Southampton, NY Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Southampton's animal noise rule sits inside the general prohibited-acts section of Chapter 150, Dogs and Other Animals, not in the Town's separate noise chapter (Chapter 235). Section 150-5 opens by making it unlawful for any owner of a dog or other domestic animal to permit the animal, anywhere in the Town outside the incorporated villages, to disturb the comfort, peace or repose of any persons in the vicinity by long or frequent noise or odor; the same list of prohibited acts also bars the animal from being at large, damaging property, defecating on another's premises without cleanup, or chasing and harassing people.

Any resident who is bothered by a barking dog can file a sworn complaint with a Town Justice under § 150-13, describing the violation, the date, and the dog and owner if known; that complaint can support enforcement action or be referred to county or state agencies. Enforcement personnel under § 150-14, meaning park rangers, bay constables, code enforcement officers, the Animal Control Officer, peace officers and Town police, may issue an appearance ticket for a noise violation observed in their presence. Penalties follow § 150-15's tiered schedule: a fine no greater than $250 for a first conviction, $250 to $500 for a second, and $500 to $1,000 for a third or later conviction, with up to 24 hours of community service allowed in lieu of a fine and a mandatory $100 animal welfare surcharge added to every conviction.

Each day the disturbance continues counts as a separate violation, so a chronic barking complaint can escalate quickly if it recurs after a first citation.