Roswell, GA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered facilities
- Vet clinics, animal hospitals, pet clinics
- Overnight hours
- No animals outdoors 11 PM-6 AM
- Exercise areas
- Must be fenced for confinement
- Large-lot setback
- 150 feet in AG-43, RS-87, RS-30
- Residential buffer
- Required next to ground-floor homes
Summary
Roswell's UDC regulates veterinary clinics and animal hospitals as 'Animal Care' uses, requiring fenced exercise runs, a residential buffer, no overnight outdoor animals, and 150-foot setbacks in large-lot districts.
C.Animal Care (Outdoor).1.Defined. A facility designed or arranged for the care of animals that includes outdoor activity. Includes animal grooming, animal hospital, veterinary clinic, pet clinic, animal boarding, animal shelter, cattery, commercial kennel (11 or more dogs) and doggy day care.2.Use Standards. Where outdoor animal care is allowed as a conditional use, it may be permitted subject to Sec. 13.4., and the standards below. Where outdoor animal care is allowed as a limited use, it is subject to the following:a.All outdoor exercise areas and runs must be fenced for the safe confinement of animals;b.A Type A or B buffer (see Sec. 10.2.4) must be established along any outside areas used to exercise, walk, or keep animals that abuts a ground floor residential use;c.No animal may be outdoors between 11 PM and 6 AM; andd.In a AG-43, RS-87 or RS-30 district, no part of any building, structure or run in which animals are housed may be closer than 150 feet from any property line, except property owned or occupied by an owner or operator of the facility.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Roswell's UDC regulates veterinary clinics, animal hospitals and pet clinics under the 'Animal Care' use category, split into indoor (no outdoor animal activity) and outdoor versions. Where outdoor animal care is allowed, exercise yards and runs must be fenced for safe confinement, a landscaped buffer is required along any lot line abutting ground-floor residential use, and no animal may be kept outdoors between 11 PM and 6 AM. In Roswell's large-lot AG-43, RS-87 and RS-30 districts, no building or run housing animals can sit closer than 150 feet from a property line unless that property belongs to the facility's own owner or operator.
Violations & Fines
Skipping fencing on outdoor exercise runs, keeping animals outside between 11 PM and 6 AM, or building an animal facility within 150 feet of a lot line in AG-43, RS-87 or RS-30 violates UDC Sec. 9.5.8(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a veterinary clinic in Roswell, Georgia keep animals outside overnight?
How far must an animal hospital sit from a house in a large-lot district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roswell
Compare Roswell to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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Veterinary Clinic Zoning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle veterinary clinic zoning.