Boone County, IN Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Boone County Code § 93.02(K) defines a public nuisance animal as one that is found at large, damages another's property, is vicious, attacks without provocation, or "excessively makes disturbing noises, including, but not limited to, continued and repeated howling, barking, whining, or other utterances causing unreasonable disturbance or discomfort to neighbors or others in close proximity to the premises where the animal is kept." The rule applies countywide in unincorporated Boone County; Lebanon, Zionsville, Whitestown, Jamestown and Thornton enforce their own separate municipal codes.

Once a dog meets that nuisance standard, § 93.02(K)(2) lets the animal control officer impound the dog without first getting a court order and cite the owner or custodian for a violation of the animal-control subchapter. To get the dog back, the owner must show proof of ownership, proof that any resulting property damage has been paid, and proof of "reasonable attempts to mitigate the cause of nuisance determination," meaning a plan to stop the barking before the animal is released.

Penalties run through § 93.99. Because excessive barking is not an at-large violation under § 93.99(A) or a cruelty/abuse violation under § 93.99(B), it falls under the catch-all in § 93.99(C), which caps the fine at $100 per offense. Section 93.99(F) sends enforcement to the Boone County Attorney, who prosecutes violations of §§ 93.01 and 93.02 in Boone Superior Court, and § 93.99(D) makes the owner responsible for court costs and the county's legal costs on top of the fine.