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Barking Dog Ordinance

Updated January 11, 2016

In 2009, the Cerritos City Council adopted an ordinance establishing regulations to address excessive dog barking. The ordinance was prepared in response to Cerritos residents who reported a negative effect on their quality of life from excessively barking dogs.

The Cerritos Municipal Code now allows a single resident to file a complaint about a neighbor’s barking dog. If sufficient evidence is provided, an administrative citation may be issued to the owner.

As stated in the ordinance, a “barking dog shall mean a dog that barks, bays, cries, howls or makes any noise audible beyond the boundaries of the property on which the dog is situated for an extended period of time to the disturbance of any person at any time of day or night, regardless of whether the dog is physically situated in or upon private property. Such extended period of time shall consist of incessant barking, baying, crying, howling or making of any noise for 30 minutes or more in any 24-hour period, or intermittent barking, baying, crying, howling or making any noise for 60 minutes or more during any 24-hour period.” The ordinance will not apply to dogs making noise in response to a person trespassing, threatening to trespass, or teasing or provoking the dog.

As part of the ordinance, City staff will investigate all barking dog complaints in the City.

For the first violation, a $100 fine will be levied. For the same violation that occurs a second time within one year of the first violation, a $200 fine will be levied. For the same violation that occurs a third time within one year of the first violation, a $500 fine will be levied.

For more information, call the Community Safety Division at (562) 916-1266.

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