‘Dogs can’t read!’: Residents baffled by bizarre council sign
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Public signage is usually meant to inform, guide, or remind—but sometimes, it sparks unexpected controversy.
When a series of new signs appeared at a popular Sydney park, they left residents puzzled and amused rather than compliant.
The seemingly well-intentioned message quickly became the subject of debate, with locals questioning its purpose and practicality.
A sign at a Sydney park instructing dogs to keep their barking to a minimum left locals baffled, with many mocking the message as though it were directed at the animals themselves.
Five signs were installed at Mort Bay Park in Birchgrove in an effort to reduce noise levels, despite the area’s history as a heavily industrialised part of the suburb.
The signs featured two dog silhouettes beneath the words ‘Please minimise barking’ and ‘Be considerate of others living nearby.’
Residents quickly took to social media to share their amusement, questioning why such signs were placed in a popular dog-walking spot.
One local asked: ‘Has anyone else seen these signs at Mort Bay? Are they serious? I assume council is responding to a complaint.
‘Why would anyone move across the road from a park and then complain about dogs barking? PS: My dog is smart but he can't read! Is the council barking mad!!’
Others joined in, joking that the signs should be translated into ‘dog language’ if they were meant for pets.
One person quipped: ‘Maybe they could convert into a dog bark so dogs could understand it.’
Another suggested the sign might not be meant for dogs at all, saying, ‘I think the sign refers to people to stop barking.’
A resident pointed out the inconsistency, writing: ‘Is there not signs asking children not to squeal either while they play? That's just as ridiculous.’
Others simply found the idea absurd, with one person remarking: ‘It's a bit silly. Dogs can't read.’
Some joked that the sign had made them question their pets’ intelligence.
‘My dogs must be behind, they can't read yet,’ one person said.
‘I'm now looking for a school to enroll them in.’
Another offered a mock solution, saying: ‘Dog reading lessons at Balmain Town Hall every Friday morning.’
Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne also weighed in, sharing his view that the sign was unnecessary.
‘This sign seems ridiculous to me,’ he posted.
‘Dogs can't read and people using Mort Bay Park are very reasonable in my experience. I'll raise it with the council staff tomorrow.’
Several people compared complaints about barking dogs in a park to someone moving near a pub and objecting to the noise.
While some were amused, others took a more balanced stance, suggesting residents should learn to live alongside different sources of noise.
One woman wrote: ‘Let's try to live harmoniously. Some families have children who scream/cry cause that's what they do. Other families have dogs who bark cause that's what they do.
‘Move elsewhere if you can't live empathically in a community.’
The signs were removed early last week, with Byrne later clarifying on social media that councillors were not responsible for approving their wording or placement.
This was not the first time signage about barking dogs caused a stir in the area.
Two years ago, a sign in a Balmain off-leash area instructed dog owners to ‘respect the neighbours’ and prevent ‘excessive barking.’
That sign also encouraged locals to report any ongoing noise issues to the council.
One resident dismissed the concerns, saying: ‘My pup likes to talk to his people the same way we do. Get over it.’
Another person questioned the effectiveness of such signage, writing: ‘Dogs can't read as far as I know, so it's a waste of taxpayers' money.’
However, some supported the effort, arguing that dog owners should take responsibility for excessive barking.
One person said: ‘It's easy to teach dogs not to bark excessively. It is totally unnecessary for dogs to bark incessantly while they are running around.’
Another agreed, adding: ‘Dogs can have loads of fun without barking. It just takes a little training.’
A man who supported the signage complained that dogs had ‘taken over’ the area, saying: ‘From my observations, the whole Inner West is off-leash.’
Some residents took the debate in a humorous direction, with one person commenting: ‘Can you stop children laughing in the playground? That annoys the s*** out of me.’
One person asked: ‘How many barks is okay?’, to which another replied, ‘Three.’
A third person joked: ‘Doesn't say people can't bark, woof woof.’
In a previous story, a dog owner was left fuming after receiving an $806 fine for an obscure rule many weren’t aware of.
The incident sparked debate over the fairness of certain pet-related regulations and how they are enforced.
Read more about the surprising fine and how it caught locals off guard.
