Amador County, CA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Amador County addresses barking and noisy animals in two places. Under the animal control provisions in Title 8 (general provisions, Chapter 8.08), an animal owner may not allow an animal to habitually make loud noise for a period of fifteen consecutive minutes or longer, or to act in such a manner as to constitute a public nuisance. A violation of this animal-noise provision is classified as an infraction. Separately, the public nuisance noise ordinance (Chapter 9.44) lists the habitual barking or howling of animals among the examples of noise that, when plainly audible from a neighboring property between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., constitutes a prima facie violation. Together these give the county two enforcement paths: animal control for daytime or sustained barking measured by the fifteen-minute standard, and the noise ordinance for disturbing nighttime barking. There is no decibel measurement; enforcement is based on duration, audibility, and whether the noise is disturbing. Complaints in unincorporated communities such as Pioneer, Volcano, or River Pines typically go to Amador County Animal Control or the Sheriff. Dog owners should not leave dogs outside unattended where habitual barking can disturb neighbors.