Residents 'getting no peace or sleep' due to barking car wash dogs

Furious Paisley residents have claimed they have had “no peace or sleep” for most of the year due to constant barking from dogs kept at a nearby car wash.

Karen Vance insists she and her neighbours – who live behind the Christie Street business Wash HQ – are “tearing their hair out” after being driven mad by the two German Shepherds who are allegedly left chained up overnight for up to 12 hours.

Renfrewshire Council has confirmed it has taken action against the owners – who are understood to have taken over the establishment in January – to try and address the problem.

But Mrs Vance, who lives in Glasgow Road, said the dogs have kept her up every night since Wash HQ came into new ownership and she has been forced to sleep on the sofa at times to get away from the barking.

“The new owners took over the place at the end of January and since then no one has had any peace or sleep,” said Mrs Vance.

“The dogs are constantly barking day and night. Many nights I sleep on the sofa to get away from the noise.

“My husband and I are so stressed with the situation and many of our neighbours are being driven mad by it. Some of them work shifts and are tearing their hair out.

“We have all tried everything, but it seems like us and our neighbours who have lived here all our lives have no rights.

“Some people have said they are having to book holidays just to get away for a few days. It’s ruining people’s quality of life.”

Mrs Vance claimed the dogs are sometimes kept in cages and she was concerned they were not being given enough food, water and exercise.

Council chiefs said they had worked closely with the Scottish SPCA during their investigations but the dogs’ treatment had not been raised as an issue.

Wash HQ was contacted several times by the Local Democracy Reporting Service but no one was available to speak.

A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “We have been engaging with the owners of this car wash to ensure they are carrying out their responsibilities in line with the Guard Dogs Act 1975 and that the dogs are kept under control while on site.

“Action has been taken against the owners of the car wash which seeks to address residents’ concerns about noise from the dogs barking.

“We have been working closely with the SSPCA to ensure that the dogs are well looked after and it has not been raised as an issue with us at this time.”

By local democracy reporter Steph Brawn