Barking dog rules in Chesterfield County, VA — also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances — define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
In Chesterfield County it is unlawful to let an animal or bird make noise that is plainly audible at least once a minute for 10 consecutive minutes inside a neighbor's home or from 50 or more feet away. Agricultural-district farm animals are exempt.
Section 14-27(c) of the Chesterfield County Code makes it unlawful to allow any animal or bird, except farm animals in agricultural districts, to create noise that is plainly audible at least once a minute for 10 consecutive minutes either inside the confines of another person's dwelling or at 50 or more feet from the animal. The '10 consecutive minutes' and 50-foot triggers give officers a clear measurement standard without a decibel meter. Chesterfield Animal Services and the Police Department handle complaints; repeated barking documented by a neighbor is the typical basis for a citation. This is Chesterfield County, Virginia (Richmond suburb), not Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
A violation is a misdemeanor under Sec. 14-27(h), punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500.
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