Escambia County, FL Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Section 42-65 lists 13 per-se noise violations under the county's noise abatement ordinance, and subsection (h), 'Animals and birds,' targets 'unreasonably loud noise emitted by an animal or bird for which a person is responsible,' defining responsibility as owning, controlling, or otherwise caring for the animal. The subsection carves out one exemption: sounds made by animals or birds in animal shelters, kennels, veterinary hospitals, pet shops or pet kennels. Unlike the animal-nuisance rule in the animal-welfare chapter, which requires five minutes of repetitive noise, Section 42-65(h) sets no minimum duration; a single unreasonably loud outburst can violate it if a person is responsible for the animal, judged against the general factors in Section 42-64(b): volume, intensity, whether the sound is usual, background noise, proximity to residential sleeping areas, zoning, time of day, and duration.

The Escambia County Sheriff's Department, not the Department of Animal Welfare, has primary enforcement responsibility under Section 42-68, though it may seek voluntary compliance first through a warning, notice or education. Section 42-67 carves the barrier islands out of Sections 42-64 and 42-65 entirely: on Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key, an objective decibel standard applies instead, up to 70 dbA in the Pensacola Beach core commercial area and 65 dbA daytime/55 dbA nighttime elsewhere on Santa Rosa Island, so a barking complaint there is measured by sound meter rather than the 'unreasonably loud' standard.

00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, and a deputy may issue a citation under Section 30-63 instead of an arrest, with each day of a continuing violation charged as a separate offense.