors in the neighbourhood. The three people who answered said the barking of Sam\u2019s dogs was not a problem.<\/p>\n
Amanda Whitfield, who lives across the road, said she was home all day and had never heard them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a dog as well. Dogs bark, so even if I did hear them, it wouldn\u2019t bother me. But if it was at night and they were keeping me awake, I would go and talk to the owners,\u201d Whitfield said.<\/p>\n
Sam said no information had been provided to her about the times the complaints were made.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have cameras so I can see what my dogs are doing when I\u2019m at work.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd yes, they do bark if someone comes to the door or a courier driver pulls up the driveway. I want them to bark if there is someone outside.\u201d <\/p>\n
She said she has even had complaints when the dogs had not been at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I explain the dogs are not on the property, I\u2019m told the complaint was \u2018pinpointed\u2019 to my address.\u201d <\/p>\n
The council has since provided her with dates and times. <\/p>\n
A council spokesperson said Hall had also supplied video footage of her dogs to them \u201cwhich confirmed the nuisance barking behaviour\u201d.<\/p>\n
But she disputes that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did send them a video to prove my dogs were barking for a reason. There\u2019s a fence between our property and a community garden. There were people behind the fence and the dogs could hear them. Of course they were barking.\u201d<\/p>\n