Municipal Ordinances: Related Statutes
Statute by category |
Citation | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| NC - Licenses - Chapter 160A. Cities and Towns. | N.C.G.S.A. § 160A-212 | This North Carolina statute provides that a city shall have power to levy an annual license tax on the privilege of keeping any domestic animal, including dogs and cats, within the city. However, this section shall not limit the city's authority to enact related ordinances. |
| NC - Ordinances - § 160A-186. Regulation of domestic animals | N.C.G.S.A. § 160A-186 | This North Carolina statute provides that a city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the keeping, running, or going at large of any domestic animals, including dogs and cats. The ordinance may provide that animals allowed to run at large in violation of the ordinance may be seized and sold or destroyed after reasonable efforts to notify their owner. |
| NC - Ordinances - § 67-4.5. Local ordinances | N.C.G.S.A. § 67-4.5 | This North Carolina statute provides that nothing in the dangerous dog laws shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for control of dangerous dogs. |
| NH - Licenses - Chapter 466. Dogs and Cats. | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:29 | This New Hampshire statute provides that, in the case of a rabies epidemic, the mayor and aldermen of a city or the selectmen of a town may order that all dogs within the limits of the city or town shall be muzzled or restrained from running at large during the time prescribed by such order. Any offending dog may be impounded. |
| NH - Ordinances - 466:30-b Referendum (muzzling and restraining dogs) | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 466:30-b | This New Hampshire statute outlines the required referendum format if a town seeks to adopt an ordinance that prohibits the running at large of dogs. Towns that do not adopt this statutory format may regulate the running at large of dogs by enacting ordinances that comply with other statutes. |
| NJ - Disaster - Article 6. Emergency Powers of Governor | N. J. S. A. App. A:9-43.1 - 2 | In New Jersey, the State Office of Emergency Management, and each county and municipality, is directed to adopt a emergency operations plans that include provisions to support the needs of animals and individuals with an animal under their care, including a service animal, in a major disaster or emergency. |
| NJ - Dogs - Consolidated Dog Laws | N. J. S. A. 2A:42-101 to 2A:42-113; 2C:29-3.1; 4:19-1 to 4:19-43; 4:19A-1 - 17; 4:21B-1 - 3; 4:22A-1 to 13; 23:4-25, 26, 46; 26:4-78 - 95; 40:48-1; 54:4-83 | These statutes comprise New Jersey's dog laws. Among the provisions include laws regarding domesticated animals in housing projects, rabies control laws, licensing requirements, and dangerous dog laws. |
| NJ - Ordinance - Chapter 19. Dogs, Taxation and Liability for Injuries Caused by. | NJSA 4:19-15.12 | This New Jersey statute provides that a municipality may by ordinance, fix the sum to be paid annually for a dog license and each renewal thereof, which sum shall be not less than $1.50 nor more than $21.00. The statute also also provides upper and lower limits for three-year licenses. |
| NJ - Ordinances - Chapter 19. Dogs, Taxation and Liability for Injuries Caused by | NJSA 4:19-36 | This New Jersey statute provides that the provisions of the dangerous dog act shall supersede any law, ordinance, or regulation concerning vicious or potentially dangerous dogs, any specific breed of dog, or any other type of dog inconsistent with this act enacted by any municipality, county, or county or local board of health. |
| NM - Dog - Consolidated Dog Laws | NMSA 1978, § 3-18-3; § 77-1-1 - 20; § 77-1A-1 - 6; § 77-1B-1 - 12; § 25-1-15 | These statutes comprise New Mexico's dog laws. Among the provisions include municipal powers to regulate dogs, vaccination requirements, and provisions related to dangerous dogs. |
| NM - Licenses - Chapter 77. Animals and Livestock. | N. M. S. A. 1978, § 77-1-15.1 | This New Mexico statute provides that every municipality and each county may provide by ordinance for the mandatory licensure of dogs over the age of three months. License fees shall be fixed by the responsible municipality or county. Further, pursuant to this statute, every municipality and each county shall provide for the impoundment of rabies-suspect animals. |
| NM - Ordinances - Chapter 77. Animals and Livestock | N. M. S. A. 1978, § 77-1-12 | This New Mexico statute provides that each municipality and each county shall make provision by ordinance for the seizure and disposition of dogs and cats running at large and not kept or claimed by any person on their premises provided that it does not conflict with state law. |
