Daviess County, KY Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Daviess County, KY, 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
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances Section 90.04(B)(3)
- Enforcement
- Animal Control Officer, disturbance notice or citation
- Fine range
- $25 to $500 per Section 90.99
- Each day
- Separate offense while noise continues
- Adopted
- Ord. KOC 1010.9 (2025), 4-10-2025
Summary
Daviess County treats a dog left to bark, howl or yelp excessively, continuously or at untimely hours as a public nuisance under Code of Ordinances Section 90.04. An Animal Control Officer can issue a disturbance notice first, then a citation if the noise continues.
No person shall own, keep or harbor any animal that unreasonably annoys humans, endangers the life or health of persons or other animals, or substantially interferes with the rights of citizens, other than their owner's, to enjoyment of life or property. Evidence establishing a nuisance...includes...(3) Allowing animals to disturb the peace and quiet of any person by excessive, continuous or untimely noises including, but not limited to, barking, howling, yelping, mewing, crowing, cackling or whining in any neighborhood located in the county or any city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-20: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. KOC 520.3 (2025), passed 12-18-2025; and State legislation current through KRS Pamphlet 2025).
Full Breakdown
04(B) of the Daviess County Code of Ordinances defines a public nuisance to include allowing animals to disturb the peace and quiet of any person by excessive, continuous or untimely noises including barking, howling, yelping, mewing, crowing, cackling or whining, in any neighborhood located in the county or any city. The same subsection also reaches dogs that repeatedly chase, jump at, bark at or otherwise annoy or threaten passing pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists or vehicle operators. 04 may issue a citation directly, or issue a disturbance notice in lieu of a citation.
The disturbance notice sets terms and a compliance date and explains the acts constituting the disturbance violation; accepting the notice waives the owner's right to a hearing, appeal or protest. If the owner fails to comply with the notice terms, the officer may then issue a uniform citation for the underlying violation. The ordinance was adopted as Ord. 9 (2025), passed April 10, 2025, and applies countywide including incorporated cities within Daviess County for the noise-nuisance definition itself, though enforcement of the notice/citation process runs through the county's Animal Control program.
Violations & Fines
A first citation under Section 90.99(B)(2) carries a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500 when no more specific penalty applies, and each day the nuisance continues is a separate offense. Owners who accept a disturbance notice under Section 90.14 waive their right to a hearing, appeal or protest of that violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a barking dog a violation in Daviess County?
What happens the first time someone complains?
How much is the fine for repeated barking complaints?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daviess County
Compare Daviess County to another location·View the Kentucky noise ordinances overview
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