Penn Hills, PA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Penn Hills, PA, 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
- Trigger threshold
- more than 30 minutes continuous
- Enforcing agency
- Animal Control Agent / Police
- First offense
- warning letter only
- Second offense fine
- $50 plus costs
- Third+ offense fine
- $100+, rising $100 each time
Summary
Penn Hills bars any animal from habitual, continuous barking, howling or crying that disturbs neighbors, defined as more than 30 minutes at a stretch.
No animal shall be permitted to engage in habitual and continuous howling, barking or crying or otherwise conduct itself in such a manner as to disturb or annoy any person other than the animal owner, regardless of whether or not the dog is on the owner's premises. "Habitual and continuous" shall be defined as more than 30 minutes at any one time. The Animal Control Agent and/or the Police Department shall request that the owner or guardian of any animal engaged in habitual and continuous nuisance noise making to immediately quiet the animal and/or move it indoors.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4434863; v5 updated 2025-07-21; through 07-21-2025).
Full Breakdown
Under Municipality of Penn Hills Code § 612.05, no animal may engage in habitual and continuous howling, barking or crying, or otherwise disturb or annoy anyone besides its owner, whether or not it's on the owner's own property. "Habitual and continuous" means more than 30 minutes at one time. The Animal Control Agent or Police Department will first ask the owner to quiet the animal or bring it indoors before any citation issues.
Violations & Fines
First violation: written warning from the Animal Control Agent. Second offense: $50 fine plus costs. Third offense: $100 fine plus costs. Each additional offense adds another $100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter if the dog is barking in its own yard?
Will I get fined the first time my dog barks too much?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Penn Hills
Compare Penn Hills to another location·View the Pennsylvania noise ordinances overview
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Allegheny County handle barking dogs.