Manitou Springs, CO Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Manitou Springs, CO, 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
- Standard
- Unreasonably loud, persistent noise disturbing peace
- First step
- Written warning, 3-day cure period
- Neighborhood defined
- Within 500 feet of the premises
- Evidence needed
- Corroborating witness, not complainant/household
- Second conviction
- Court may order abatement within 5 days
- Enforcement window
- No action after 6 months from warning
Summary
Section 7.02.090 makes it unlawful to keep a pet or hoofed animal whose unreasonably loud and persistent barking, howling or crowing disturbs neighborhood peace, but the city must issue a written warning first and give the owner three days to fix the problem before any enforcement action can follow.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own or keep any pet or hoofed animal that by any unreasonably loud and persistent barking, howling, baying, yelping, crowing, crying or other utterance disturbs the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. ... A.It shall be a defense to the violation of this section that the complainant provoked the pet or hoofed animal whose noise is complained of by the complainant.B.In the event an animal control officer determines that a violation of this section has occurred, the animal control officer shall give the owner or keeper of the animal a written warning of the violation pursuant to this chapter. The owner or keeper shall be entitled to a period of three days after the date on which the written warning is given to correct the violation.
Full Breakdown
The process is specific. An animal control officer can only issue a written warning after establishing, through at least one witness (which may be the complainant), that the noise was unreasonably loud and persistent. The warning must cite the section, state that a complaint was received, and identify the date, time, animal and witness. Once given, the owner has three days to correct the problem; if the noise persists or recurs at the same residence after that window, enforcement can follow, but no enforcement action can be taken more than six months after the warning was issued, and issuing a summons within that period restarts a new six-month clock.
Only one warning per residence per enforcement period is allowed. A conviction at trial requires corroborating testimonial or demonstrative evidence beyond the complaining witness or a member of their household. 090(A) makes it an explicit defense that the complainant provoked the animal. 'Neighborhood' is defined in subsection F as the area within five hundred feet of the premises where the pet lives. 32.
Violations & Fines
A first substantiated complaint draws a written warning only, not a fine. A second violation at the same residence within the same enforcement window is prosecuted as a misdemeanor under Section 7.02.130, punishable under Section 1.01.100, and the court can additionally order abatement within five days, with noncompliance treated as contempt under Chapter 1.32.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor call the police the first time my dog barks?
What counts as the neighborhood for a barking dog complaint?
Can I defend against a barking complaint if my neighbor provoked my dog?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manitou Springs
Compare Manitou Springs to another location·View the Colorado noise ordinances overview
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle barking dogs.