| NV - Dog Ordinance - 244.359. Ordinance concerning control of animals | N. R. S. 244.359 | This Nevada statute provides that each board of county commissioners may enact and enforce an ordinance related to dogs including licensing, regulating or prohibiting the running at large and disposal of all kinds of animals, establishing a pound, designating an animal as inherently dangerous and requiring the owner of such an animal to obtain a policy of liability insurance, among other things. |
| NY - Impound - Article 5. Powers, Limitations, and Liabilities. | McKinney's General Municipal Law § 88 | This New York statute provides that a municipality may by local law or ordinance provide that stray or unwanted dogs be given to an agency which trains seeing eye dogs or to a police department which trains dogs as guards. These agencies can requisition dogs that are awaiting destruction so long as five days have elapsed since the dog was impounded. Licensed dogs surrendered to the municipality or an animal shelter shall not be requisitioned without the written consent of the owner obtained at the time of the surrender. |
| NY - Municipal power - Chapter 69. Of the Consolidated Laws. | McKinney's Agriculture and Markets Law § 124 | This New York law provides that the commissioner is hereby authorized to (a) promulgate, after public hearing, such rules and regulations as are necessary to supplement and give full effect to the provisions of sections one hundred thirteen, one hundred fourteen and one hundred seventeen of this article; and (b) exercise all other powers and functions as are necessary to carry out the duties and purposes set forth in sections one hundred thirteen, one hundred fourteen and one hundred seventeen of this article. |
| NY - Ordinances - Chapter 62. Of the Consolidated Laws. | McKinney's Town Law § 130 | This New York statute provides that a town board after a public hearing may enact, amend and repeal ordinances, rules and regulations not inconsistent with law, including the restraining of the running at large of horses, cattle, sheep, unmuzzled dogs, whether licensed or not, and those authorizing the impounding and sale of the same for the costs of keeping, proceedings and penalty, or the killing of unmuzzled dogs. It also provides that towns may enact ordinances promoting the health, safety, morals or general welfare of the community, as long they are not inconsistent with existing law. |
| OH - Ordinance - 955.221 County, township, and municipal corporation ordinances to control dogs | R.C. § 955.221 | This Ohio statute provides that a board of county commissioners, board of township trustees, municipal corporation may adopt and enforce resolutions to control dogs that are not otherwise in conflict with any other provision of the Revised Code. These ordinances or resolutions to control dogs include, but are not limited to, ordinances or resolutions concerned with the ownership, keeping, or harboring of dogs, the restraint of dogs, dogs as public nuisances, and dogs as a threat to public health, safety, and welfare, except that such ordinances or resolutions shall not prohibit the use of any dog which is lawfully engaged in hunting or training for the purpose of hunting while accompanied by a licensed hunter. |
| OK - Licenses - § 22-115. Animals running at large--Regulation and taxation | 11 Okl. St. Ann. § 22-115 to 115.1 | This Oklahoma statute provides that the municipal governing body may regulate or prohibit animals from running at large. The governing body may also regulate and provide for taxing the owners and harborers of dogs, and authorize the killing of dogs which are found at large in violation of any ordinance regulating the same. |
| OK - Ordinances - § 43. Counties over 200,000 population--Regulation and control of dogs running at large--Penalties | 4 Okl. St. Ann. § 43 | This Oklahoma statute provides that the board of county commissioners of any county with a population of two hundred thousand (200,000) or more may regulate or prohibit the running at large of dogs and may impound and dispose of such dogs. The board of county commissioners may also regulate and provide for taxing the owners and harborers of dogs, and authorize the humane killing or disposal of dogs, found at large, contrary to any ordinance regulating the same. Any person, firm or corporation who violates any rule or regulation made by such board of county commissioners under the authority of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided by the laws of this state. |
| OR - Licenses - 609.060. Notice by publication of election result; dogs running at large prohibited; violations | O. R. S. § 609.060 | This Oregon statute provides that if a governing body of a county by ordinance, or a measure approved by the electors in an election prohibits dogs from running at large, the county shall give notice, by publication in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county. If after 60 days from the notice, a keeper violates the running at large ordinance, he or she commits a Class B violation. |
