Typical Dog Barking Laws

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Typical Dog Barking Laws

Staff Writer · Oct 30, 2009

Almost every place in the United States has some laws about dog barking. Particularly in urban and suburban areas, where dog sounds can be a nuisance to neighbors, many municipalities and local governments have laws on the books to help stop dog barking when it presents a noise pollution issue or interferes with the peace and quiet that residents need.

Features of Dog Barking Laws

It’s important to note that dog barking laws are often written at a local level. The city will have specific dog barking laws included in a noise ordinance or other similar legislation for any place within the city limits. In other suburban or rural areas, the laws may be written by a county or township government.

Many dog barking laws include a specific length of time, such as 10 minutes or 30 minutes, that is the maximum time period that dog barking can occur before it is considered a noise violation. However, critics have pointed out that it’s hard for local police departments who enforce these policies to really know about the time frames after they arrive on the scene.

Local dog barking laws may also have some exceptions written into them. One exception to the ordinance may be in a case where dogs are being antagonized. This prevents locals with a vendetta from intentionally agitating a dog in order to provide the basis for a noise violation.

Another exception to a dog barking law may involve what’s called a “working dog”. In many rural areas, and even some suburban ones, traditional farm laws may have an effect on today’s regulations, where a dog considered part of a farm practice may not be affected by dog barking law. This does mean that in some cases, even where your neighbor does not have a traditional farm, they may be able to use this exception to the law.

Additional Dog Laws

A dog barking law is not the only local legislation that can be in place. Particularly in urban areas, there may be laws preventing the confinement of large dogs in small spaces. This may be relevant to a dog barking issue if the dog is acting out of the conditions of its confinement.

A municipality may also have laws about the upkeep of the property’s exterior, where having dogs on dog runs or in cages can affect the yard space. This is another thing to think about when considering the overall neighborhood effect of a property that includes dogs.

The above gives readers some idea of what typical dog laws look like for a municipality. Any resident can get a copy of their specific dog barking ordinance, and if they feel it should be stricter, they can visit the local government board meeting to have their say in public, and possibly get a change to the law.

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