Animal Ordinances in Eugene, OR (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Eugene, Oregon, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Eugene's EC 9.5250 Urban Animal Keeping Standards, current through Ordinance 20739, let residents on lots under 20,000 square feet keep up to six chickens or domestic fowl over six months old plus six juveniles, with roosters, geese, peacocks and turkeys always banned, alongside rabbits, miniature goats, a miniature pig or honey bees.
Eugene Backyard Chicken and Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsEC 9.5250(4)(a)
(4) Animals Allowed. (a) On development sites of less than 20,000 square feet and located in a zone that allows “Urban Animal Keeping,” any two of the following four categories of animals are allowed: 1. Chickens and Domestic Fowl. Up to 6 of any combination of chickens and domestic fowl over six months of age and up to 6 of any combination of chickens and domestic fowl under six months of age....
Dog Leash Laws
Eugene bans letting a dog run at large anywhere in the city under EC 4.425, and treats an owner as automatically negligent if an at-large dog hurts a person or damages property. The rule also reaches dogs in field training and in off-leash dog parks. Current through Ordinance 20739.
Eugene Dogs at Large Prohibited
Some RestrictionsEC 4.425
(1) No dog owner shall permit a dog to be at large. (2) A dog owner is deemed to be negligent per se for the actions of a dog at large, or a dog undergoing field training, or a dog in a dog-off-leash area, when the dog causes injury to a person or property.
Breed Restrictions
Eugene has no breed-based dog ban: EC 4.435 classifies a dog as 'potentially dangerous' purely on what it did, sorted into five escalating behavior levels from menacing livestock up to killing or seriously injuring a person. A Level 4 or 5 dog must be muzzled and leashed off-property, and a Level 5 dog can be euthanized by court order. Current through Ordinance 20739.
Eugene Potentially Dangerous Dog Classification
Significant RestrictionsEC 4.435
(1) The purpose of this section is to establish a procedure whereby dogs that pose a reasonably significant threat of causing serious injury to humans, domestic animals or livestock or property are identified and subjected to precautionary restrictions in order to prevent initial or additional injuries. (a) Level 1 behavior is established if a dog at large is found to menace, chase, display...
Wildlife Feeding
EC 6.020 flatly bans feeding wildlife anywhere in Eugene: "No person shall feed wildlife within the city." The code's own definition of wildlife is narrow, covering only deer, raccoon, wild turkey, bear, cougar, coyote and wolf, and "feed" reaches leaving out food, garbage or any other attractant that lures those animals.
Eugene Prohibits Feeding Wildlife Citywide
Heavy RestrictionsEC 6.020
No person shall feed wildlife within the city.
Pet Limits
Eugene doesn't set a flat numeric pet cap; instead, keeping four or more dogs over six months old on one property makes it a 'kennel' under EC 9.0500, which triggers the kennel-license requirement of EC 4.400. Below that threshold, dogs are licensed individually and no kennel permit is needed.
Eugene Kennel License Dog Threshold
Some RestrictionsEC 9.0500; EC 4.400(1)
Kennel. An establishment or premises on which 4 or more dogs over 6 months of age are kept or maintained, whether by owners of the dogs or by persons providing facilities and care, and whether or not for compensation, not including the temporary keeping of one additional dog for up to 6 months in any 12-month period. [EC 9.0500] ... (1) No person shall operate a kennel, whether commercial or no...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Eugene requires anyone who adopts or buys an animal from the city's animal regulation authority, or from any other agency that takes in unwanted or abandoned animals, to have it spayed or neutered under EC 4.390(8). Animals over six months old must be fixed within one month of the transfer; younger animals get six months.
Eugene Shelter-Adopted Animal Spay/Neuter Rule
Some RestrictionsEC 4.390(8)
(8) If an animal is adopted or sold from the animal regulation authority or from any other agency which accepts unwanted or abandoned animals, the owner must have the animal spayed or neutered within six months from the date of sale if the animal is too young to be spayed or neutered immediately. If an animal over six months old is adopted or sold by an agency which accepts unwanted or abandone...
Bird Protection
Eugene bans heavy machinery within 300 feet of identified bird nesting areas in the NR Natural Resource zone and /WB wetland buffer overlay during nesting season: February 20 through June 30 near significant waterfowl nests, and May 1 through August 30 near significant shorebird and wading bird nests, under EC 9.2530(6)(a). The Eugene Code is current through Ordinance 20739, passed June 8, 2026.
Eugene Bird Nesting Season Construction Limits
Some RestrictionsEC 9.2530(6)(a)
(6) Construction Practices: (a) Within the NR zone and areas with the /WB overlay zone, construction or other use of heavy machinery is prohibited or restricted as described in this subsection. Use of heavy machinery is prohibited: 1. Between February 20 and June 30 of the same year within 300 feet of any significant waterfowl nesting areas identified in adopted plans or policies or by the Oreg...
Wildlife Rescue Permits
Eugene's EC 9.5850 Wildlife Care Center Standards let a property take in injured or orphaned wildlife for rehabilitation, but only if a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator occupies the site, bears, wolves, cougars and other carnivores over 80 pounds are barred, and no commercial breeding, sale or trade of wildlife is allowed.
Eugene Wildlife Care Center Standards
Significant RestrictionsEC 9.5850
(1) Commercial activities are not allowed. Breeding or raising wildlife for sale or trade, or the sale or trade of animal products is not permitted. (2) All wildlife that are being cared for must be kept indoors or within an area that is bounded by a site-obscuring fence. Enclosures shall be designed and constructed in a manner that is sturdy enough to prevent escape and access to their interio...
Looking for Lane County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Eugene city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Lane County →