Clarkstown, NY Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Town Code § 125-4(B) makes it unlawful for an owner to allow a dog to engage in habitual loud howling, barking, crying or whining, or otherwise conduct itself so as to create a noise disturbance audible to a reasonable person of normal sensitivities in the immediate vicinity. m. Section 125-3 defines "habitual" as conduct where there is evidence the dog engaged in similar behavior on one or more prior occasions within a reasonable period preceding the charged violation, even if no prior Town Code violation was ever filed, and defines a person as "habitually disturbed" if they were in fact disturbed by one or more prior occasions of the same dog's loud howling, barking, crying or whining.

This dual definition means a complainant does not need a documented prior ticket, only evidence the same disturbance happened before. Article I, which includes this restriction, was adopted pursuant to Article 7 of the state Agriculture and Markets Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law, and is enforced by the Animal Control Officer under § 125-3. A violation of this provision, like other Article I dog restrictions, is punishable under § 125-7 by a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $250, except where a different penalty is specified by § 119 of the state Agriculture and Markets Law.