Bloomfield, NJ Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

The core rule is short, and it has no decibel number, no minimum duration and no quiet-hours window. Under § 380-4 of the Bloomfield Township Code, it is unlawful for any person to possess or harbor upon their premises any animal that, by barking, snarling or growling, makes any disturbing noise. The duty falls on the person who keeps the animal, and the word harbor reaches someone who houses an animal without owning it. The section covers any animal, not only dogs, so a household with a barking dog and a household with a noisy animal of another kind are both covered.

A second provision in the Township's noise chapter reinforces this. Section 380-6B lists acts the Township Council has declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises, and item (6) is the keeping of any animal or bird which causes frequent, long, continued or disturbing noises. The same section states that its enumeration is not a limitation and is not exclusive. Section 380-6A separately makes it unlawful to make, continue or cause any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise, or any noise which annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others, within the limits of the Township.

Because the standard is disturbance rather than a measured sound level, the question in any complaint is whether the barking, snarling or growling disturbs neighbors. Section 380-4 itself prints no time-of-day limit, so a daytime pattern of barking is covered the same way as a nighttime one. The 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. window found elsewhere in Chapter 380 is written for sound devices and street noise, not for animals.

Penalties come from § 380-7, which sends every violation of Chapter 380 to the general penalty in § 1-15 of the Code.