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Barking dog noise: what to write down and who to call

Updated 2026-11-12

Cities don't all use the same rule for a barking dog. Some set a time limit: 10 minutes in Atlanta, 15 in Dallas, 30 minutes without a break in Anaheim (or 60 minutes on and off, in a 24-hour period). Others, including Miami and Tulsa, ban frequent or habitual barking and never say how many minutes that takes.

If you're going to file a complaint, write down the date, when the barking started, when it stopped, and that it was a dog. Animal control and the police can work with a list like that. A note that only says the dog barks all the time usually isn't enough.

The rules below are already on our city pages. Open the city page for the link to the official code and the date we checked it. This is not legal advice.

Cities that set a time limit

Anaheim counts 30 minutes of barking without a stop in any 24-hour period, or on-and-off barking for 60 minutes or more in 24 hours. An officer can write a citation from a neighbor's signed complaint even if the officer did not hear the dog. The owner first gets 10 days to fix it. See the Anaheim page and § 8.10.020.

Atlanta bars an owner from letting an animal bark "persistently or continuously" for 10 minutes or longer, unless the dog is in an enclosure that muffles the sound. The code says that phrase means nonstop, and a break of less than 20 seconds does not reset the clock. An officer can use a sworn statement from two adults who live at different addresses, or from one adult with a video. The people who sign have to live or work within 1,000 feet. The first fine is $150. See the Atlanta page and § 18-11.

In Albuquerque, "persistently or continuously" for animal noise means the noise is heard in each one-minute stretch of a 10-minute period. The city's noise FAQ says to file a barking complaint on the city form or by calling 311. See the Albuquerque page.

Fort Worth covers a dog that barks on a frequent, repetitive or continuous basis for ten minutes or longer. The city's animal page says to call 817-392-1234 and to keep a complaint log for seven to 10 days with the dates, times and how long it lasted. See the Fort Worth page.

Dallas treats nonstop barking, howling or crowing for more than 15 minutes as presumed offensive. It has to be near a home the animal's owner has no right to live in. Dallas does not set general quiet hours, so this test is not limited to night. See the Dallas page.

Minneapolis bans barking that can be plainly heard across a property line, or through a shared wall, if it goes on for 15 minutes or more between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., or 10 minutes or more between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The second later violation doubles the fine. A third can bring an order to remove the animals from the city. See the Minneapolis page and § 64.40.

If you live in one of these cities, your log needs to show how long the barking lasted. Write the start and stop times. If the dog barks, stops, and starts again, write each stretch separately.

Cities without a time limit

Some cities ban barking without setting a number of minutes.

Miami says no one may keep a dog that barks, yelps or howls in a frequent or habitual way that annoys the neighborhood or people on the street. Chapter 6 does not give a number of minutes. See the Miami page.

Mesa bans an animal that makes "frequent or long and continued sound" that disturbs a reasonable person. Animal Control works in steps. The first and second complaints each lead to a letter to the owner, with 5 to 7 days between complaints and no more than 21. After the third, an officer visits. For a citation, Mesa asks for a log of at least 7 days with dates, times and how long the noise lasted, and you have to say you are willing to go to court. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. If more than 21 days pass between complaints, the process starts over. The number is 480-644-2268. See the Mesa page.

Tulsa lists "habitual howling, yelping or barking" by the owner or keeper. It gives no number of minutes and no witness rule. See the Tulsa page.

Indianapolis writes the animal rule as unreasonable noise plus a failure to stop it after being asked. The code does not give a time limit for barking. See the Indianapolis page.

Virginia Beach makes it unlawful to let a dog disturb people by barking, whining, howling or crying "in a loud, continuous or untimely manner" without provocation. An officer who finds this has to tell the owner, or the person in charge, to control the dog first. Three or more barking violations in 12 months can make the dog a nuisance. See the Virginia Beach page.

The Los Angeles noise chapter we checked does not have a barking-dog rule. Animal noise sits in separate animal rules, and the Los Angeles page does not cover those. See the Los Angeles page.

If the code uses words like habitual or frequent, a single night usually isn't enough. Keep a log over several days so it shows how often the barking happens.

Who to call

Who handles barking depends on the city.

Mesa sends barking to animal control, and other noise to the police non-emergency line. Fort Worth has a separate animal number, 817-392-1234. Memphis lists barking dogs on the police non-emergency line. Albuquerque says to use 311 for a barking complaint. Your city's page on this site names the number we found on the city's own site.

Call 911 only if that city's page says to, or if someone is in danger. A barking dog is usually not that kind of call. The 60-city count lists the pages that do tell you to use 911, and why.

What to try first

If it is safe, tell the owner what you are hearing and when. Indianapolis writes "after being asked" into the offense, so a short note is part of how that rule is written, not only a courtesy. The complaint letter guide has a neighbor note, a landlord letter and an HOA letter.

Then keep the log going. If the city asks for 7 days, don't send a list you wrote from memory a month later. Write each incident down the same day.

If the dog's owner rents from your landlord, the landlord may be the next person to tell. The landlord guide covers what to do if they don't respond. If the owner lives next door and does not rent from your landlord, use the city process described on that city's page.

Most of these barking rules are about how long the barking lasts, or how often it happens, not about a decibel reading. Write the times. The Noisy Neighbor iPhone app can keep the times and a reading. The reading is an estimate, not a certified meter.

Write a complaint letter · Incident log · Quiet hours in 60 cities

Questions about barking dogs

Is there a national time limit for a barking dog?

No. Each city writes its own rule. Some count minutes. Some only say the barking has to be frequent or habitual.

What should I write down when a neighbor's dog barks?

The date, the start time, the stop time, and that it was a dog. Some cities ask for a log of about a week before they will act.

Who do I call about a barking dog?

It depends on the city. Some send you to animal control. Some send you to the police non-emergency line. The city page names the number.

Sources

More guides

Look up your city's noise rules

Not legal advice. Rules depend on your city, your lease and your HOA's documents.