Animal Ordinances in Loveland, CO: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Loveland or are thinking about moving there, animal ordinances are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Loveland has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of animal ordinances, and some of them might surprise you.

Breed Restrictions

Loveland, Colorado regulates dangerous dogs by behavior, not breed: Municipal Code § 6.20.030 bans owning or keeping any 'vicious animal,' defined as one that bites, claws, attempts to bite or claw, or approaches a person in an apparent attitude of attack. The city code names no banned breed such as pit bulls; the law turns on documented conduct.

Key details: Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 6.20.030. Basis: Behavior-based; no breed named or banned. Defenses: Seven listed, incl. provocation and trespass. Hold: Impounded animal held pending court order. Outcome: Judge may order humane destruction by CO vet.

Owning or keeping a vicious animal is punished under the Code's general penalty, § 1.12.010: a fine up to the statutory cap under C.R.S. § 13-10-113, up to 364 days imprisonment, or both, plus a $15.00 surcharge. Beyond the fine, an impounded animal stays held until a municipal judge rules, and a vicious-animal or clear-and-present-danger finding can result in a judge-ordered humane destruction at the shelter.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Loveland actively enforces its breed restrictions requirements.

Exotic Pets

Loveland, Colorado bans owning or keeping any animal that is not commonly domesticated, not native to North America, or wild or predatory by nature. Municipal Code § 6.28.040 goes further and names species no one may own, possess, harbor, transport, sell or traffic in at all, including primates, big cats, bears, and wolves or coyotes.

Key details: Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 6.28.040. General rule: No wild, predatory or non-native pets. Named bans: Primates, non-domestic felines, bears. Named bans: Wolves, coyotes, foxes as pets. Snake limit: Venomous, or nonpoisonous over 6 feet, barred.

Keeping a prohibited exotic or wild animal is punished under the general penalty in § 1.12.010: a fine up to the statutory cap under C.R.S. § 13-10-113, up to 364 days imprisonment, or both, plus a $15.00 surcharge per violation, with each day of continued possession potentially a separate offense. The animal itself can be seized under § 6.24.010(A)(3) and held at the shelter or other appropriate location pending disposition.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Loveland actively enforces its exotic pets requirements.

Chickens & Livestock

Loveland, Colorado allows chickens, ducks, geese and other domesticated fowl on residential lots with no fixed numeric cap, but they still count toward the household's nuisance-based pet limit under Municipal Code § 6.28.010. Horses, dwarf goats, and pot-bellied pigs are permitted too, each under its own conditions in § 6.28.020, and all other livestock is banned.

Key details: Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 6.28.020. Fowl: No fixed cap; subject to nuisance-based pet limit. Horses: Minimum one-half acre pasture per horse. Dwarf goats: Max two adults, Humane Society permit required. Pot-bellied pigs: CO vet inspection plus spay/neuter proof.

Keeping unlisted livestock, or violating the goat, pig or fowl conditions, is punished under the general penalty in § 1.12.010: a fine up to the statutory cap under C.R.S. § 13-10-113, up to 364 days imprisonment, or both, plus a $15.00 surcharge, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Illegally kept livestock is independently declared a nuisance under § 6.28.020(C) and can be abated by the city.

Wildlife Feeding

Loveland, Colorado makes it unlawful to knowingly provide food, water, salt licks or bones to bears, deer, raccoons, skunks, badgers, porcupines, wild felines, wolves, coyotes and foxes anywhere in the city. Municipal Code § 6.28.045 exempts feeding squirrels and most birds, but not wild ducks or geese, and lets other wild-animal feeding be charged only if it becomes a real nuisance.

Key details: Governing section: Loveland Municipal Code § 6.28.045. Banned targets: Bears, deer, coyotes, foxes, wolves. Also banned: Raccoons, skunks, badgers, wild felines. Defense: Feeding only squirrels, non-waterfowl birds. Not exempt: Wild ducks and geese excluded from defense.

