Thornton, CO Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)

Section 38-441(a)(3) declares specific noises that "disturb, or tend to disturb, the repose of the community" and are therefore violations, and subsection d covers animals and birds directly: any animal that frequently or habitually howls, barks, yelps, meows, squawks, squeals, or makes other noise creating a plainly audible sound violates the section. This sits inside the city's general noise framework, so officers may also weigh the factors listed in subsection (a)(1): time of day, size of any gathering, presence of amplification equipment, measured sound pressure levels against Table A, and any other factor showing the noise's disruptive effect.

Because barking is listed under (a)(3), a single instance of habitual, plainly audible barking is enough to establish a violation without needing a decibel-meter reading, unlike the general noise standard in (a)(1) which leans on Table A measurements. The rule applies citywide across all zoning districts and is not limited to nighttime hours, though officers may weigh time of day as an aggravating factor.