Bannock County, ID Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Microchip required
- For every county-permitted dangerous animal
- Who implants it
- A certified veterinarian
- Applies where
- Unincorporated Bannock County only
- Enforcing agency
- Dangerous animal control board / sheriff
- Max penalty
- $300 fine and/or 6 months jail
- Exempt entities
- USDA-licensed pet shops, zoos, circuses
Summary
Bannock County requires every dangerous animal kept under a county permit, from big cats to wolf hybrids, to be implanted with a microchip by a certified veterinarian, with violations charged as a misdemeanor.
"Dangerous animal" means any animal or a species or a type likely to cause injury to a person, or any animal which has demonstrated a propensity to attack or cause injury to a person. This term specifically includes animals such as, but not limited to, lions, tigers, leopards, ligers, panthers, jaguars, lynxes, pumas, mountain lions, cougars, cheetahs, ocelots, bears, wolves, coyotes, nonhuman primates, crocodiles, alligators, as well as any poisonous reptile, and any hybrid or crossbreeds of these or other dangerous species. ... Each dangerous animal shall be implanted with a microchip by a certified veterinarian for identification. ... Any violation of any provision of this chapter shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Full Breakdown
Bannock County Code Chapter 6.04, applicable only in the unincorporated areas of the county under Idaho Code §§ 31-714 and 52-102 (§ 6.04.020), defines a 'dangerous animal' broadly to include lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, bears, wolves, coyotes, nonhuman primates, crocodiles, alligators, poisonous reptiles, and hybrids of these species (§ 6.04.030), while excluding common farmed animals and ordinary household pets. Anyone keeping such an animal must first obtain a county permit (§ 6.04.050). Once permitted, § 6.04.080 requires that each dangerous animal be implanted with a microchip by a certified veterinarian for identification, a requirement enforced alongside confinement rules that mandate an eight-foot fence with a two-foot infacing overhang or roof and a four-foot chain-link setback perimeter fence (§ 6.04.070).
The dangerous animal control board, a seven-member advisory body including a veterinarian and two animal-care professionals, oversees permitting and can require inspection consent as a condition of the permit (§ 6.04.040, § 6.04.050(C)). Licensed pet shops, USDA-licensed research facilities, zoos and circuses are exempt from the permit and microchip requirements but must still obtain a no-charge county permit (§ 6.04.090).
Violations & Fines
Failing to microchip a permitted dangerous animal, or any other violation of Chapter 6.04, is a misdemeanor under § 6.04.100(C), punishable by a fine of up to $300.00, up to six months in the county jail, or both. Each animal held in noncompliance is a separate offense, and each day of continued noncompliance can be charged as a new offense; the county can also revoke the permit and confiscate or destroy the animal (§ 6.04.100(E)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bannock County require microchips for dangerous animals?
Which animals count as 'dangerous' for the microchip rule?
What is the penalty for keeping an unchipped dangerous animal in Bannock County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bannock County
Compare Bannock County to another location·View the Idaho animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.