Bowie, MD Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Bowie, MD, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Standard
- Frequent or long-continued noise disturbing a neighborhood
- Normal process
- Notice from animal control, then a chance to abate
- Citation without notice
- If cited for noise nuisance within past 12 months
- Affidavit route
- Two witnesses, separate households, 18+, personal knowledge
- First-offense fine
- $50 (then $100, then $200)
Summary
Bowie treats a dog that will not stop barking as a public nuisance under § 4-13 of the Animal Control chapter: keeping any animal so it disturbs the peace, comfort or health of a City resident, including frequent or long-continued noise, is prohibited. The City can cite the owner without warning if the animal has generated a noise nuisance in the past 12 months, or after a witnessed violation or a two-witness affidavit.
No person shall keep or maintain any animal in the City of Bowie in such manner as to cause or permit the animal to be a public nuisance or to cause or permit the animal to cause a public nuisance condition. No person shall keep or maintain any animal in the City of Bowie in such a manner as to disturb the peace, comfort or health of any person residing within the City. ... Unreasonably disturbing the quiet of any person or neighborhood or permitting an animal unreasonably to disturb the quiet of any person or neighborhood, or causing frequent or long continued noise, to the disturbance of the comfort or repose of any person or neighborhood; or
Full Breakdown
Section 4-13A bars keeping or maintaining any animal in the City of Bowie in a way that causes it to be a public nuisance, a public nuisance condition, or that disturbs the peace, comfort or health of any City resident. Subsection C(1) spells out one form of that nuisance as unreasonably disturbing the quiet of a person or neighborhood, or causing frequent or long continued noise that disturbs the comfort or repose of a person or neighborhood, which covers ongoing barking or howling. Ordinarily an owner gets notice from an animal control officer or law enforcement officer and a chance to abate the noise before a citation issues (Subsection B).
Subsection D adds two paths to a citation: a City code enforcement officer's own observation of the barking, or a written affidavit signed by at least two witnesses from separate households, each 18 or older with personal knowledge of the noise. If the same animal already generated a noise-nuisance notice in the preceding 12 months, the City can issue a municipal infraction citation without any further notice-and-abate opportunity.
Violations & Fines
A sustained barking or howling nuisance under § 4-13 is a municipal infraction under § 4-22C, fined $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense and $200 for every offense after that, with each day the noise continues after notice counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do about a neighbor's dog barking constantly in Bowie?
Does the City have to warn a dog owner before issuing a citation for barking?
What is the fine for a barking-dog nuisance citation in Bowie?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bowie
Compare Bowie to another location·View the Maryland noise ordinances overview
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