Austin allows livestock with minimum lot size: 1 acre for goats/sheep, 2 acres for cattle/horses/hogs, all with a 100-ft setback from any dwelling (Austin City Code Ch. 3-2). Slaughter is banned in city limits except permitted poultry. Chickens have separate, looser rules.
Austin's livestock rules scale with acreage. Chapter 3-2 of the City Code requires at least 1 acre to keep goats or sheep, and 2 acres for cattle, horses, or hogs — and in every case, animals must be kept 100 feet from any dwelling. Slaughter is banned inside city limits, with the sole exception of permitted poultry. Two quirks matter: potbelly pigs count as companion animals under Chapter 3-4 rather than livestock, and chickens run under their own, looser rules entirely.
Keeping livestock without the required acreage or setbacks violates City Code Chapter 3-2 and can bring citations and orders to remove the animals or bring the property into compliance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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