In St. Catharines, persistent barking breaks the City’s Noise By-law 95-198, section 2(1)(g). Barking complaints go to Niagara Region Animal Services, the animal control arm of the Humane Society of Greater Niagara, at 905-682-0767, not to the police or City Hall. If the barking carries on after the owner hears about it, animal control can charge the owner, and a Justice of the Peace decides the penalty.
This is the fourth post in our series on the barking dog bylaw in each major city we serve. Every post explains what the local bylaw actually says, how a complaint works step by step, what it can cost, and how to fix the barking at home so it never gets that far. We check every fact against the city’s own bylaws and complaint pages, and we link our sources so you can check them too. So far we have covered Hamilton, Calgary and Toronto. Next up is St. Catharines, the largest city in Niagara.
St. Catharines has older neighbourhoods with houses close together, plenty of semis and townhouses, and a growing number of apartments downtown and near Brock University. A dog that barks at every passer-by can disturb half the street. The City’s own dog licence page asks owners to keep animal noise, including barking, to a minimum, especially early in the morning and late in the evening. Here is how the rules work when that does not happen.
What the St. Catharines bylaw actually says
Barking falls under the City’s Noise By-law, By-law 95-198. Section 2(1) lists noises that Council has decided are likely to disturb residents, and paragraph (g) reads: “The persistent barking, calling or whining or any similar persistent noise caused by any domestic animal.” Section 2(2) makes it an offence for anyone to cause or permit that noise.
The key word is persistent, and here St. Catharines differs from say, Toronto. Toronto defines persistent noise as ten minutes in a row, or ten minutes in total within an hour. The St. Catharines by-law gives no time limit at all, so the officer and, if it gets that far, the court decide what counts as persistent. A few barks when the mail arrives will not meet that test. A dog that barks on and off all afternoon, day after day, can.
The rule applies at any time of day. Section 4 of the same by-law also makes it an offence to cause or permit any noise likely to disturb the inhabitants of the City, which gives enforcement a second, broader rule to rely on. The City amended the by-law in 2015, but those changes dealt with amplified sound, yelling and park events. The barking paragraph stayed the same.
Who handles a barking complaint
Most noise in St. Catharines goes to the City’s By-law Enforcement team, and a late night party goes to Niagara Regional Police. Barking is different. The City contracts animal control, including barking dogs and animal noise, to the Humane Society of Greater Niagara (HSGN). HSGN delivers that service through Niagara Region Animal Services (NRAS), a subsidiary it set up in 2016 with the City as its only client. The City’s noise page lists NRAS and its animal services page lists HSGN, but both point to the same place: 160 Fourth Avenue, 905-682-0767, hello@hsgn.ca.
How a barking complaint works in St. Catharines
1. Talking first usually works best. The City does not require a conversation before a complaint, but most owners have no idea their dog barks while they are out, and a friendly word solves many cases in a day.
2. The neighbour contacts animal control. If talking does not help, the neighbour calls HSGN at 905-682-0767, emails, or visits the shelter on Fourth Avenue. The City asks callers to give as much detail as they can, including the owner’s name and address if they know it.
3. Animal control looks into it. HSGN enforces all of the City’s animal by-laws. In practice the first contact with an owner is usually a conversation about the complaint and what the by-law requires.
4. Continued barking can lead to a charge. The City states that anyone who breaks its by-laws may face prosecution if the problem continues. A charge for barking goes to provincial offences court.
5. Evidence and testimony carry the case. The City’s own noise evidence form gives a good picture of what any noise case needs. It asks the person affected to log every disturbance for at least 14 days, with dates, start and stop times and a description, and to agree to attend court and testify.
What it can cost
| Persistent barking (By-law 95-198, s. 2(1)(g)) | No set fine in the by-law. The penalty is whatever the Province prescribes, decided in provincial offences court |
| General maximum under Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act (s. 61) for an offence with no penalty of its own | up to $5,000* |
| Dog licence | Required for every dog in the city, through DocuPet or at City Hall |
* Unlike Hamilton’s $75 penalty notice or Toronto’s $500 ticket, St. Catharines does not publish a barking fine. The $5,000 figure is a ceiling, not a typical outcome. A Justice of the Peace sets the actual amount based on the facts.
Two other City dog rules often come up during an animal control visit. Every dog needs a current licence, and the City limits each home to three dogs. A household with several dogs is often the one the whole street hears, because one dog sets off the others.
