Barking Dog Procedure

The City of Fountain Valley contracts with Orange County Animal Care Services to address, among other things, the issue of barking dogs within City limits. The City Council recently adopted Orange County’s Ordinance 4-1-59. This ordinance provides another tool for complainants to obtain relief from dogs who fall under the listed definition. Pertinent sections of the code are provided below for reference, as is the new Barking Dog Procedure.  
Additional information can be found at  OC Pet Info.

Orange County Codified Ordinance 4-1-59 clearly defines what is deemed to be a barking dog:

“A dog that barks, bays, cries, howls or makes any noise for an extended period of time…  Such 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.”

It defines who is a responsible person:

“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… Owner of property upon which a barking dog violation occurs.”

The entire process for the Barking Dog Procedure is as follows:

• You, as the reporting party, initiate the first complaint by mailing in the completed Barking Dog Complaint Form.  When this first complaint is filed, an Animal Control Officer will make a personal visit with the dog owner or “responsible person” to offer information about the Barking Dog Ordinance and provide education materials.  From the day of the visit, the dog owner is given 10 days to remedy the barking violation.
• If after 10 days from the day of the visit the barking violation continues, you must file a second complaint with Animal Care Services through Field Services Operations.  If Operations is not contacted within 40 days of the dog owner visit, the file will be purged.  Upon second complaint, the complainant must sign a sworn affidavit, under the penalty of perjury, that the dog barking is violating the County Ordinance.  An Animal Control Officer will then visit the dog owner again and may issue a citation for the barking dog violation.  
• The dog owner, or “responsible person,” may utilize an assigned administrative hearing to dispute the citation. The Complainant must also attend the administrative hearing, or the citation will be dropped. The Administrative Hearing Officer will make the final determination

For further questions or information about the Barking Dog Procedure, please contact Field Services Operations

Hours of operation:
7:30am to 3:30pm Monday - Friday
(714) 935-6942
(714) 935-7699 FAX