How to report a barking dog in Calgary

The rule

Barking is covered by Calgary’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw (47M2021). Section 20 says the owner of an animal must ensure it does not bark, howl, or otherwise make a noise which disturbs any person.

There is no set number of minutes. Whether a sound disturbs a person is a question of fact for the court if the case is prosecuted. The City also asks owners to supervise their pets when they are outside so they don’t cause a nuisance by barking.

Before you report

• Talk to the owner, if you are comfortable. The City says a conversation with your neighbour usually solves things without the City getting involved. The barking dog letter generator writes a friendly note.
• Keep notes. For a problem that keeps coming back, the City asks you to note the issue, the dates, the exact location and the details, and give them with your complaint. The printable bark diary does the job.

How to report it

Call 311 from inside Calgary, or 403-268-CITY (2489) from outside. You can also use the 311 app, or file an animal noise complaint online. Have ready:

• your name and address,
• a main and a backup phone number,
• the address and exact location of the property,
• a short description of the problem.

Photos sent with the 311 app help the officer. Your information stays confidential, but anonymous complaints are not accepted: you have to identify yourself.

What happens next

1. 311 gives the complaint a file number and passes it to a peace officer, who investigates.
2. Complaints are handled by priority, and the City says it can take several days before a first visit.
3. The officer follows up with you.
4. For an animal problem, the officer may give the owner a warning ticket asking them to comply, or a violation ticket with a fine.

Fines

The bylaw’s fine schedule lists “animal disturbing the peace” at a specified penalty of $250. Paying early costs less: $100 within 15 days of the offence, or $175 from 16 to 45 days.

A second conviction for the same offence within 12 months doubles the penalty, and a third or later one triples it. If a justice thinks the offence is serious enough, they can also order the owner to stop the disturbance, or ban them from owning animals for a set time.

When to call the police

If criminal activity is causing the noise, the City says to call the Calgary Police Service on 403-266-1234. For an emergency, dial 911.

Keep a record

A phone can keep the log while you sleep. Left near a shared wall or window, DogQuiet logs each bark it hears with the time, how long it lasted and a short clip, and makes a PDF report. It is an approximate record, not proof: it can miss a bark or log another sound. See how to keep a bark diary for your own notes.

Other Canadian cities

Other countries: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, England and Wales, Scotland, New South Wales, Victoria, Brisbane. The general steps, the evidence officials ask for and when to call the police are in how to report a barking dog.

Sources

Official pages this guide is based on, all read in October 2026:

1. City of Calgary. Noise complaints and bylaws. calgary.ca/bylaws/animal-noise.html
2. City of Calgary. Bylaw complaints. calgary.ca/bylaws/complaints.html
3. City of Calgary. Dog concerns. calgary.ca/pets/dog-concerns.html
4. City of Calgary. City bylaw library: Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw 47M2021. calgary.ca/bylaws/city-bylaw-library.html