At a glance
- Who handles it
- 311, which routes it to Denver Animal Protection (DAP).
- The rule
- Excessive barking breaks Denver’s barking dog ordinance (D.R.M.C. 8-17).
- How to report
- Call 311, or 720-913-1311. You must leave your contact details.
- What happens first
- A warning or courtesy letter to the owner.
- Then
- Free community mediation. A third complaint needs proof, such as a recording or a second neighbour as a witness.
The rule
Denver Animal Protection says that allowing your dog to bark excessively in the City and County of Denver breaks the barking dog ordinance, D.R.M.C. 8-17. It can lead to a violation notice, a fine or a mandatory court summons. The City’s page sets no number of minutes.
Talk to the neighbour first
DAP recommends trying to sort it out with your neighbour before calling. Most dogs bark while their owners are at work, so the owner may not know. The barking dog letter generator writes a friendly note.
The complaint process
- First complaint. Call 311 and leave your contact details: DAP won’t take an anonymous barking complaint. DAP sends the owner a warning or courtesy notice that explains the ordinance and gives them a chance to fix it.
- Second complaint. If the barking continues, call 311 again. DAP won’t take a new complaint less than two weeks after the first. This time it refers you both to community mediation. You get a letter with the details, and an officer visits the owner to say mediation is required.
- Third complaint. Only if mediation has been tried and failed. By then you need proof that the barking is a nuisance, such as an audio or video recording, or a second neighbour who witnessed the same barking.
If the owner refuses mediation and the barking is proven to be a nuisance, DAP can cite the owner. If you refuse mediation, DAP won’t take further complaints from you.
Free mediation
Mediation is a free service of the City and County of Denver, and DAP says it has a very high success rate for barking cases. You don’t have to wait for a referral: neighbours and owners can book it at any time by emailing [email protected].
Keep a record
A third complaint needs evidence, so start a log early. 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. Ask DAP what it accepts, and keep your own notes with the printable bark diary.
Other US cities
- New York CityNew York311, then the DEP
- Los AngelesCaliforniaLA Animal Services, in writing
- ChicagoIllinois311, then Animal Care and Control
- PhoenixArizonaThe City Prosecutor, by petition
- DallasTexas311, then Dallas Animal Services
- PhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaACCT Philly, the city’s animal control
- SeattleWashingtonSeattle Animal Shelter
Other countries: England and Wales, Scotland, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, 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 November 2026:
- Denver Animal Protection. Barking Dog Complaints. denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Animal-Shelter/Animal-Protection/Barking-Dog-Complaints