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Tangipahoa Parish, LA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

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

Key Facts

Public areas
license + microchip + current rabies shot (§10-91(k))
Noncompliance
animal removed from public area
2nd impound in 6 months
microchip + license required (§10-92(a))
Cost
owner's expense
Purpose
reunite owners with stray/roaming animals (§10-79(4))

Summary

Animal control requires a microchip in two circumstances: any dog or cat taken into an area open to the public must be licensed and microchipped with a current rabies vaccination under § 10-91(k), and any animal impounded twice within six months must be microchipped and licensed at the owner's expense under § 10-92(a).

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

(k)Any animal in areas open to the public shall be licensed and micro-chipped, with a current rabies vaccination. Failure to possess the correct licenses and vaccinations will result in the animal being removed from the public area by the owner or an animal control officer upon refusal of the owner. ... (a)Any animal that is impounded two times in a six-month period shall be microchipped and licensed at the owner's expense in addition to all applicable fees and fines.

Full Breakdown

Section 10-91(k) makes public-area access the trigger: any animal in an area open to the public must be licensed and micro-chipped, with a current rabies vaccination, and if the owner can't show the correct license, microchip and vaccination, the animal must be removed from the public area, either voluntarily by the owner or by an animal control officer if the owner refuses. Section 10-92(a) creates the second trigger for repeat offenders: an animal impounded twice within a six-month period must be microchipped and licensed at the owner's expense, in addition to whatever fees and fines already apply from those impoundments; § 10-92(b) pairs this with a mandatory spay/neuter requirement for fertile animals under the same two-impound trigger.

These identification requirements tie back to § 10-79(4), which directs the parish animal control department to establish procedures to locate the owners of cats and dogs found roaming at large in the parish so pets and owners can be reunited, and to the metallic tag and public tag-number record the department already keeps under § 10-91(e) and (f) for licensed animals.

Violations & Fines

An animal found in a public area without the required license, microchip and rabies vaccination must be removed from that area under § 10-91(k). An owner whose animal is impounded a second time within six months must pay to have it microchipped and licensed under § 10-92(a), on top of the fees and fines already owed for the impoundments, and a general Article IV violation carries a fine of up to $500.00 or up to six months in jail under § 10-100(b).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is microchipping mandatory for pets in Tangipahoa Parish?
Only in specific situations. Section 10-91(k) requires any dog or cat in an area open to the public to be licensed, microchipped and currently vaccinated for rabies, and § 10-92(a) requires microchipping after an animal has been impounded twice within six months.
What happens if my pet isn't microchipped in a public place?
Under § 10-91(k), if the animal lacks the correct license, microchip or vaccination, it must be removed from the public area, either by the owner or by an animal control officer if the owner refuses.
My dog was impounded a second time this year. Do I have to microchip it?
Yes. Section 10-92(a) requires any animal impounded twice in a six-month period to be microchipped and licensed at the owner's expense, on top of whatever fees and fines already apply to that impoundment.
Why does the parish push microchipping?
Section 10-79(4) directs the animal control department to establish procedures "to locate the owners of cats and dogs found roaming at large," which microchip and license records make possible.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Tangipahoa Parish

All Tangipahoa Parish rules

Compare Tangipahoa Parish to another location·View the Louisiana animal ordinances overview

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