Richland, WA Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

RMC § 7.03.340, "Animals disturbing the peace," prohibits an owner or harborer from allowing an animal to cause prolonged or continuous noise through frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking or other noisy conduct that unreasonably interferes with, annoys, injures or endangers the safety, health, comfort or repose of others. The code gives a specific, objective trigger for enforcement: an animal is deemed to be harbored in violation if, without provocation, its noise can be heard continuously within an enclosed structure off the owner's property for more than five minutes.

That five-minute, off-property, indoors standard lets an animal control officer or the complaining neighbor establish a violation without having to prove a pattern over days or weeks. The chapter is enforced by Richland's animal control officers and the poundmaster, part of the Tri-Cities animal control authority Richland shares with Pasco and Kennewick. A first noise complaint typically draws a warning ticket under RMC § 7.03.140; continued violations escalate to a formal violation ticket under RMC § 7.03.150, filed with the Benton County district court. As with other Chapter 7.03 violations, penalties run under the escalating civil infraction schedule in RMC § 7.03.360, and each day the noise continues is treated as a separate offense for penalty purposes.