Chino Municipal Code Ch. 6.20 Abatement of Barking Dogs as a Nuisance

A dog which barks in a substantially continuous manner in the daytime or nighttime to the annoyance of people in the neighborhood is declared to be a nuisance which may be abated by the procedures hereinafter provided.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

Declarations under penalty of perjury must be filed with the animal services provider stating in detail all of the following:

A. That declarant is a resident of a residential home located within two hundred yards of the premises where the dog is located:

B. Within the past month declarant has heard the dog bark for a substantially long period to the extreme annoyance of the declarant;

C. That declarant has had deterioration of emotional health from the barking;

D. That declarant requests that the dog be removed from the premises;

E. That declarant has mailed a copy of the declaration, certified mail, to the owner of the dog.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 18, 2026.)

At least one declaration shall be filed with the animal services officer before procedures provided for hereinafter shall be implemented.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 19, 2026.)

Upon receipt of such declaration or declarations, the animal services provider shall assign an officer to investigate said complaint or complaints. The officer shall personally interview the complainant or complainants and the owner of the dog. The officer shall determine whether the declaration or declarations have merit and shall warn the owner of the dog of the possibility of abatement of the dog if the dog does not stop barking continuously.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 20, 2026.)

If the situation is not corrected after forty-eight hours warning to the owner of the dog, the animal services officer or police officer who personally hears the dog barking continuously for at least a ten-minute period on at least two separate occasions during a seven-day period shall submit a declaration under penalty of perjury in that regard. Then the animal services provider may enter the private property and impound the dog pending a hearing to follow as hereinafter provided.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 21, 2026.)

Upon receipt of the declaration of the animal services officer, and complainant or complainants, the animal services provider shall appoint a hearing officer who shall determine the time and place of the hearing as to whether the dog is a nuisance, and whether and how the nuisance should be abated. Notice of the hearing shall be given by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent at least ten days prior to the hearing and shall be sent to the owner of the dog and each complaining witness, and to the animal services officer or police officer.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 22, 2026.)

At the time and place of the hearing each complaining witness and the animal services officer or police officer must be present. If any of these parties are not present, the hearing may be continued to a time and place convenient to the hearing officer and those present. If complaining parties who filed written complaints and the animal services officer or police officer are not present on the continued date, all proceedings shall terminate.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 23, 2026.)

At the hearing, evidence may be submitted by either party, and each party shall have the right to cross-examine the opposing witnesses.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part). 1984.)

At the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer shall determine whether the dog is a nuisance.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

The dog shall be kept by the animal services provider for at least ten days after notice of the decision is given by certified mail to the owner that the dog has been declared to be a nuisance. The owner shall be notified of the time period the dog will be held to allow the owner an opportunity to obtain judicial remedy if desired. If no court order is issued after such period preventing it, the animal services provider shall make every effort to place such dog for adoption in a rural area where it will not be a disturbance to any surrounding neighbors.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 24, 2026.)

Dogs not within entirely closed structure between ten p.m. and seven a.m. may be impounded by the animal services officer or police officer who may enter private property for such purpose if such dog is reported to be a nuisance by a neighbor and the occupant of the premises is either not in attendance on the property or who after being given notice by the animal services officer or police officer does not immediately put the dog in an entirely closed shelter. Dogs so impounded by the animal services provider may be returned to the owner upon payment of the boarding of such dog during the time it was impounded. If the dog is so impounded, notice thereof will be given by mail within twenty-four hours to the address the dog was taken of such impounding.

(Ord. 84-19 § 20 (part), 1984.)

(Ord. No. 2025-010, § 25, 2026.)