New Hampshire Barking Dog Nuisance Statute

Under RSA 466:31, a dog is deemed a nuisance if it disturbs the peace through habitual barking, howling, or yelping for sustained periods. Any person may file a written complaint with the local selectboard, mayor, or police chief, who then conducts a hearing. The official may order the owner to restrain or remove the dog. The statute applies uniformly across all New Hampshire municipalities and supplements local noise rules. Violators face a civil forfeiture, and continued violations may result in a misdemeanor charge. The statewide framework provides enforcement even where towns lack specific noise codes.

First violation is typically a $50 civil forfeiture; subsequent violations escalate to $100 and may result in misdemeanor charges with court-ordered remediation.