DELAWARE - A new law aimed at curbing excessive dog barking in Delaware takes effect Thursday.
House Bill 124, passed in June of 2024 and signed by then-Governor John Carney in October of last year, was given a one-year grace period to allow Delawareans time to learn about and prepare for the new law. As of Oct. 9, 2025, it is now in effect.
HB124 mandates that no dog-owner may allow the dog to cause a public noise disturbance by barking, howling, or whining for an extended period. According to the legislation, an extended period is defined as continuously for 15 minutes or intermittently for 30 minutes or more.
The law does make exceptions for trespassing or threatening on a property where the dog is located, if another animal intrudes on the property, or if the dog is being teased or provoked.
Animal shelters, pet stores, dog grooming facilities, vet offices, and animal clinics are exempt from the new law. Dogs engaged in training sessions, exhibitions, competitions, herding, livestock guarding, service dog duties, and hunting are also not subject to the state-wide ordinance.
Those who violate the new barking law are subject to a written warning for the first offense and a civil penalty of $50 for a second violation if it occurs 7 days or more from the first. A penalty of $100 will be incurred for a third offense, and then a $150 fine for each subsequent violation, according to the legislation.
WBOC spoke with pet owners about the new law on Thursday. Sebastian Vasquez, a dog-owner in Millsboro, said she's against the legislation.
"It's ridiculous. Personally, it's the most ridiculous thing I can ever imagine," Vasquez said. "You can't control what the dogs do. It's part of their nature. That's their way of talking and communicating about whatever's going on. They either want to talk to us, get our attention, or maybe something's wrong."
Diane Conway, another dog-owner in Millsboro, said she thinks the law is a fair compromise to keep neighborhoods quieter.
"I think it's very fair, and fair in a neighborhood," Conway said. "Dogs shouldn't be barking that long anyway."
HB124 also directs all police officers to assist the Office of Animal Welfare and the Delaware Department of Agriculture in enforcing the dog barking law.
