Loveland, CO Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Loveland regulates animal noise through Title 6 (Animals) of the Loveland Municipal Code. LMC 6.20.020 establishes the operative standard: 'unreasonable pet noise' (barking, whining, howling, yowling, squawking, etc.) that disturbs the peace and quiet of any person in an excessive, continuous, or untimely fashion is prohibited. There is no fixed minute-threshold in the Loveland code; investigating officers evaluate frequency, duration, time of day, and the impact on neighbors. In parallel, LMC 7.32.010(C) (unreasonable noise) and the LMC 7.32.040 numeric caps can apply to amplified or persistent animal noise from kennels, dog day-care facilities, and similar uses. The City of Loveland contracts animal protection and control services to NoCo Humane Animal Protection & Control (formerly Larimer Humane Society); the same agency serves Fort Collins, Larimer County unincorporated, and several other Larimer-area jurisdictions. Recommended process per NoCo Humane: (1) Talk with the neighbor or deliver a 'noisy pet letter' first; (2) file a first formal complaint by phone (970-226-3647 ext. 7) or online, providing the dog's address, description, exact times/dates of disturbance, and your contact info; the owner gets 7-10 days to correct; (3) if barking continues, file a second complaint - an officer is dispatched to verify and obtain witness statements, and a second corroborating neighbor strengthens the case. NoCo Humane also handles licensing, at-large dogs (LMC 6.08.060), and impoundment. Loveland's high-growth subdivisions (Centerra, Mariana Butte, McWhinney communities) often layer stricter pet rules through HOA covenants enforced by the association rather than by the city.