Edinburgh '˜Dog B&B' shut down after local residents raise noise concerns

A dog boarding house in Bruntsfield has been shut down by council licensing bosses

‘Safe and Sound Hound,’ based on Greenhill Terrace had its application to become a ‘dog B&B’ on a permanent basis rejected by council chiefs after a series of protests by local residents.

In a letter posted to owner Heather Hiram, neighbours expressed concerns over ‘incessant barking’ and the ‘aggressive’ nature of one of her own dogs.

A council report also found a “disturbance caused by the barking of the dogs when they are in the garden of the property and in the property itself”.

The business offers a number of services including group or solo dog walking, drop in service or home visits.

However Ms Hiram branded the accusations “ridiculous,” adding council inspectors and an independent vet had already found the business fit for purpose.

She said: “It is just absolutely devastating. I am just trying to establish a legitimate business and I feel victimised by a few of the neighbours.”

“The allegations are absolute nonsense and are simply perpetarted by a few neighbours on the street who simply don’t like my dogs. That’s why all the objections to the council were exactly the same, because one neighbour posted a letter to the others and told them exactly what to do.

“I don’t know where this leaves my business, it is difficult to say where we will go from here.”

A council spokesperson said: “An Animal Boarding Establishment Licence was refused by members of the licensing sub-committee.”