| PA - Dog - § 550. General immunity from noise | 3 P.S. § 550 | This Pennsylvania statute provides that all owners and operators of dog training and special retriever training areas licensed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission shall be exempt and immune from any civil action or criminal prosecution in any manner relating to noise provided they were and remain in compliance with any applicable noise control laws or ordinances at the time the permit for establishment of the training area was authorized. |
| PA - Ordinances - § 23144. To tax and destroy dogs | 53 P.S. § 23144 | This briefly worded Pennsylvania statute presumably gives municipalities the authority "[t]o regulate and provide for taxing the owners and harborers of dogs, and to destroy dogs found at large contrary to any ordinance." |
| PA - Ordinances - § 459-1201. Applicability to cities of the first class, second class, second class A and third class | 3 P.S. § 459-1201 | This Pennsylvania statute provides that cities of the first and second class are not affected by state dog licensing programs; existing city-level programs remain in effect. With cities of the third class, certain provisions of the state article on dog licensing shall not apply if the city has established a licensing program by ordinance. |
| PA - Ordinances - § 66530. Regulation of dogs | 53 P.S. § 66530 - 66531 | This Pennsylvania statute provides that the board of supervisors may by ordinance prohibit and regulate the running at large of dogs. |
| PR - Ordinances - Municipal regulation of domestic animals | PR ST T. 24 § 651 |
This Puerto Rico statute confers authority to the municipal councils of Puerto Rico to regulate by ordinance, the running at large of domestic animals, destruction and impounding of such animals, as well as the regulation of muzzling and licensing of dogs. In addition, the councils are given authority to enact all needful ordinances to protect the public health as affected by the running at large of domestic animals. |
| PR - Ordinances - § 4054 Municipal faculties in general | PR ST T. 21 § 4054 |
This Puerto Rico statute provides that each municipality has the general power to order, regulate and resolve whatever is necessary and convenient to attend to its local needs and for its greater prosperity and development. Among these powers is the power to regulate whatever concerns stray domestic animals, including euthanasia and disposal in interest of the public health, establishing rules and conditions under which they can be rescued by their owners, the muzzling and licensing of dogs, and the adoption and implementation of such precautionary measures that are necessary or convenient to protect the public health as it may be affected by domestic stray animals. |
| RI - Dangerous Dog - § 4-13.1-9. Penalties for violation--Licensing ordinances and fees | Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-13.1-9 | This Rhode Island statute provides that a vicious dog may be confiscated by a dog officer and destroyed in an expeditious and humane manner after the expiration of a five day waiting period if an owner does not secure liability insurance, have his or her dog properly identified, or properly enclose/restrain the dog. If any dog declared vicious under Sec. 4-13.1-11, when unprovoked, kills, wounds, or worries or assists in killing or wounding any described animal, the owner shall pay a five hundred fifty dollar fine. The dog officer is empowered to confiscate the dog. The statute further provides that municipalities may enact vicious dog licensing ordinances and provide for impoundment of dogs that violate such ordinances. It also outlines other actions owners of vicious dogs must take, including the posting of vicious dog signs and the maintenance of proper insurance. |
| RI - Impound - § 4-13-15. Collaring of dogs--Impoundment and disposition of uncollared dogs | Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-13-15 | This Rhode Island statute provides that every owner of a dog must collar his or her dog around its neck and distinctly marked with its owner's name and its registered number. Interestingly, it states that "any person" may cause any dog not so collared to be impounded in the public pound of the town or city where the dog is found. Further, if the dog is not claimed by its owner within a period of five days after the impoundment, the dog may be disposed of or destroyed. This statute also provides additional specific provisions for the towns of Glocester, West Warwick, and Exeter. |
| RI - Ordinances - § 4-13-1.1. Towns of Portsmouth, West Warwick, and Middletown and city of Woonsocket--Vicious dog ordinance | Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-13-1.1 | This Rhode Island statute provides that the town councils of the towns of Portsmouth, West Warwick and Middletown may, by ordinance, provide that the owner or keeper of any dog that assaults any person shall be fined an amount not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two hundred dollars. The investigation must prove that the dog was off the owner's property or that the assault was the result of owner negligence. It further provides that, in the city of Woonsocket, an owner shall not be declared negligent if an injury is sustained by a person who was committing a trespass or other tort upon the owner's premises or was teasing, tormenting, provoking, abusing or assaulting the dog or was committing or attempting to commit a crime. |
