Barking dog rules in Maricopa, AZ — also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances — define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
The City of Maricopa prohibits owning or harboring any animal or bird that frequently or continuously howls, barks, meows, squawks or makes other disturbing sounds. Both MCC 18.110.050 and the public-peace ordinance MCC 9.20.010 treat animal noise that disturbs the peace as a regulated nuisance.
Animal noise in Maricopa is covered by two ordinances. The zoning performance standard, MCC 18.110.050(B)(4), lists 'owning, possessing, harboring, or permitting any animal or bird which frequently or for continuous duration howls, barks, meows, squawks, or makes other sounds' among prohibited noise activities. These animal-noise rules are violations when the noise is loud, unnecessary or unusual; is excessive, disruptive or annoying; continues for at least 15 minutes or occurs after 10:00 p.m. but before 6:00 a.m.; is plainly audible beyond the property line; and disturbs the peace and quiet of a neighborhood. Separately, the general public-peace ordinance MCC 9.20.010(A) expressly includes 'the keeping of any animals that disturb the peace by the emission of unreasonable loud noises at any time of the day or night' within its prohibition on excessive, unnecessary or offensive noise. Arizona state law (A.R.S. Title 11) also authorizes county animal-control programs, but the City of Maricopa's own code provides the directly applicable barking-dog nuisance standard. Complaints are handled through City Code Enforcement.
A barking dog or other noisy animal that meets the nuisance standard can result in Code Enforcement citations. Responsibility falls on the animal's owner or keeper; under MCC 18.110.050, after three violations on the same property the property owner may also be held liable. Repeat or unresolved nuisances can escalate to civil penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
maricopa-az
The City of Maricopa has no ordinance prohibiting backyard composting. Residents may compost yard and food scraps, provided the pile does not become a nuisan...
maricopa-az
Artificial turf is allowed in the City of Maricopa, and Arizona law (Ariz. Rev. Stat. 33-1819) bars most HOAs from prohibiting it on a member's property in c...
maricopa-az
The City of Maricopa's landscaping code (Ch. 18.90) encourages drought-tolerant, native, and desert-adapted plants and discourages thirsty nonnative invasive...
maricopa-az
Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Arizona, and the City of Maricopa imposes no prohibition. Small residential rain barrels and cisterns general...
maricopa-az
The City of Maricopa does not run a municipal water utility; water is supplied by Global Water (Santa Cruz Water Company). The city sits in the Pinal Active ...
maricopa-az
The City of Maricopa treats overgrown weeds, brush, and dead vegetation as a nuisance under Chapters 8.20 and 9.05. Owners must keep property free of weeds, ...
See how Maricopa's barking dogs rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.