DOVER, Del. - A house bill introduced to the Delaware General Assembly may cause issues for dog owners across the state.
House Bill 124 was introduced on Apr. 20, 2023. It sought to eliminate animal noise and disturbances from the Noise Control and Abatement Chapter in Title Seven. The bill clarifies the authority of the Office of Animal Welfare and Department of Agriculture to enforce all state laws relating to the protection and control of animals with the assistance of police officers as needed.
The bill also prohibits pet owners from allowing their dog to bark for an extended period of time, defined as continuously for 15 minutes or more, or intermittently for 30 minutes or more.
There are a number of exemptions for barking dogs including
- if a person is trespassing on private property
- an animal is intruding on private property
- the dog is being teased or provoked
There are a numbers of exemptions relating to the location of barking dogs which includes:
- animal shelters
- pet stores
- dog grooming facilities
- veterinarian offices
- animal clinics
Dogs engaged in the following are also exempt from HB124
- dog training
- dog exhibition
- lawful performance competitions
- hunting
- herding
Pet owners will receive a written warning for the first violation, $50 for the second violation, if it occurs more than 7 days after the first violation. The third violation is $100, and all subsequent violations will be $150.
The bill was passed on Sunday, June 30 with 38 representatives that voted yes, two representatives that voted no, and one absent. House Bill 124 now heads to Governor John Carney.
