How West Valley City Handles Animal Ordinances: A Practical Guide
West Valley City maintains 122 local ordinances across all categories, and 9 of those deal specifically with animal ordinances. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where West Valley City falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Dog Leash Laws
West Valley City bans letting any dog run at large citywide and defines restraint as being on a leash, in a vehicle, or on the owner's property.
Key details: Citywide rule: No animal may run at large. Restraint definition: Leash, vehicle, or owner's property. Park leash length: Max 6 feet (§ 4-1-103). Liability standard: Strict liability on owner.
Strict liability for the owner regardless of precaution; enforced by Animal Control Division / peace officers, with park violations tied to Ch. 4-1's per-day class B misdemeanor.
Pet Store Rules
West Valley City doesn't ban retail pet sales; it requires any kennel, cattery, pet shop, or groomery to hold an Animal Control Division regulatory permit approved by three city departments.
Key details: Retail sale ban: None. Permit required: Yes, for pet shops/kennels. Approving agencies: Animal Control, Health, Planning. Permit expires: Every December 31.
Operating a pet shop, kennel, or cattery without a regulatory permit is unlawful under § 23-7-101(1), enforceable under the Title's general penalty provisions.
West Valley City is more permissive than most cities when it comes to pet store rules. That said, there are still limits.
Chickens & Livestock
In West Valley City's Agricultural zones, keeping livestock is a permitted use capped at 200 'Animal points' per acre, large animals like horses cost 40 points, small ones like chickens cost one, under Section 7-6-205.
Key details: Point cap (Ag zones): 200 points per acre. Large animal (horse, cattle): 40 points each. Small animal (chicken, rabbit): 1 point each. Rooster/crowing hen: 20 points each. Structure setback from dwelling: 40 feet minimum.
Keeping more animal points than a parcel's acreage allows, or housing animals in structures closer than 40 feet to a dwelling, is a zoning violation subject to code enforcement.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
West Valley City confines Veterinary Hospitals to a one-acre minimum lot under Municipal Code § 7-7-127, and the Agricultural and Residential Use Table permits them only in Agricultural zones, as a conditional use, and the RB zone, by right. Running a veterinary practice as a Home Occupation is barred outright.
Key details: Minimum lot size: 1 acre, citywide. Zone status: RB: Permitted by right. Zone status: Agricultural (A/A-1/A-2): Conditional use only. Zone status: other residential zones: Prohibited outright. Home Occupation status: Expressly excluded, even in RB zone.
Operating a Veterinary Hospital on a lot under one acre, outside the zones permitted by § 7-6-201, or as a Home Occupation despite the § 7-7-115(6)a exclusion, is a Municipal Code violation. Section 1-1-109 makes an unspecified violation a Class B misdemeanor, and the Community and Economic Development and Community Preservation Departments can inspect the property and pursue enforcement under § 7-1-113. Appeals of a Planning Commission Conditional Use denial for a Veterinary Hospital in an Agricultural zone go to the Board of Adjustment within 10 days under § 7-1-114.
Breed Restrictions
West Valley City does not ban dog breeds by name, but any dog declared "vicious" under Municipal Code § 23-1-102(35) faces strict registration: $25,000 liability insurance, a permanent tattoo, warning signage, a locked escape-proof enclosure, and a City-designated collar, all administered by the Animal Control Division under Chapter 23-8.
Key details: Governing law: No breed ban; conduct-based vicious dog declaration. Required insurance: $25,000 liability policy naming City as insured. Tethering limit: 300-lb chain, 3 feet, muzzled outside enclosure. Penalty: Class B misdemeanor plus impoundment. Appeal window: 10 days to District Court.
Keeping an unlicensed, uninsured, untattooed, uncollared or improperly confined vicious dog is a Class B misdemeanor under Section 23-8-104, and the dog is impounded by Animal Control or police. Failing to comply with a final Hearing Officer order to register, remove or destroy a vicious dog is also a Class B misdemeanor under Section 23-8-105(6), and the City may seize the dog at the owner's expense for a seven-day redemption period.
This is one of the stricter rules in West Valley City's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.
Cat Rules
West Valley City requires every cat over four months old to be licensed annually, caps household cats at two per address, and bans letting any cat run at large.
Key details: Cat limit per address: 2 cats. License renewal: Annually, 30-day window. At-large rule: Unlawful, strict liability. Feral colony ordinance: None in this title.
Unlicensed cat, cat at large: infraction/misdemeanor citation and possible impoundment under Ch. 23-6; owners in violation 3+ times in 12 months risk license revocation for one year.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
West Valley City doesn't mandate sterilizing every pet, but any licensable animal or cat redeemed from impound or adopted from the shelter must be spayed or neutered.
Key details: Blanket pet mandate: None. Redemption condition: Spay/neuter proof in 30 days. Adoption condition: Sterilized before/soon after. Missed deadline penalty: Class C misdemeanor.
Failure to return proof of sterilization within 30 days of redemption: Class C misdemeanor, immediate re-impoundment; deposit forfeited if proof not shown within three months.
Exotic Pets
West Valley City makes it unlawful to keep, sell, or harbor any wild animal that is fierce, dangerous, noxious, or naturally inclined to harm, with narrow institutional exceptions.
Key details: Banned: Fierce/dangerous wild animals as pets. Examples: Bears, big cats, wolves, primates. Also covers: Weasels, venomous snakes, skunks. Exempt: Zoos, shelters, vets, labs only.
Keeping, selling, or harboring a prohibited wild animal outside an exempt facility violates Section 23-5-107 and is enforceable under Title 23's animal control penalty provisions.
Compared to other cities, West Valley City takes a harder line on exotic pets. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Pet Limits
West Valley City caps Household Pets at four animals per address, including no more than two cats, two dogs, and two pot-bellied pigs, to curb overcrowding.
Key details: Total pet cap: 4 per address. Cats/dogs/pigs: max 2 each. Exempt: kittens/puppies excluded. Enforcement: Title 10, civil penalties.
Keeping more than four Household Pets, or more than two of any capped species, violates § 7-2-122(5); the City can enforce under Title 10 with civil penalties from the Consolidated Fee Schedule.
The Bottom Line
West Valley City is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in West Valley City, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.
Keep in mind that West Valley City can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.