| RI - Ordinances - § 4-13-15.1. Ordinances concerning unrestricted and vicious dogs prohibited--Leash laws | Gen.Laws 1956, § 4-13-15.1 | This Rhode Island statute provides that city or town councils may make any ordinances concerning dogs in their cities or towns as the councils deem expedient, pertaining to the conduct of dogs. The statute outlines specifically what the ordinances may address, including regulations relating to unrestricted dogs, leash laws, confinement, and destruction of vicious dogs. The statute also adds additional provisions relating to the towns of Westerly and Exeter. |
| RI - Ordinances - § 4-13-3. Prior ordinances preserved | Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-13-3 | This Rhode Island statute provides that nothing in the state laws concerning dogs shall be construed as to repeal any ordinance concerning dogs, which has been passed by any town or city council. |
| RI - Ordinances - § 4-13-8. Disposition of license fees | Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-13-8 | This Rhode Island statute provides that towns and cities may adopt ordinances or regulations concerning the use of money received for dog licenses. |
| RI - Rabies - § 4-13-29.1. Responsibility for local rabies control | Gen. Laws, 1956, § 4-13-29.1 | This Rhode Island statute provides that towns and cities are required to provide for the control of rabies in cats, dogs, and ferrets within its boundaries. The municipality may elect to adopt into ordinance provisions at least as stringent as this chapter. |
| SC - Ordinances - § 47-3-20. Local animal care and control ordinances authorized. | Code 1976 § 47-3-20 | This South Carolina statute provides that the governing body of each county or municipality in this State may enact ordinances and promulgate regulations for the care and control of dogs, cats, and other animals and to prescribe penalties for violations. |
| SD - Licenses - 40-34-5. Running at large prohibited by county--County license or tax on dogs | S D C L § 40-34-5 | This South Dakota statute provides that the board of county commissioners of each of the counties shall have the power to regulate, restrain or prohibit the running at large of dogs and to impose a license or tax on all dogs not licensed or taxed under municipal ordinance, owned or kept by any person within the county. |
| TN - Ordinances - § 44-17-401. Use of electronic locating collars on dogs | T. C. A. § 44-17-401 | This Tennessee statute provides that no agency or entity of state or local government shall enact, adopt, promulgate, or enforce any law, ordinance, rule, regulation, or other policy which restricts or prevents the owner of any dog from using an electronic locating collar to protect such dog from loss. |
| TN - Ordinances - § 5-1-120. Dogs and cats; licenses, shelters and other animal control facilities | T. C. A. § 5-1-120 | This Tennessee statute outlines the broad police power counties have with respect to dog and cats. It provides that counties, by resolution of their respective legislative bodies, may license and regulate dogs and cats, establish and operate shelters and other animal control facilities, and regulate, capture, impound and dispose of stray dogs, stray cats and other stray animals. |
| TX - Animal Regulation - § 215.026. Animals at Large | V.T.C.A., Local Government Code § 215.026 | This statute gives municipalities in the state of Texas to establish and regulate pounds and the running at large of horses, mules, cattle, sheep, swine or goats. The statute also allows municipalities to handle the capture, impounding, and sale of any animal at large that is in violation of this statute. Municipalities may also impose penalties on the owner of the animal that is in violation of the statute. |
| TX - Exotic pets - Subchapter A. Regulation of Keeping of Wild Animals | V. T. C. A., Local Government Code § 240.001 - 004 | In this subchapter, wild animal is defined as a nondomestic animal that the commissioners court of a county determines is dangerous and is in need of control in that county. The commissioners court of a county by order may prohibit or regulate the keeping of a wild animal in the county. A person commits a Class C misdemeanor if the person violates an order adopted under this subchapter and the order defines the violation as an offense. |