Public signage often sparks debate, but this one certainly got tails wagging. Do you think noise complaints in parks are valid, or should residents expect a little barking?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
When a series of new signs appeared at a popular Sydney park, they left residents puzzled and amused rather than compliant.
The seemingly well-intentioned message quickly became the subject of debate, with locals questioning its purpose and practicality.
A sign at a Sydney park instructing dogs to keep their barking to a minimum left locals baffled, with many mocking the message as though it were directed at the animals themselves.
Five signs were installed at Mort Bay Park in Birchgrove in an effort to reduce noise levels, despite the area’s history as a heavily industrialised part of the suburb.
The signs featured two dog silhouettes beneath the words ‘Please minimise barking’ and ‘Be considerate of others living nearby.’
Residents quickly took to social media to share their amusement, questioning why such signs were placed in a popular dog-walking spot.
One local asked: ‘Has anyone else seen these signs at Mort Bay? Are they serious? I assume council is responding to a complaint.
‘Why would anyone move across the road from a park and then complain about dogs barking? PS: My dog is smart but he can't read! Is the council barking mad!!’
Others joined in, joking that the signs should be translated into ‘dog language’ if they were meant for pets.
One person quipped: ‘Maybe they could convert into a dog bark so dogs could understand it.’
Another suggested the sign might not be meant for dogs at all, saying, ‘I think the sign refers to people to stop barking.’
A resident pointed out the inconsistency, writing: ‘Is there not signs asking children not to squeal either while they play? That's just as ridiculous.’
Others simply found the idea absurd, with one person remarking: ‘It's a bit silly. Dogs can't read.’
Some joked that the sign had made them question their pets’ intelligence.
‘My dogs must be behind, they can't read yet,’ one person said.
‘I'm now looking for a school to enroll them in.’
Another offered a mock solution, saying: ‘Dog reading lessons at Balmain Town Hall every Friday morning.’
Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne also weighed in, sharing his view that the sign was unnecessary.
‘This sign seems ridiculous to me,’ he posted.
‘Dogs can't read and people using Mort Bay Park are very reasonable in my experience. I'll raise it with the council staff tomorrow.’
Several people compared complaints about barking dogs in a park to someone moving near a pub and objecting to the noise.
While some were amused, others took a more balanced stance, suggesting residents should learn to live alongside different sources of noise.
One woman wrote: ‘Let's try to live harmoniously. Some families have children who scream/cry cause that's what they do. Other families have dogs who bark cause that's what they do.
‘Move elsewhere if you can't live empathically in a community.’
The signs were removed early last week, with Byrne later clarifying on social media that councillors were not responsible for approving their wording or placement.
This was not the first time signage about barking dogs caused a stir in the area.
Two years ago, a sign in a Balmain off-leash area instructed dog owners to ‘respect the neighbours’ and prevent ‘excessive barking.’
That sign also encouraged locals to report any ongoing noise issues to the council.
One resident dismissed the concerns, saying: ‘My pup likes to talk to his people the same way we do. Get over it.’
Another person questioned the effectiveness of such signage, writing: ‘Dogs can't read as far as I know, so it's a waste of taxpayers' money.’
However, some supported the effort, arguing that dog owners should take responsibility for excessive barking.
One person said: ‘It's easy to teach dogs not to bark excessively. It is totally unnecessary for dogs to bark incessantly while they are running around.’
Another agreed, adding: ‘Dogs can have loads of fun without barking. It just takes a little training.’
A man who supported the signage complained that dogs had ‘taken over’ the area, saying: ‘From my observations, the whole Inner West is off-leash.’
Some residents took the debate in a humorous direction, with one person commenting: ‘Can you stop children laughing in the playground? That annoys the s*** out of me.’
One person asked: ‘How many barks is okay?’, to which another replied, ‘Three.’
A third person joked: ‘Doesn't say people can't bark, woof woof.’
In a previous story, a dog owner was left fuming after receiving an $806 fine for an obscure rule many weren’t aware of.
The incident sparked debate over the fairness of certain pet-related regulations and how they are enforced.
Read more about the surprising fine and how it caught locals off guard.
Public signage often sparks debate, but this one certainly got tails wagging. Do you think noise complaints in parks are valid, or should residents expect a little barking?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
