they claim, are keeping them awake at night.

And one angry householder claims he will call in the Government if animal shelter staff cannot keep the canines quiet.

Residents near the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter on Valley Road say that they can hear as many as a dozen stray dogs barking through the night.

The animals, many of which have been brought in off the streets, are kept in two compounds, one of which has an open sided wall made out of wire mesh.

Vincent Tuzo, 64, said: "It sounds like they have about half a dozen dogs and they're barking all the time.

"I can't even keep my window open and it's impossible to get to sleep at night. Even if one stops howling another one will start up. It goes right on through the night, seven days a week.

"I even find myself dropping off at work. I go into work in the morning and I explain to my boss that I'm just so tired. I'm not getting enough sleep.

"I spoke to one of the people down there at the shelter and I told him that the kennels should be made soundproof but I was told that would be too expensive. In that case I think these shelters should be moved at least two miles away from houses -- it's quite a built-up area here.'' Mr. Tuzo is now considering contacting Environment Minister Harry Soares to see if he can help.

"The thing is the people who work at the shelter don't have to live here like we do,'' Mr. Tuzo said.

"It's been going on for years but enough is enough.'' Another Valley Road resident, Earl Wilkinson, said: "I have been living with it for so long that it's no longer a problem. It doesn't bother me now, although it used to be.

"I come home from work and I can hear the dogs barking -- sometimes it can be maybe six dogs, sometimes it's up to 12, sometimes just one or two -- but I just go straight to sleep.

"There aren't any problems with the shelter. The guys who run it keep it spotless. Yes, there is noise but I guess I've just become immune to it.'' Last night SPCA chairman Andrew Madeiros sympathised with locals, claiming that the charity had been packed to the rafters with stray dogs all year.

But, although he said he would look into soundproofing one of the compounds, he warned that the organisation was already strapped for cash.

"We have had complaints before and we have had to sedate some dogs but that's something we don't like doing,'' he said.

"It would be great if we had a solid soundproof run but we don't have a lot of funds -- that is something we will have to look into.''