South Bend, IN Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in South Bend, IN, 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
- Governing standard
- Frequent/long-continued animal noise disturbing neighbors
- First offense fine
- $100.00
- Second offense fine
- $250.00
- Third+ offense fine
- $500.00
- Late fee
- $50.00 after 30 days unpaid
- Fine destination
- Police Department Training Fund #220
Summary
South Bend treats a pet whose frequent or long-continued noise disturbs neighbors as an unreasonable noise violation. Fines escalate from $100 for a first offense to $250 for a second and $500 for a third and every offense after that.
(a)Prohibited. No person shall make, or cause to be made any unreasonably loud, raucous, prolonged, unnatural or unusual noise in time and place. Noise shall be deemed to be unreasonable when it disturbs, injures, or endangers the peace or quiet safety, or health of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivity within the city...(c)Illustrative enumeration. The following acts are declared to be unreasonable noises in violation of this section, but this enumeration shall not constitute an exclusive list:...(5)The keeping of any animal or bird which by causing frequent or long-continued noise shall disturb the comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 13-57(a) bans any unreasonably loud, raucous, prolonged, unnatural or unusual noise, defining it as noise that disturbs, injures or endangers the peace, quiet, safety or health of reasonable persons of ordinary sensitivity, or that causes unreasonable discomfort to a neighborhood or detrimentally affects nearby businesses or residents. Subsection (b) lists factors used to judge whether a sound is unreasonable, including its proximity to sleeping areas, the zoning of the area, the time of day, the duration, and whether it is recurrent or constant. " Because the list is expressly non-exclusive, a barking dog complaint can also be evaluated under the general unreasonableness standard in subsection (a) using the (b) factors.
Under Sec. 05, fines are $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for a third and every subsequent offense, all payable through the Ordinance Violations Bureau; a citation not paid within 30 days draws a $50 late fee. The citation goes to the "responsible party," defined as whoever has present possessory interest in the property, or the property owner of record if no one is present.
Violations & Fines
A citation for unreasonable animal noise carries a $100 fine for a first offense, $250 for a second, and $500 for a third offense and each one after that, payable to the Ordinance Violations Bureau within 30 days or a $50 late fee applies. All money collected under Sec. 13-57 is deposited into the Police Department Training Fund (Fund #220) rather than the General Fund, with the Department of Administration and Finance reporting collections annually to the City Clerk by March 31.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a barking dog a code violation in South Bend?
How much is the fine for a noisy dog in South Bend?
Who gets cited for a barking dog complaint in South Bend?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Bend
Compare South Bend to another location·View the Indiana noise ordinances overview
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