Animal Ordinances in Newark, OH: What Residents Actually Need to Know

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

Dog Leash Laws

Newark CO §618.01 requires every dog beyond the owner's premises to be securely restrained by a leash and under reasonable control. Animals running at large are subject to impoundment by Newark Animal Control.

Key details: Code Sections: §618.01, §618.051, §618.12. Leash Required: Yes, off owner's premises. Enforcement: Newark Animal Control + Licking Co. Warden. Animal Control Phone: 740-670-7277. First Offense: Minor misdemeanor (up to $150).

First offense is a minor misdemeanor (up to $150 fine). Repeat offenses escalate to fourth-degree (up to $250) and beyond under §698.02. Impoundment fees and daily boarding costs are added if the city must take custody.

Exotic Pets

Newark CO §618.22 limits any premises to no more than two restricted animals (or one vicious dog) more than three months old, and requires a $30-per-animal city permit plus a locked, escape-proof enclosure.

Key details: Code Section: Newark CO §618.22. Animal Cap: 2 restricted (or 1 vicious dog). Age Threshold: 3+ months. Permit Fee: $30 per animal / year. Enclosure: Locked, escape-proof.

Violations follow the §698.02 general-penalty ladder - minor misdemeanor first, fourth-degree misdemeanor on repeats (up to $250). Unpermitted dangerous-animal possession can be charged at higher degrees if Ohio R.C. 955.99 applies.

Compared to other cities, Newark takes a harder line on exotic pets. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Chickens & Livestock

Newark's Zoning Code (Ord. 08-33) limits agricultural uses including the keeping of poultry and livestock to agricultural and certain residential-suburban (R-S) zones. Most R-1/R-2/R-3 residential lots in the city are not zoned for backyard chickens.

Key details: Authority: Newark Zoning Code (Ord. 08-33). Permitted Zones: Agricultural, R-S (with conditions). Urban Residential: Not permitted in R-1/R-2/R-3. Roosters: Often violate §634.04(a)(1). Verify Zoning: Newark Engineering & Zoning (740) 670-7740.

Zoning violations are typically prosecuted as fourth-degree misdemeanors under §698.02 - up to $250 fine, 30 days jail - with each day a separate offense. Animal-noise complaints (rooster crowing) escalate under §634.04.

Breed Restrictions

Newark repealed its breed-specific 'pit bull = vicious dog' designation in April 2016 via Ordinance 16-07A. Vicious-dog status is now based on the individual dog's behavior under §618.15, mirroring Ohio R.C. 955.11.

Key details: Breed-Specific Ban: None (repealed 2016). Repeal Ordinance: Ord. 16-07A. Vicious Standard: Behavior-based, §618.15. Vicious Dog Cap: 1 per premises. Permit Fee: $30/year.

Failing to control a vicious dog and keeping it without the §618.22 permit and enclosure carry the §698.02 penalties - typically a fourth-degree misdemeanor (up to $250 fine, 30 days jail). Bite incidents can escalate under Ohio R.C. 955.99.

The rules around breed restrictions in Newark lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Wildlife Feeding

Newark CO §618.18 prohibits any animal from being on a city sidewalk unless leashed and under control, and §618.01's running-at-large rule effectively bars unrestrained wildlife feeding that draws strays. Newark has no standalone wildlife-feeding ordinance.

Key details: Code Section: Newark CO §618.18. Wildlife Feeding Rule: No city-specific ban. State Authority: Ohio Division of Wildlife. Penalty: Minor → 4th-degree misdemeanor.

Section 618.18 violations are minor misdemeanors (up to $150) for a first offense and fourth-degree misdemeanors (up to $250) on repeats.

Beekeeping

Newark has no city ordinance specifically authorizing or banning urban beekeeping. Beekeeping is generally permitted as a customary residential accessory use as long as hives don't create a nuisance under the Property Maintenance Code or animal-related noise rules.

Key details: City Ordinance: None specific. State Authority: Ohio R.C. 909 (Apiary). Registration: Ohio Dept. of Agriculture. Best Practice: 10 ft setback + water source.

No Newark-specific beekeeping penalty. Nuisance abatement under Ohio R.C. 3767 can include forced hive removal; municipal nuisance citations under §698.02 can reach $250/day.

The rules around beekeeping in Newark lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Livestock

Newark's Zoning Code restricts livestock (cattle, horses, goats, sheep, pigs) to Agricultural (AD) and certain Suburban Residence (R-S) districts with adequate acreage. Most platted residential lots in R-1/R-2/R-3 zones cannot keep livestock.

Key details: Authority: Newark Zoning Code (Ord. 08-33). Permitted Zones: AD, R-S with acreage. Excluded: R-1, R-2, R-3 typical city lots. Mini Pigs: Restricted animal under §618.22.

Keeping livestock in a non-permitted zone is a zoning violation under §698.02 - typically fourth-degree misdemeanor (up to $250) per day, with abatement orders to remove the animals.

Microchipping

Newark CO §618.08 (Registration of Dogs Required) layers atop Ohio R.C. 955.01 to require every dog over three months old to be registered with the Licking County Auditor's office. Tags must be displayed on the dog at all times.

Key details: Code Section: Newark CO §618.08. State Authority: Ohio R.C. 955.01. Age Threshold: 3+ months. Registration Year: Jan 1 - Dec 31. Issuing Office: Licking County Auditor.

Failure to register or display a tag is a minor misdemeanor under Ohio R.C. 955.99 - up to $150 fine. Impoundment fees, late tag penalties, and boarding charges accumulate separately.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Newark gives residents more room on animal ordinances. 2 of the 8 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects Newark'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.