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Boone County, KY Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Coverage
Unincorporated Boone County only
Livestock defined
Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, emus, ostriches, horses
Coop/setback rules
Not in this Code; separate Zoning Regulations
At-large fine
$50-$100 first offense, § 91.99(G)
Owner duty
Must reimburse county capture/boarding costs

Summary

Boone County, Kentucky regulates livestock through its general animal-control chapter, not through a backyard-chicken ordinance. Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and similar bovine, ovine, porcine, caprine, ratite or equine animals are "livestock" under § 91.01, and letting them run at large in unincorporated Boone County violates § 91.20(A), triggering a special owner-notice procedure and reimbursement duty.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Boone County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

When livestock are running at large, Animal Control or the Law Enforcement Officer shall make reasonable efforts to notify the owner as soon as possible. If reasonably possible and feasible, the owner of the livestock shall be notified prior to the actual capture and impoundment of the livestock. LIVESTOCK. Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, emus, ostriches, horses or any other animals of the bovine, ovine, porcine, caprine, ratite or equine species.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance 2025-20, passed 6-17-25; and State legislation current through KRS 2025).

Full Breakdown

" The Code does not set a minimum acreage, coop setback or head-count limit for keeping chickens or other livestock on a residential lot in unincorporated Boone County; any such dimensional standard would fall under the county's Zoning Regulations, which are adopted by reference in Chapter 156 and are a separate document from the Code of Ordinances, not this file. 99(G).

Violations & Fines

A first violation of § 91.20(A) involving livestock draws a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $100 under § 91.99(G), and the owner must reimburse Boone County for "all reasonable expenses incurred in capturing, impounding, boarding, and providing necessary medical services to the livestock." Non-livestock pets running at large instead fall under the lower $25-to-$100 first-offense fine in § 91.99(F).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep chickens or livestock in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky?
Chapter 91 of the county Code does not set a permit, setback or head-count rule for keeping chickens or other livestock; those standards, if any exist, live in the separate Boone County Zoning Regulations administered through NKAPC, not in the Code of Ordinances. What the Code does regulate is livestock running loose under § 91.20(A).
What counts as livestock under Boone County's ordinance?
Section 91.01 defines livestock as cattle, sheep, swine, goats, emus, ostriches, horses, or any other animals of the bovine, ovine, porcine, caprine, ratite or equine species. Farms that breed, raise or sell livestock or poultry for food or fiber are also expressly excluded from the Code's commercial-animal-establishment licensing rules.
What happens if my livestock gets loose in Boone County?
Animal Control or a law-enforcement officer must make reasonable efforts to notify you before capturing and impounding loose livestock under § 91.20(A). If your animal is impounded, you face a fine of $50 to $100 under § 91.99(G) and must reimburse the county for capture, boarding and veterinary costs.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Boone County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsDog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSignificant RestrictionsPet Store RulesSome RestrictionsCat RulesSome RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsMicrochippingLight RestrictionsExotic PetsHeavy RestrictionsMandatory Spay/NeuterSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSome Restrictions

All Boone County rules

How Boone County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Boone County to another location·View the Kentucky animal ordinances overview

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