| TX - Impound - § 826.033. Restraint, Impoundment, and Disposition of Dogs and Cats. | V. T. C. A., Health & Safety Code § 826.033 | This Texas statute provides that a municipality or county may adopt ordinances or rules to require that each dog or cat be restrained by its owner and that any stray dog or cat be declared a public nuisance. Further, it can declare that each unrestrained dog or cat be detained or impounded by the local rabies control authority. Each stray dog or cat be impounded for a period set by ordinance or rule and a humane disposition be made of each unclaimed stray dog or cat upon its expiration. |
| TX - Licenses - § 826.031. Registration of Dogs and Cats by Local Governments. | V. T. C. A., Health & Safety Code § 826.031 | This Texas statute provides that the governing body of a municipality and the commissioners court of a county may adopt ordinances or rules requiring the registration of each dog and cat within the jurisdiction of the municipality or county. Fees may be collected pursuant to such ordinances to defray costs. |
| TX - Licenses - § 826.032. Registration; Criminal Penalty | V. T. C. A., Health & Safety Code § 826.032 | This Texas statute provides that a person commits an offense (Class C misdemeanor) if he or she fails to or refuses to register or present for registration a dog or cat owned by the person as required by state law or local ordinance. |
| TX - Ordinances - § 1.08. Preemption | V. T. C. A., Penal Code § 1.08 | This law provides for preemption of state criminal laws over the laws enacted by governmental subdivisions or agencies. |
| TX - Ordinances - § 215.032. Exhibitions; Shows; Amusements | V.T.C.A., Local Government Code § 215.032 | This statute authorizes municipalities to prohibit or regulate circuses, exhibitions, and menageries. |
| TX - Ordinances - § 826.034. Restraint; Criminal Penalty. | V. T. C. A., Health & Safety Code § 826.034 | This Texas statute provides that a person commits an offense (Class C misdemeanor) if the person fails or refuses to restrain a dog or cat owned by the person and the animal is required to be restrained under the ordinances or rules adopted under this chapter. |
| TX - Registration - Subchapter C: Regulation of Dogs | V. T. C. A., Health & Safety Code § 822.021 - 035 | Chapter 822, Sections .031 through .035 address the regulation of dogs. Specifically, these provisions cover the registration requirements, prohibit unregistered dogs from running at large, and enumerate the treatment of dogs that attack other domestic animals. |
| UT - Breed - § 18-2-101. Regulation of dogs by a municipality | U.C.A. 1953 § 18-2-101 | This Utah law effective in 2015 prohibits a municipality from adopting breed-specific rule, regulation, policy, or ordinance regarding dogs. Any breed-specific rule, regulation, policy, or ordinance regarding dogs is void. |
| UT - License - § 10-8-65. Dogs--License and tax--Destruction, sale or other disposal | U.C.A. 1953 § 10-8-65 | This Utah statute, under the chapter relating the general powers of all cities, provides that cities may license, tax, regulate or prohibit the keeping of dogs, and authorize the destruction, sale or other disposal of the same when at large contrary to ordinance. |
| VA - Dangerous - § 3.2-6540. Control of dangerous or vicious dogs; penalties | Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-6540 - 6543.1 | These Virginia statutes comprise the state's dangerous dog laws, which were updated in 2021. Any law-enforcement officer or animal control officer who (i) has reason to believe that an animal is a dangerous dog and (ii) is located in the jurisdiction where the animal resides or in the jurisdiction where the act was committed may apply to a magistrate for the issuance of a summons requiring the owner, if known, to appear before a general district court at a specified time. The summons shall advise the owner of the nature of the proceeding and the matters at issue. Section 3.2-6540.1 also defines a vicious dog as "a canine or canine crossbreed that has (i) killed a person, (ii) inflicted serious injury to a person, or (iii) continued to exhibit the behavior that resulted in a previous finding by a court or, on or before July 1, 2006, by an animal control officer as authorized by ordinance that it is a dangerous dog, provided that its owner has been given notice of that finding." |
| VA - Dangerous - § 3.2-6553. Compensation for livestock and poultry killed by dogs | Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-6553 | This Virginia statute states that any person who has any livestock or poultry killed or injured by any dog not his or her own shall be entitled to receive the fair market value of such livestock or poultry not to exceed $750 per animal or $10 per fowl, provided that the claimant has furnished evidence, the animal control officer was notified within seventy-two hours after discovery of the damage, and the claimant has exhausted other legal remedies. However, local jurisdictions may by ordinance waive the last two requirements provided that the ordinance adopted requires that the animal control officer has conducted an investigation and that his investigation supports the claim. |