Midland, TX Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Midland, TX, 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
- Legal standard
- Loud/unusual barking that disturbs or may disturb neighbors
- Decibel reading required
- No
- Penalty basis
- General penalty clause, § 1-3-1
- Maximum fine
- $500 per day
- Related provision
- Citywide noise nuisance rule, § 6-6-13
Summary
Midland Code Section 6-2-5 makes it a misdemeanor to keep a dog whose loud or unusual barking or howling disturbs, or is reasonably liable to disturb, the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or nearby occupants. The standard doesn't require a decibel reading or repeat complaints, just a showing the barking disrupted or could reasonably be expected to disrupt neighbors, and it applies to any premises the keeper controls.
Any person who shall harbor or keep on his premises, or in or about his premises, or premises under his control, any dog which, by loud or unusual barking or howling, shall cause the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or the occupants of the adjacent premises to be disturbed, or reasonably liable to be disturbed, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 1 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 6-2-5, adopted under Ordinance 5360 in 1978 and still in force, targets any person who "shall harbor or keep on his premises, or in or about his premises, or premises under his control," a dog whose loud or unusual barking or howling disturbs, or is reasonably liable to disturb, the peace and quiet of the neighborhood or the occupants of adjacent premises. The "reasonably liable to be disturbed" language means the City doesn't have to produce a neighbor who actually complained of losing sleep; it only has to show the barking was of a character likely to disturb people of ordinary sensibilities nearby.
" That means Midland's general penalty clause, Section 1-3-1, sets the fine: up to $500 for a violation, with each additional day the barking dog remains a nuisance charged as a separate offense. The City's separate citywide noise-as-nuisance chapter, Section 6-6-13, offers an alternate route for the same underlying complaint, since it declares any noise that "interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of a private residence by people of ordinary sensibilities" a nuisance without requiring a minimum decibel level, and animal control or code enforcement can pursue either provision depending on the facts.
Violations & Fines
A barking-dog conviction under Section 6-2-5 is a misdemeanor punished under the Code's general penalty clause, Section 1-3-1: a fine up to $500, with each day the disturbance continues billed as a separate offense. Because the standard turns on whether the barking disturbed or was reasonably liable to disturb neighbors, a single loud incident can support a citation without a pattern of repeat complaints or a decibel reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Midland require a certain number of complaints before citing a barking dog?
Is there a decibel limit for a barking dog in Midland?
What can happen if my dog is repeatedly cited for barking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Midland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Midland to another location·View the Texas noise ordinances overview
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