Goodyear, AZ Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 7-2-10(B), (C)
- Cat licensing
- Not required (dogs only, § 7-2-5)
- Minimum pound hold
- 72 hours
- Bite quarantine
- 7 days minimum if unvaccinated
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Article 1-8
Summary
Goodyear does not license cats the way it licenses dogs, but any impounded cat must be held at the pound at least 72 hours before it can be sold or disposed of, and owners can reclaim one during that window by paying pound fees. An unvaccinated cat that bites someone faces a mandatory quarantine.
(B) Each stray dog or any cat impounded shall be kept and maintained at the pound for a minimum of 72 hours unless claimed by its owner. Any person may purchase such a dog or cat upon expiration of the impoundment period, provided such person pays all pound fees and complies with the licensing and vaccinating provisions of this article. If the dog or cat is not claimed within the impoundment period, the enforcement agent shall take possession and may place the dog or cat for sale or may dispose of the dog or cat in a humane manner. ... (C) Any impounded licensed dog or any cat may be reclaimed by its owner or such owner's agent, provided that the person reclaiming the dog or cat furnishes proof of right to do so and pays all pound fees.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-1648, passed April 27, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Unlike dogs, cats in Goodyear are not required to be individually licensed: § 7-2-5 ties the City's dog-licensing duty to Maricopa County's Title 11, Chapter 7 requirements and never extends a licensing mandate to cats, and § 7-2-9's at-large leash rule is written to apply to dogs specifically. What the code does regulate for cats is impoundment. Under § 7-2-10(B), any cat picked up by the enforcement agent, whether stray or otherwise, must be held at the pound for a minimum of 72 hours before the City can sell or humanely dispose of it, and the owner can reclaim it during that window by paying the pound fees under subsection (C) and proving ownership.
A cat that bites someone is handled under § 7-2-11: if it is unvaccinated it must be confined and quarantined at an authorized pound, or at the owner's expense at a veterinary hospital, for at least seven days, while a vaccinated, licensed cat may instead be confined at the owner's home with the enforcement agent's consent. Section 7-2-17 sets the lawful destruction methods for an impounded cat or dog, including sodium pentobarbital or a derivative and nitrogen gas, and requires proper and humane care and maintenance for every animal held at the pound. Interfering with the enforcement agent while it carries out any of this, including a cat pickup, is separately unlawful under § 7-2-12.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply with any provision of Article 7-2, including the impoundment and reclaim procedures for cats, is a misdemeanor under § 7-2-15, punishable under the general penalty schedule in Article 1-8. Removing or attempting to remove an impounded cat outside the article's procedures, or interfering with the enforcement agent while it responds to a cat call, is a separate offense under §§ 7-2-12 and 7-2-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in Goodyear?
How long does the pound hold a stray cat before it can be adopted out?
What if my cat bites a neighbor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Goodyear
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How other cities in Maricopa County handle cat rules.