Arvada, CO Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Section 14-53(a) of the Arvada City Code declares an animal a "nuisance animal" if its owner or custodian allows it to "create a disturbance by loud and persistent or habitual barking, howling, yelping, or other unreasonable noise," or to cause offensive odors or other conditions that disturb a neighborhood's peace, safety, or comfort. Subsection (b) states it is not a defense that the owner was unavailable to fix the problem, and subsection (c) protects people making ordinary, reasonable use of their own property, public sidewalks, roadways, alleys, or shared common areas of condos, townhouses, or apartment complexes from being blamed for "provoking" the barking.

" Two exceptions relax that rule: an animal management officer who personally investigated a single complainant's report and observed the noise can supply the needed second witness through testimony, and a complainant who hands the officer other credible corroborating evidence, the ordinance names a videotape as an example, at the time of the complaint also satisfies the two-witness requirement. This structure means a single neighbor's word alone, without officer observation or recorded evidence, cannot support a citation for habitual barking under Section 14-53(a)(1).