A violation of § 6.28.045 is punished under the general penalty in § 1.12.010: a fine up to the statutory cap under C.R.S. § 13-10-113, up to 364 days imprisonment, or both, plus a $15.00 surcharge per violation, and each day feeding continues can be charged as a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Loveland's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Cat Rules

Loveland treats cats like dogs under its animal code: owners must license every cat within 14 days of acquiring it, keep the license tag on the cat's collar, and never let it run at large off the owner's property under Municipal Code Sections 6.08.010 and 6.20.010. Larimer County's Humane Society enforces both rules.

Key details: License deadline: 14 days after acquiring the cat. License renewal: Annually. At-large rule: Applies to cats same as dogs. Enforcement: Police & animal control officers.

Keeping an unlicensed cat, letting one run at large, or failing to confine one in heat is enforced under Section 6.32.050, punishable under the general penalty in Section 1.12.010: a fine plus up to 364 days in jail, or both, with each day of violation a separate offense. An unlicensed cat found off-premises is impounded and the owner pays reclaim and impound fees.

Dog Leash Laws

Loveland bans letting any dog run at large: off its owner's property, a dog must be on a leash or tether under an owner's control, per Municipal Code Section 6.20.010, except in a city-designated off-leash park. Owners who fence a yard must keep that fence in good enough repair to actually contain the dog.

Key details: Leash required: Off owner's own premises. Off-leash exception: City-designated fenced dog parks only. Fence duty: Must be kept in good repair. Penalty: Fine, up to 364 days jail.

Letting a dog run at large is enforced under Section 6.32.050, punishable under the general penalty in Section 1.12.010, a fine plus up to 364 days in jail or both, with a $15.00 court surcharge added on top and each day of the violation charged as a separate offense. A dog impounded while at large also costs its owner reclaim and impoundment fees under Section 6.24.040.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Loveland's Unified Development Code splits veterinary use standards by animal type: a large-animal veterinary clinic must sit in a freestanding building and cannot adjoin a residentially zoned or residentially used lot, while a small-animal veterinary clinic is barred only from the Fourth Street Character Area of the Downtown zone.

Key details: Large-animal vet siting: Freestanding building, no adjoining residential lot. Small-animal vet restriction: Barred from Fourth Street Character Area (DT zone). Governing sections: UDC § 18.02.04.06.N (large), .O (small). Nearby kennel buffer: Outdoor kennel needs 200 ft. from residential land. Indoor kennel/pet store rule: Soundproofing required within 100 ft. of residential land.

Operating a large-animal veterinary use in a building that adjoins residentially zoned or used land, or a small-animal veterinary use within the Fourth Street Character Area, is a UDC violation enforceable under Division 18.18.02, Enforcement Procedures. The City's code enforcement officer can order an inspection, and Section 18.18.03.02 authorizes a criminal fine up to the Loveland Municipal Code's maximum penalty, up to one year in jail, or both, in addition to civil remedies like abatement.

Beekeeping

Loveland limits backyard apiaries to single-family detached, community-garden and farm/ranch lots under UDC § 18.04.07.04, with hives set back at least five feet from every property line and 200 feet from schools and day cares. Colony counts scale with lot size, from four hives on a quarter-acre up to eight on a full acre, with no cap once hives sit 200 feet from every property line.

Key details: Hive setback: 5 ft from any property line. School/day care setback: 200 feet. Colonies on 1/4-1/2 acre: 4 max. Colonies on 1+ acre: 8 max. No colony limit: If 200+ ft from all lines.

Keeping more colonies than the lot size allows, skipping the flyway barrier within 25 feet of a property line, or placing hives closer than five feet from a boundary violates UDC § 18.18.02.01, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The Code Enforcement Officer can order abatement under § 18.18.02.03, and an owner who ignores the order faces a fine or up to a year's imprisonment under § 18.18.03.02.

The Bottom Line

Loveland is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Loveland, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Loveland's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.