Long Branch, NJ Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Density limit
- 1 horse/pony/mule per acre
- Waste removal deadline
- Within 24 hours
- Temporary commercial license
- Circus, fair, exhibition
- Licensing authority
- City Health Department
- Chickens/poultry
- Not addressed in this article
Summary
Long Branch caps the breeding, keeping and raising of horses, ponies and mules at one animal per acre citywide, and the City Health Department can license temporary livestock keeping only for a commercial purpose such as a circus, fair or exhibition. The code has no separate chicken or poultry provision.
The breeding, keeping and raising of horses, ponies and mules within the city limits shall be limited to one of the above-mentioned animals per acre, so as to ensure the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the city. ... The owner of the property wherein the above-mentioned animals are kept shall be responsible for the removal of all animal wastes. Said wastes shall not be allowed to accumulate for a period greater than 24 hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4904719; v48 updated 2026-06-10; through 06-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
Article III of Chapter 109, Animals, adopted by Ordinance No. 893 in 1977, governs livestock rather than dogs or cats. " That one-acre-per-animal ratio effectively excludes livestock keeping from most residential lots in an oceanfront city where standard lots run far smaller than an acre. " Section 109-16 carves out a narrow exception: the City Health Department may issue a temporary license to keep horses, ponies or mules for a limited commercial purpose, expressly naming a circus, fair or exhibition as examples, so a traveling event can bring animals into the city without meeting the one-per-acre standard.
The code text does not use the words "chicken," "poultry" or "fowl" anywhere in Chapter 109, so backyard chicken-keeping is not separately licensed, capped or banned; it simply is not addressed by this article, which is limited to horses, ponies and mules.
Violations & Fines
Under § 109-17, keeping more than one covered animal per acre is treated as a separate violation for each animal over the limit, meaning a property with three horses on a half-acre lot could face three counted violations rather than one. Penalties are set under Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I, the city's general penalty schedule, as amended by Ordinance No. 36-98 in 1998.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in Long Branch, NJ?
How many horses can I keep on my property in Long Branch?
How often must horse or pony waste be removed under Long Branch's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Branch
How Long Branch compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Long Branch to another location·View the New Jersey animal ordinances overview
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