Haverhill, MA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

The Board of Health sits within Chapter 11, Boards and Commissions, and organizes every February by electing a Chairman under Section 11-31. Its sanitary rulemaking power in Section 11-32(A) lists eleven subjects, and item six specifically covers the keeping and breeding of birds, fowl, swine, goats and all other domestic animals, letting the Board apply different standards citywide or in specified areas or districts, so a rule affecting Bradford or Ward Hill need not apply downtown. Once adopted and published, Board of Health rules carry the force and effect of City ordinances under Section 11-33, and any breach is punished with the fines and penalties set for violating any section of the Code, unless another law provides otherwise.

Separately, Chapter 137, Dogs and Other Animals, addresses larger livestock directly: Section 137-1 forbids owners or keepers of swine, sheep, goats, horses, mules, asses or neat cattle from letting the animals go at large, graze, pasture in a street or way, or remain on a sidewalk, and bars tying draft animals unattended near public ways. Poundkeepers and fence viewers must log every animal impounded and its owner under Section 137-2. Chapter 137 closes with a single citywide penalty clause: Section 137-16 sets a $50 fine for a first offense and $100 for each later offense, with an additional $100 if the animal causes bodily harm, and the Police Department is separately obligated under Section 11-40 to report Board of Health violations it observes.