How Sioux Falls Handles Animal Ordinances: A Practical Guide

Sioux Falls maintains 135 local ordinances across all categories, and 11 of those deal specifically with animal ordinances. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Sioux Falls falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

In Sioux Falls's C commercial district, veterinary clinics are a permitted special use only if there is no outside kenneling of dogs: otherwise a conditional use permit is required before the clinic can operate.

Key details: Governing section: § 158.157(b). District: C commercial district. Key condition: No outside kenneling of dogs. Fallback path: Conditional use permit required. Review process: §§ 158.370–158.382 hearing.

Operating a veterinary clinic in the C district with outdoor dog kenneling, without first securing the required conditional use permit, is a zoning violation the city can cite and order corrected.

Chickens & Livestock

Sioux Falls prohibits keeping livestock within city limits unless the property is zoned AG, Agricultural District, under § 90.008(f).

Key details: Livestock allowed: Only on AG-zoned property. Chickens/rabbits without permit: Up to 6, no license. Roosters: Always prohibited. Max penalty: $500 fine or 30 days jail.

Violating § 90.008 draws the Code's general penalty under § 10.999: a fine up to $500, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Sioux Falls actively enforces its chickens & livestock requirements.

Microchipping

Sioux Falls doesn't require microchips for ordinary pets, but any animal the chief of police declares "restricted" (vicious) must be permanently microchipped and the chip number filed with animal control.

Key details: Trigger: Animal declared "restricted" by police chief. Deadline to register: 15 days after written notice. Also applies to: TNR community cats, § 90.018(c). Enforcement: Sioux Falls Animal Control. Non-compliance result: Impoundment, possible euthanasia.

Restricted animals not brought into compliance, including the microchip requirement, are impounded at the owner's expense and may be euthanized if conditions remain unmet.

Beekeeping

Sioux Falls requires a $50 annual permit, a beekeeping class, and zoning eligibility before anyone can keep honeybee colonies, capping density at four hives per lot.

Key details: Permit fee: $50 initial, $25 to renew. Colony density: 2 per 2,000 sq ft, 4 max. Hive setback: 25 ft from occupied buildings. Neighbor consent: 80% within 100 ft on DD/AD1 lots. Enforcement: Annual animal-control inspection.

Keeping bees without a permit, exceeding density limits, or maintaining a hive found to be a nuisance can bring general-penalty fines under § 10.999, permit revocation, or a city order to destroy or relocate the colony.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Sioux Falls actively enforces its beekeeping requirements.

Coyote Management

Sioux Falls bans placing unnatural food sources that attract deer on any property in city limits, the code's main tool for managing urban deer and the wildlife they draw, including coyotes.

Key details: Rule: No unnatural food sources that attract deer. Defense: Food kept 5+ feet up, inaccessible to deer. Hunting: Banned citywide, § 90.014. Trapping: Requires police chief permission, § 90.013. Max penalty: $500 fine or 30 days jail.

General penalty under § 10.999: up to a $500 fine, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both; each day the food source remains is a separate offense.

Wildlife Feeding

Sioux Falls bans feeding waterfowl in city parks and bike trails, and bans keeping ice open on Covell Lake or Family Park lakes to attract them.

Key details: Rule: No feeding waterfowl in parks/bike trails. Exempted parks: Arrowhead Park, Great Plains Zoo. Aerators/ice-breaking: Banned on Covell Lake, Family Park lakes. Max penalty: $500 fine and/or 30 days jail.

General penalty under § 10.999: up to a $500 fine, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both; each day of violation is a separate offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Sioux Falls actively enforces its wildlife feeding requirements.

Pet Limits

Sioux Falls limits households to four pets over six months old per lot, not counting birds or fish, unless the property has a kennel conditional use permit.

Key details: Pet cap: 4 per lot, no permit. Age threshold: Over 6 months old. Excluded species: Birds and fish don't count. Workaround: Kennel conditional use permit. Max fine: $500, 30 days jail.

Keeping more than four qualifying pets without a kennel permit is a general penalty violation: up to a $500 fine, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Breed Restrictions

Sioux Falls has no breed ban: dogs are declared "restricted" or "vicious" by the police chief based on bite or attack behavior, not breed.

Key details: Basis: Behavior-based, not breed-based. Declaring authority: Chief of police. Restricted-dog registration window: 15 days after notice. Required insurance (restricted): $100,000 liability coverage. Vicious-dog outcome: Unlawful to own; euthanized.

Failing to register or comply with restricted-animal conditions: animal impounded, and it may be destroyed if unclaimed or noncompliant. A vicious declaration requires euthanasia; conviction penalties run under the general Code penalty section, § 10.999.

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

Cat Rules

Every cat six months or older in Sioux Falls must carry a city license within 30 days of acquisition, while Humane Society-approved caregivers may trap-neuter-return feral community cats without impoundment for simply being at large.

Key details: License required: Cats 6 months or older. License term: 1 or 3 years. Fixed cat fee: $5 (1yr) / $15 (3yr). Unfixed cat fee: $25 (1yr) / $75 (3yr). Community cats: Exempt from at-large impound.

No license-specific fine is listed, so unlicensed cats fall under the Code's general penalty: up to a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail, with each day a separate offense (§ 10.999).

Dog Leash Laws

Sioux Falls bans letting a dog run at large off its owner's property unless it's on a leash under someone's control, with tougher fines for repeat offenders.

Key details: Leash max length: 6 feet. Reckless owner trigger: 3rd violation in 12 months. Base penalty: Up to $500 fine. Off-leash exception: Designated dog parks only.

Fine up to $500 and/or up to 30 days in county jail under the general penalty (§ 10.999); reckless-owner fine doubles on a 3rd offense within 12 months.

Exotic Pets

Sioux Falls outlaws keeping bears, big cats, native fur bearers, endangered species, exotic animals, or venomous snakes anywhere in the city, with narrow zoo and circus exceptions.

Key details: Governing section: Sioux Falls Code § 90.008(d). Banned examples: Bears, mountain lions, bobcats, lynx, venomous snakes. Exotic animal defined: § 90.001: any non-native U.S. species. Exemptions: Licensed zoo, circus, or menagerie only. Penalty basis: General penalty, § 10.999.

Violating § 90.008 is enforced under the general penalty at § 10.999; the animal control officer may seize the animal and issue a citation for each day the violation continues.

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

The Bottom Line

Sioux Falls is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 11 rules covered here, 5 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Sioux Falls, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Sioux Falls's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.