Animal Ordinances in Chandler, AZ (2026)
9 verified animal ordinances for Chandler, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Chandler bars keeping any animal or fowl, livestock included, within 200 feet of a neighboring residence unless that neighbor signs a written consent allowing it. Sec. 14-3 exempts household pets and code-compliant backyard chickens, but horses, goats, pigs, and other farm animals anywhere in the city must clear the buffer or get the neighbor's signed permission.
Chandler 200-Foot Rule for Keeping Livestock
Some RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-3
14-3. - Consent required to keep animals within two hundred feet of residences; exceptions as to household pets. No animal or fowl of any kind, except household pets and chickens kept in accordance with Article III of this chapter, shall be kept or permitted in the City within a distance of two hundred (200) feet from the residence of any person, except the owner of the animal or fowl, or excep...
Dog Leash Laws
Chandler makes it a violation for a dog to be at large on any public street, park or property. A dog is not considered at large if it's on a leash, chain, rope or cord no longer than six feet and strong enough to control it, or confined within a suitable enclosure.
Chandler Dog At-Large and Leash Rule
Some RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-22
C. If any dog is at large on the public streets, public parks or public property, then said dog's owner or custodian is in violation of this article. D. Any custodian of a dog or person whose dog is at large is in violation of this article. A dog is not at large: 1. If said dog is restrained by a leash, chain, rope, or cord not more than six (6) feet in length, and of sufficient strength to con...
Breed Restrictions
Chandler has no breed-specific ban; instead it uses a behavior-based hearing process. Anyone, including a County Animal Control Officer, can petition a City Magistrate to declare an animal vicious, and after a hearing the Court can order insurance, secure confinement, a warning sign, sterilization, or destruction.
Chandler Vicious Animal Declaration Process
Significant RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-26.1
14-26.1 Viciousness determination. A. Any person, including a County Animal Control Officer, having reasonable grounds to believe an animal is vicious may petition a City Magistrate for a determination that the animal is vicious. ... C. After notice to the owner of the animal, the City Magistrate shall conduct a hearing. The hearing shall be informal and open to the public. Oral and documentary...
Exotic Pets
Chandler makes it unlawful to keep any poisonous reptile or poisonous snake anywhere in the city, with no permit path in the animal chapter. The same chapter separately bans keeping hogs, pigs, donkeys, jacks, jennies, burros and roosters within city limits.
Chandler Bans Poisonous Snakes and Reptiles
Heavy RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-2
14-2. - Poisonous snakes and reptiles prohibited. It shall be unlawful within the City to keep any poisonous reptile or poisonous snake. (Ord. No. 274; Ord. No. 3044, § 2, 11-4-99)
Pet Limits
Chandler makes animal hoarding a crime: owning, keeping or harboring animals in numbers or conditions injurious to their health or welfare is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Courts can order restitution for care costs and bar a convicted hoarder from owning animals during probation.
Chandler Animal Hoarding Is a Misdemeanor
Significant RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-37(A),(B)
A. Person commits animal hoarding if a person owns, possesses, keeps, harbors, or maintains a number of animals in a quantity and under circumstances injurious to the health or welfare of any animal or person. ... B. Penalty: 1. A person in violation of this section shall be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor and shall be punished in accordance with Section 1-8 of Chapter 1 of this Code.
Cat Rules
Chandler impounds stray cats the same as stray dogs and holds them at the pound at least 72 hours before disposal. Owners can reclaim an impounded cat by proving ownership and paying all pound fees; unclaimed cats may be placed for sale or humanely disposed of after the hold expires.
Chandler Cat Impound and Reclaim Rules
Some RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-23
14-23. - Establishment of pounds; impounding and disposing of dogs and cats; reclaiming impounded dogs and cats; pound fees. A. Any stray dog shall be impounded. All dogs and cats impounded shall be given proper care and maintenance. B. Each stray dog or any cat impounded shall be kept and maintained at the pound for a minimum of seventy-two (72) hours unless claimed by its owner. Any person ma...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Chandler has no citywide law requiring pet owners to spay or neuter their animals. The only spay/neuter mandate in the Code arises after a City Magistrate formally declares a specific animal vicious under a Chapter 14 petition process: the court may then order that animal be spayed or neutered as one of several protective conditions.
Chandler Vicious Animal Spay/Neuter Order
Light RestrictionsChandler City Code § 14-26.2(G)
14-26.2 Disposition of vicious animals. Upon determining an animal to be vicious, the Court shall enter such orders, as it deems necessary to protect the public. The Court may order, but is not limited to the following: ... G. That the animal be spayed or neutered.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Chandler's zoning table allows a veterinarian hospital or clinic by right only in the C-2 and C-3 commercial districts: it's not a listed use in C-1 or either industrial district. The permitted use is conditioned on keeping all equipment, animal storage and services wholly inside the principal building, so outdoor kennels or exercise yards at a veterinary clinic fall outside what the table allows.
Chandler Veterinary Clinic Zoning Districts
Some RestrictionsChandler Zoning Code § 35-2100, Table of Permitted Uses for Nonresidential Districts
Veterinarian hospital or clinic All equipment, storage of animals and services are wholly contained within the principal building [Table of Permitted Uses for Nonresidential Districts, columns C-1 | C-2 | C-3 | I-1 | I-2 — marked permitted (X) under C-2 and C-3 only, blank under C-1, I-1 and I-2]
Bird Protection
Chandler City Code § 31-5G makes it unlawful in any city park or facility to take, kill, wound, disturb or mistreat any bird or animal, wild or domesticated, unless the Community Services Director has declared it noxious.
Chandler Bans Harming Birds and Wildlife in Parks
Some RestrictionsChandler City Code § 31-5G
G. Mistreatment of animals. Taking, killing, wounding, disturbing or mistreating any bird or animal, either wild or domesticated, unless such animal shall have been declared noxious by the Director.
Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chandler city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Maricopa County →