Newton County, GA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Newton County, GA, 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
- Prerequisite
- Written certified-mail notice to owner
- Standard
- Frequent or long continued noise, unreasonable disturbance
- Farm animal exemption
- Horses, livestock, poultry excluded
- Maximum penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 60 days jail
- Code section
- Newton County Code § 36-107(4)
Summary
Newton County Code § 36-107(4) makes it a violation to keep an animal or bird that unreasonably disturbs a neighbor's comfort with frequent or long continued noise, once the keeper has been notified in writing by certified mail and fails to stop the disturbance.
Noisy animals or birds. Anyone who keeps or maintains an animal or bird that unreasonably disturbs the comfort or repose of any person, because the animal or bird is emitting frequent or long continued sound or noise, and who continues to keep, maintain or allow any animal or bird to so disturb the comfort or repose of any person or persons shall be deemed in violation of this section, provided that the person keeping or maintaining the animal or bird has been first notified in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested, by the complaining party that this animal or bird being kept by the addressee is unreasonably disturbing his or her comfort or repose. ... Upon receipt of a certified letter notifying the person keeping or maintaining such animal or bird, such person shall be required to immediately comply with this section. This section shall not apply to horses, livestock, poultry, or other farm animals, provided they are maintained in accordance with other ordinances and the Newton County Zoning Ordinance.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 36-107(4) governs barking dogs and other noisy animals or birds as part of Newton County's noise ordinance. The violation is not automatic: the complaining neighbor must first notify the animal's keeper in writing, by certified mail with return receipt requested, that the animal is unreasonably disturbing their comfort or repose. The notice does not have to use the exact wording of the ordinance, only enough detail to inform the keeper of the disturbing noise. Once that certified notice is received, the keeper must immediately bring the animal into compliance; continuing to keep, maintain or allow the animal to disturb another person after notice is what completes the offense.
The provision is written to be liberally construed to accomplish its purpose of curbing unreasonably disturbing animal noise. It expressly does not apply to horses, livestock, poultry or other farm animals, provided those animals are kept in accordance with other county ordinances and the Newton County Zoning Ordinance. Animal Services and the sheriff's department field these complaints, and because the ordinance sits inside Article V rather than the separate animal control chapter, it is enforced as a noise offense rather than an animal-control offense.
Violations & Fines
A conviction after the required certified-mail notice carries the Sec. 36-109 penalty of up to a $1,000.00 fine and up to 60 days imprisonment, or both. Continued disturbance after notice, not the first bark, is what triggers enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I report a barking dog immediately in Newton County?
Are farm animals covered by the noisy animal rule?
What happens after I send the certified notice and the noise continues?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newton County
Compare Newton County to another location·View the Georgia noise ordinances overview
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