Barking dog rules in Solano County, CA — 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 unincorporated Solano County, the county's general noise standard in Solano County Code Sec. 21-10 captures barking dogs as 'loud or unusual noise.' The county Animal Services and Sheriff handle barking-dog complaints, and persistent barking that exceeds 65 dBA at the property line overnight, or that maliciously disturbs neighbors at any hour, is enforceable as a disturbance of the peace.
Solano County does not regulate barking dogs through a standalone decibel ordinance in Chapter 21; instead, persistent barking is addressed as 'loud or unusual noise' under Solano County Code Sec. 21-10 (Disturbing the Peace). That section makes it unlawful to maliciously and willfully disturb the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or person by loud or unusual noise, and treats any non-agricultural noise exceeding 65 dBA at the property line after 10:00 p.m. or before 6:00 a.m. as a per se disturbance (Ord. No. 1830). Separately, the county zoning ordinance (Chapter 28, Article III) provides that small animals which create noise audible on adjacent properties deemed excessive or not in harmony with the suburban environment must be confined within enclosures adequate to reduce noise so it does not create a public nuisance. Solano County Animal Services and the Sheriff respond to barking complaints in the unincorporated area; chronic cases may be abated as nuisances under Chapter 10. California Penal Code Sec. 415 provides additional statewide authority. Cities (Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, Benicia, etc.) have their own animal-noise ordinances.
Barking that violates Sec. 21-10 is a misdemeanor disturbance of the peace, punishable under Sec. 1-21 by up to six months jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Chronic barking can also be pursued as a public nuisance under Chapter 10, where administrative penalties for ordinary ordinance violations run $100 first offense, $200 second within a year, and $500 for third and subsequent (Sec. 10-24).
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See how Solano County's barking dogs rules stack up against other locations.
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