Howard County, IN Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

01 lists several ways an animal can become a nuisance, and excessive or continuous barking, whining, or howling that is unreasonable under the circumstances and violates the peace and quiet of the neighborhood is one of them, alongside attacking passers-by, damaging property, and being unconfined while in heat. 03(D) then makes the ordinance enforceable: it is unlawful for an owner to permit an animal to be a public nuisance in the unincorporated area, and separately unlawful for an owner to recklessly or carelessly fail to control the animal in a way that lets it become a nuisance.

Because the standard is 'excessive or continuous' and 'unreasonable under the circumstances' rather than a fixed decibel or minute count, the Department of Animal Services and county enforcement officers weigh each complaint on its facts, typically after a neighbor reports repeated disturbances. The county does not require a warning before citing an owner, though officers commonly document a pattern before issuing a citation. A dog that barks occasionally during the day, reacting to normal activity, does not meet the 'excessive' threshold on its own; the rule targets sustained or repeated disturbance of the neighborhood's peace. C. 08.