Animal Ordinances in Chesapeake, VA (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for Chesapeake, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Chesapeake's swine-keeping rules govern any small-scale livestock operation the City still allows: swine must comply with the zoning ordinance, and any facility inside an agricultural zoning district needs at least 50 feet from a neighbor's lot, 100 feet from a public street, 800 feet from a public building, and 400 feet from an existing house. Violations are a Class 2 misdemeanor, charged per day.
Chesapeake: Keeping Swine and Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-18
(a)Applicability. All persons keeping swine in the City shall comply with this section.(b)Zoning compliance. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep swine within the City except in accordance with the zoning ordinance of the City. ... (2)No stalls, stables, pens, sties or related facilities, including grazing areas, located within an agricultural zoning district shall be constructed, recons...
Dog Leash Laws
Chesapeake bans letting a dog roam off its owner's property without a fence, chain, or leash controlling it. Animal Services can impound any loose dog, and owners of dogs caught running in a pack face a $50 per-dog civil penalty; running at large alone is a class 4 misdemeanor under Sec. 10-42.
Chesapeake: Dogs Running at Large Prohibited
Some RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-42
It shall be unlawful for any dog, cat, or other domestic, companion animal, livestock, fowl, exotic, or wild animal held under captivity, to run at large in the city. For the purpose of this section, a dog, cat, or other domestic animal, or any such companion animal, livestock, fowl, exotic, or wild animal held under captivity, shall be deemed to be running at large while roaming or running off...
Breed Restrictions
Chesapeake does not impose breed-specific restrictions. Virginia prohibits localities from adopting breed-specific bans under VA Code section 3.2-6540.1. Dangerous and vicious dog designations are behavior-based under VA Code section 3.2-6540 regardless of breed.
Animals: Breed Restrictions
Few RestrictionsVa. Code Ann. § 3.2-6540.1 - Vicious dogs; penalty
"Vicious dog" means a canine or canine crossbreed that has (i) killed a person, (ii) inflicted serious injury to a person, or (iii) continued to exhibit the behavior that resulted in a previous finding by a court or, on or before July 1, 2006, by an animal control officer as authorized by ordinance that it is a dangerous dog, provided that its owner has been given notice of that finding. B.
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is allowed throughout Chesapeake subject to City Code Chapter 10 setback rules and state-level registration under VA Code section 3.2-4400 et seq. Hives must be registered annually with the Virginia Department of Agriculture (VDACS) State Apiarist.
Animals: Beekeeping
Few RestrictionsVa. Code Ann. § 3.2-4400 - Beekeeping; definitions (Chapter 44)
"Apiary" means any place where one or more colonies of bees are kept. "Appliance" means any apparatus, tool, machine, or other device used in the handling and manipulating of bees, honey, wax, hives, and hive parts and shall include containers used in transporting, processing, storing, or merchandising bees and bee products. "Bee" means the honeybee, Apis mellifera and genetic variations thereo...
Exotic Pets
Keeping a wild, exotic, or poisonous animal as a pet anywhere in Chesapeake requires a permit from the Animal Services Unit under Sec. 10-49. The list covers monkeys, wolves, big cats, large reptiles, and venomous species, and applicants with a prior cruelty or dangerous-animal conviction cannot get one.
Chesapeake: Wild and Exotic Animal Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-49
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or permit to be kept upon his or her premises within the City limits any wild or exotic animal or any poisonous animal as a pet or for exhibition purposes, whether gratuitously or for a fee, without a permit from the Animal Services Unit. This section shall not apply to zoological parks, circuses, performing animal exhibitions, veterinary clinics, med...
Cat Rules
Every cat four months or older in Chesapeake must carry a City license, renewed each calendar year through Chesapeake Animal Services. The tax is $10.00 for an intact cat and $5.00 for a sterilized one, and Sec. 10-42's running-at-large ban covers cats exactly like dogs, so an unlicensed or loose cat can be impounded.
Chesapeake: Cat Licensing and Tax Requirements
Some RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-62
(a)Except as otherwise provided in this article, it shall be unlawful for any person other than a releasing agency, as defined in Virginia Code § 3.2-6500, that has registered as such annually with local animal control to own a dog or cat four months old or older or operate a kennel or cattery in this city unless such dog, cat, cattery or kennel is licensed as required by this division.(b)Dog, ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Chesapeake does not require sterilizing every dog or cat, but a court can order it. If a dog or cat is found in general district court to be a habitual-nuisance repeat offender, its owner can be ordered to have it surgically sterilized within 60 days of conviction, and dangerous dogs must already be neutered or spayed before their owner can register them.
Chesapeake: Court-Ordered Spay/Neuter for Nuisance Dogs
Some RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-45
In addition to any other penalties for a conviction of subsection (a)(6) of this section, the owner of any unspayed or unneutered dog or cat determined to have caused the violation may be court ordered to cause such dog or cat to be surgically sterilized within 60 days of said conviction. Such owner shall be required to provide proof of the sterilization to the Animal Services Unit within seven...
Microchipping
Every dog or cat adopted from Chesapeake Animal Services must be sterilized, vaccinated against rabies, and implanted with a microchip before release, unless the procedure would endanger the animal's health. Adoption fees run $75.00 for a cat and $110.00 for a dog, with a discount to $50.00 for senior, large, or medically compromised dogs.
Chesapeake: Microchip Rule for Adopted Pets
Some RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-44.1
(a)Any person desiring to adopt a dog or cat shall:(1)Prior to such adoption, pay to Chesapeake Animal Services an adoption fee of $75.00 for any cat, and $110.00 for any dog, with the exception of dogs estimated to be seven years of age or older and weighing greater than 20 pounds, or has a known medical condition, as approved by the Animal Shelter Manager, for which the adoption fee shall be ...
Pet Store Rules
Chesapeake requires every pet shop selling dogs or cats to hold an annual $50 license from Chesapeake Animal Services under City Code Sec. 10-63.1, pass a pre-license property inspection, and submit to annual compliance inspections while it sells dogs or cats. The city can deny or revoke a license for fraudulent sourcing claims or inhumane treatment, and operating unlicensed is a class 3 misdemeanor.
Chesapeake Pet Shop Licensing and Sourcing Rules
Significant RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Sec. 10-63.1
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a pet shop, as the term is defined in Virginia Code § 3.2-6500, in this city without a valid license issued under this article. Such license shall not be transferable and shall expire at the end of each calendar year, unless otherwise revoked. The revenues derived from the license tax shall be used for the administration and enforcement of this ...
Bird Protection
Chesapeake declares concentrated pigeons a public nuisance and lets a property owner ask the Chief of Police, in writing, to authorize an officer to kill or scatter the birds. The same ordinance protects homing pigeons absolutely: killing, trapping, or poisoning one owned by someone else is a class 3 misdemeanor.
Chesapeake: Pigeon Nuisance and Homing Pigeon Rules
Some RestrictionsChesapeake City Code Secs. 10-8, 10-9
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person at any time or in any manner to hunt, pursue, take, capture, wound, maim, disfigure or kill any homing pigeon of another person or to make use of any pit or pitfall, scaffold, cage, snare, trap, net, baited hook or similar device or drug, poison, chemical or explosive for the purpose of injuring, capturing or killing any such homing pigeon. However, any of...