Barking dog rules in Wake County, NC β also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances β define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Wake County Code Sec. 91.08(B)(4) makes it unlawful to allow an animal to bark, whine, howl or yowl in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion that seriously annoys neighbors. Sec. 92.05(O) of the noise chapter separately prohibits frequent or long-continued unreasonable animal noise that disturbs a reasonable person.
Wake County Code Chapter 91, Section 91.08 ("Animals Creating Nuisance") declares it unlawful for any person to own, keep, possess or maintain an animal in a manner that constitutes a nuisance. Subsection (B) lists nuisance behaviors. Under Sec. 91.08(B)(4), nuisance includes "Allowing or permitting an animal to bark, whine, howl or yowl in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion, or to make other noise in the manner so as to result in a serious annoyance or interference with the reasonable use and enjoyment of neighboring premises."
The noise chapter contains a parallel rule. Section 92.05(O) prohibits "the keeping of any bird, livestock or other animal which by causing frequent or long continued plainly audible unreasonable noise disturbs the comfort or repose of any reasonable person in the vicinity." A complainant may proceed under either chapter; Wake County Animal Services typically routes barking-only complaints to the Sheriff's Office unless the conditions suggest neglect or cruelty (in which case Animal Services investigates under Ch. 91).
Jurisdictionally, Wake County Animal Services serves unincorporated Wake County plus the towns of Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon by interlocal agreement. The cities of Raleigh, Cary, Garner, and Holly Springs each run their own animal-control programs and do not rely on Wake County for routine enforcement. Owners typically receive a written warning to abate the nuisance before a citation is issued.
Violation of Sec. 91.08 is a Class 3 misdemeanor under N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 14-4(a) by virtue of the county's general penalty (Sec. 91.99), and a violation of Sec. 92.05(O) carries the same Chapter 92 penalty under Sec. 92.07. Civil penalties and animal-impoundment remedies are available. Report excessive barking to Wake County Animal Services at (919) 856-6911 in service areas listed above, or to the Sheriff's non-emergency line for noise-only complaints.
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See how Wake County's barking dogs rules stack up against other locations.
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