Barking Dog Procedure

The City of Fountain Valley contracts with Orange County Animal Care Services to address barking dog complaints within city limits (Fountain Valley Municipal Code (FVMC) 7.04.020).

Barking Dog Ordinance
Orange County Animal Care Services utilizes the Orange County Codified Ordinance section 4-1-59 to educate the public and enforce barking dog complaints.

This ordinance provides tools for complainants to obtain relief from barking dogs, including definitions of a barking dog, responsible person and barking dog procedure.

Definitions
Orange County Codified Ordinance 4-1-59 in part defines the following:
  • Barking Dog - A barking dog is 1 that barks, bays, cries, howls, or makes any noise for an extended period of time. An extended period of time shall consist of incessant barking for 30 minutes or more in any 24-hour period, or intermittent barking for 60 minutes or more during any 24-hour period.
  • Responsible Person - Is a person who allows a barking dog violation to exist, whether through willful action, failure to act, or failure to exercise proper control over a barking dog. This includes the owner of property upon which a barking dog violation occurs.
Barking Dog Procedure
  • The reporting party, initiates the first complaint by mailing in the completed Barking Dog Complaint Form. When this first complaint is filed, an Animal Control Officer will contact the responsible person, advise them of the complaint, and provide educational materials and information about the Barking Dog Ordinance. They will be given 10 days to remedy the barking violation.
  • If after 10 days the barking violation continues, the complainant must file a second complaint with Animal Care Services. This must occur within 40 days of the dog owner visit, otherwise the file will be purged. The complainant must sign a sworn affidavit that the dog barking is violating the County Ordinance. An Animal Control Officer will visit the responsible person again and may issue a citation.
  • If a citation is issued the responsible person may attend an administrative hearing to dispute the citation. The complainant must also attend the hearing, or the citation will be dismissed. The Administrative Hearing Officer will make the final determination.
For further questions or information about the Barking Dog Procedure, please contact Orange County Animal Care Services.