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Action Petz dog centre in Cardiff is being forced to close down after locals complained about excessive barking. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

A dog centre is being forced to close down after the council threatened them with huge fines – because of noisy barking. Action Petz in Cardiff will close on 28 February.

Noise complaints from local households have prompted the council to issue the establishment with a noise abatement notice demanding that their canine guests turn down the volume within 21 days.

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Following this period the business may be liable for £500 ($626) daily fines if dogs bark too loudly. The owners explained their decision to call it a day in a message on their website.

It read: "This is extremely upsetting for us after working so hard to provide a safe and fun venue that the dogs love over the past two-and-a-half years.

"We are determined that even though this is upsetting for many members and the team we will turn this into a positive and bring Action Petz back to you in a new venue as soon as possible.

"This will take some time and will be a huge upheaval and extremely difficult and costly for Action Petz as we are still a very young business. But we will do our best to get back open again as soon as we can."

In 2014 Action Petz opened Britain's first indoor dog walking park. They provide doggy play sessions, behavioural classes and a kennel service for owners leaving their pets behind when they go on holiday.

Customer Stuart Tipple told Wales Online: "It strikes me as terrible and wrong, really. I found out this morning and I was gutted. This could also leave some people out of work. It's a real shame.

"The closure of the day care facility and park will almost certainly see some dogs now being left home alone for extended periods of time whilst owners go out to work. It's going to have a real impact on a lot of people."

"The racket that comes from the industrial estate is not just because of the dog centre. There's a bus shelter and a train line there too. There's so much additional noise so it seems a bit petty to me."

The centre is based on the Guardian Industrial Estate in the Tremorfa district of Cardiff. Action Petz have another branch in Bridgend and are opening one soon in Newport.

A spokesman for Cardiff council defended their decision to enforce the noise abatement notice. He said that "renewed complaints" had been received dating back to 2015.