If you are the neighbour
A calm conversation usually works faster than a formal complaint. Give the owner specific details: what time the barking starts, how long it lasts and which days it happens. Because the by-law has no ten minute rule, a clear record matters even more in St. Catharines. If you decide to contact animal control, start a log right away with dates, times and what you hear, and keep it going for at least two weeks.
Before you knock, have a look at our free Talking to a Neighbour About Barking guide (PDF). It shows you how to start with empathy, choose a calm moment and keep the tone friendly, so the conversation sounds like a heads-up rather than a complaint. It also lists what not to do, like leaving angry notes or banging on shared walls, and what to do if you rent and need to involve the building manager. You will likely live beside this neighbour for years, so a good first conversation is worth the effort.
If you are the owner: how to actually stop it
Hearing that a neighbour has complained is stressful, but it also tells you something useful: your dog is unsettled when you are not there. Barking is communication, and the fix depends on what your dog is trying to say.
Find out when it happens. Set up a phone or security camera for a few days while you are out. Barking that starts within minutes of you leaving points to separation stress. Barking at every passer-by, delivery or dog on the sidewalk is your dog guarding the territory. Barking at the back door is often boredom or wanting in.
Take away the job. A dog that watches the street from the front window all day has appointed itself head of security. Close the blinds, block the lookout spot or keep your dog in a quieter room while you are out.
Do not leave a barker outside alone. A dog alone in the yard hears every car, cat and neighbour, with nobody there to redirect it, and is the dog the street is most likely to hear.
Meet the need before you leave. A proper walk and some mental work before a long absence makes a real difference for young and high-energy dogs.
Be the one in charge when you are home. Dogs that bark to warn you need to learn that you have heard them and you are handling it. Yelling back just sounds like you are barking too. Calm, consistent leadership in the moment is what changes the habit, and it is exactly what we teach in your home.
For more on specific types of barking, see our guides to why dogs bark and how to stop it, barking at the doorbell, separation anxiety and leaving your dog home alone.
Barking help in St. Catharines and Niagara
We solve barking problems where they happen, which is in your home. Bark Busters trainers come to you, see the window, the yard and the triggers your dog reacts to, and show the whole family how to respond so your dog gets one consistent message.
Lisa Burke covers St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Grimsby, Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Call 905-853-0195 to book an in-home visit, or visit our Niagara dog training page. Outside Niagara, use find a trainer to reach your local Bark Busters trainer. Other Niagara towns have their own noise and animal by-laws, so check your own municipality’s rules if you live outside St. Catharines.
Every Bark Busters program includes our Life Of Dog Support Guarantee, so your trainer stays with you and your dog for life, not just for the first lesson.
Frequently asked questions
Who do you call about a barking dog in St. Catharines?
If speaking politely with your neighbour hasn’t solved the problem, you can aall the Humane Society of Greater Niagara at 905-682-0767. It runs animal control for the City through Niagara Region Animal Services and handles barking and animal noise complaints. Call Niagara Regional Police only for an immediate, temporary disturbance like a late night party.
How long can a dog bark in St. Catharines before it breaks the bylaw?
The Noise By-law does not set a time. It prohibits “persistent” barking, so animal control and the court judge each case on the evidence, which is why a written log of dates and times matters.
What is the fine for a barking dog in St. Catharines?
The by-law does not list a set fine. A charge goes to provincial offences court, and a Justice of the Peace sets the penalty. Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act caps fines for offences without their own penalty at $5,000.
Will my neighbour find out who complained?
The City does not publish a policy on this for barking complaints, so ask animal control when you call. If a case goes to court, the person who complained usually needs to testify.
Bylaw details from the City of St. Catharines Noise By-law 95-198 (s. 1, 2 and 4) and its 2015 amendment, By-law 2015-60, the City’s Noise By-law page, Animal Services and Control page, Dog Licences page and Noise Complaint Evidence Documentation form, the HSGN animal control page, and section 61 of Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act, checked October 2026. Rules and penalties can change, so confirm current details with the City.
Free guide: Need to raise barking with a neighbour, or hearing about it from one? Download our Talking to a Neighbour About Barking guide (PDF) for calm, practical steps to make that conversation go well. You can find more handouts on our Free Dog Training Resources page.
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