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Salem, OR Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Governing section: SRC 700.075
Outdoor run hours: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Attendant required: Yes, on-site during run hours
Setback from residential property: Minimum 60 feet
Screening required: Sight-obscuring fence, wall, or hedge

Summary

Salem requires small animal veterinary services to keep operations inside soundproof buildings and, if outdoor dog runs are used, to limit their hours to 7 a.m.-6 p.m., set them back 60 feet from residential property, and screen them under SRC 700.075.

Where designated as a special use, small animal veterinary services shall comply with the additional standards set forth in this section.(a)All operations, other than outside runs for dogs and other animals, shall be conducted within completely enclosed and soundproof buildings.(b)Outside runs for dogs and other animals shall:(1)Be operated only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. An attendant shall be present on the premises at all times during the hours of operation.(2)Be setback a minimum of 60 feet from residentially zoned property or property used for a residential use.(3)Be screened from adjacent streets and adjacent property by a sight-obscuring fence, wall, or hedge.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

075 governs small animal veterinary services wherever the use is designated a special use in Salem's zoning code. Subsection (a) requires all operations other than outside animal runs to be conducted within completely enclosed and soundproof buildings, addressing noise as the primary neighborhood impact of a clinic or kennel-adjacent veterinary use. , with an attendant required on the premises at all times the runs are in use; they must be set back a minimum of 60 feet from any residentially zoned property or property used for a residential use, a substantially larger buffer than Salem's typical interior setbacks; and they must be screened from adjacent streets and adjacent property with a sight-obscuring fence, wall, or hedge. 005(e).

Violations & Fines

Operating outside dog runs beyond the 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. window, without the required 60-foot residential setback, or without required screening is a special-use standard violation, enforced by the City's code compliance division under SRC chapter 20; a clinic seeking relief from these standards must pursue conditional use approval under SRC chapter 240 rather than a simple permit modification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Salem veterinary clinic keep dogs outside overnight?

No. SRC 700.075(b)(1) limits outside runs for dogs and other animals to operating hours of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with an attendant required on the premises during that entire window, so overnight outdoor kenneling is not permitted under this standard.

How far must a vet clinic's outdoor dog run be from a house next door?

SRC 700.075(b)(2) requires a minimum 60-foot setback from any residentially zoned property or property used for a residential use, well beyond Salem's typical interior setback distances for most other uses.

Does the soundproofing requirement apply to the whole veterinary building?

It applies to all operations other than the outside runs. SRC 700.075(a) requires those indoor operations to be conducted within completely enclosed and soundproof buildings, while the outdoor runs are separately governed by the hours, setback, and screening standards in subsection (b).

Sources & Official References

[1]Salem Revised Code, Chapter 700, Special Use Provisions (Municode)

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