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Animal Ordinances in Florissant, MO (2026)

12 verified animal ordinances for Florissant, Missouri, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Chickens & Livestock

Florissant bans keeping chickens, turkeys, and other livestock on residential property under Section 205.350 unless the owner obtains a City Council-approved keeping permit through Section 205.360; the ban does not apply to land actually operated as a farm, per Section 205.370.

Florissant Backyard Chicken and Livestock Permit

Significant Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances §§ 205.350, 205.370

No person may keep upon his/her premises any ponies, horses, mules, jennets, bulls, cows, calves, sheep, hogs, pigs, goats, minks, rabbits, skunks, ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens, turkeys, bees, including honeybees, or other domestic animals, fowl or bees except as provided by this Article. ... Provisions set out in Sections 205.350 and 205.360 shall not apply to any premises within the City w...

Dog Leash Laws

Florissant requires every owner to keep dogs, cats and other animals on their own premises. Section 205.240 fines an owner whose animal is caught running at large starting at $25 for a first offense and rising to $500 by the fifth offense within twelve months.

Florissant Leash Law and At-Large Fines

Some Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances § 205.240

It shall be the duty of any person owning or having custody of any animal or fowl, including domestic animals required by permit per Section 205.360, to keep such animal(s) or fowl on the premises of such owner or custodian. The owner or custodian of any animal or fowl found running at large off of the premises of such owner or custodian, upon their conviction, shall be fined for the first (1st...

Breed Restrictions

Florissant defines "pit bull" by breed and physical traits under City Code Section 205.395 and bars anyone from breeding or transferring pit bull offspring without a permit from the Director of Public Works and Health. A first unpermitted breeding violation draws up to a $500 fine; a repeat offense can bring up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Florissant Pit Bull Breeding Permit Rules

Significant Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances § 205.395

A. Definitions. 1. ... "Pit bull" means any pit bull that is an American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any pit bull displaying the physical traits of any one (1) or more of the above breeds, or any pit bull exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics that conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club ("AKC") or United Ken...

Beekeeping

Keeping bees, including honeybees, on residential property in Florissant is unlawful under Section 205.350 unless the owner first obtains a City Council permit under Section 205.360, which requires a written application, site drawings, and written consent from a majority of contiguous neighbors.

Florissant Beekeeping Permit Requirement

Significant Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances §§ 205.350, 205.360

No person may keep upon his/her premises any ponies, horses, mules, jennets, bulls, cows, calves, sheep, hogs, pigs, goats, minks, rabbits, skunks, ducks, geese, pigeons, chickens, turkeys, bees, including honeybees, or other domestic animals, fowl or bees except as provided by this Article. ... Any person desiring to keep any domestic animals, fowl or bees except for the usual domestic animal ...

Exotic Pets

Florissant's animal regulations (Chapter 205) follow state law (RSMo §578.023) prohibiting dangerous wild animals without local law enforcement registration. Wild, undomesticated, and inherently dangerous animals are not permitted in Florissant's residential areas.

Florissant Exotic & Wild Animal Regulations

Heavy Restrictions

RSMo Section 578.023

578.023. Keeping a dangerous wild animal — penalty. — 1. A person commits the offense of keeping a dangerous wild animal if he or she keeps any lion, tiger, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, cheetah, margay, mountain lion, Canada lynx, bobcat, jaguarundi, hyena, wolf, bear, nonhuman primate, coyote, any deadly, dangerous, or poisonous reptile, or any deadly or dangerous reptile over eight feet long, in ...

Pet Limits

Florissant caps the usual household pets a resident can keep without a permit at four. Section 205.380 exempts the usual domestic animals and fowl, such as usual children's pets, from the Article IV keeping-permit scheme only if they do not exceed four in number.

Florissant Four-Pet Limit for Households

Some Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances § 205.380

Nothing in this Article shall prohibit the keeping of the usual domestic animals and fowl such as the usual children's pets provided they do not exceed four (4) in number.

Cat Rules

Every Florissant resident who owns, controls or harbors a cat must obtain a City license under Section 205.070 and have the cat vaccinated against rabies before that license issues, per Section 205.090; the license itself is free but runs on a three-year term.

Florissant Cat License and Vaccination Rule

Some Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances §§ 205.070, 205.090

Every person residing within the City who owns, controls, manages, possesses or has part interest in any dog or cat kept any time during the year or who permits a dog or cat to come upon, on or in and to remain in or about his/her home, place of business or other premises within the City shall be required to make application for and obtain a license for each such dog or cat. ... The Director of...

Mandatory Spay/Neuter

Florissant requires every pit bull to be spayed or neutered under City Code Section 205.395(B), with narrow exceptions for puppies, medical risk, new arrivals, breeders and show dogs. A first violation costs up to $500 plus impoundment; a second draws up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Florissant Mandatory Pit Bull Spay/Neuter Rule

Heavy Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances § 205.395(B)-(C)

B. Mandatory Spaying And Neutering Of Pit Bulls; Exceptions. 1. No person may own, keep, or harbor any pit bull that the person in possession knew, or should have known, was a pit bull that has not been spayed or neutered unless: a. The pit bull is under eight (8) weeks of age; ... ... C. Penalties For Failure To Spay Or Neuter. Any person who violates the provisions of this Section requiring t...

Microchipping

Florissant does not require microchipping for pets generally, but once the Director of Public Works declares an animal dangerous under Section 205.260, Section 205.270 requires the owner to have it permanently microchipped and to give the Health Department the chip number.

Florissant Microchip Rule for Dangerous Animals

Some Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances § 205.270(A)(11)

The owner of an animal that has been declared a "dangerous animal" shall be subject to such requirements as may be imposed by the Director of Public Works or the hearing board through written notification to the owner, including, but not limited to, the following: ... All owners of dangerous animals must ... have their animal microchipped for permanent identification and provide the Health Depa...

Pet Groomer Rules

Florissant's zoning code allows a pet grooming business for household pets as a permitted, by-right use in every one of its general commercial districts: the "B-1" Local Shopping, "B-2" Central Business, "B-3" Extensive Business and "B-4" Highway Commercial Districts. No special use permit or separate license beyond the City's standard business license process is required to open one there.

Florissant Zoning For Pet Grooming Shops

Few Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances § 405.115(B)(57)

B. Use Regulations. ... A building or lot within the "B-1" Local Shopping District shall be used only for the following purposes; provided that, except as otherwise set forth herein, no outdoor display of merchandise is permitted in the space between the street to which the use has access and a main building and, further provided, that the uses do not allow adult entertainment on the premises: ...

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Florissant allows veterinarian offices as a permitted, by-right use in its "B-1" Local Shopping District and the city's other general commercial zones, with no special use permit required. The Zoning Code's parking table sets a distinct off-street parking ratio for "Veterinary clinics and hospitals" of 2.85 spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area.

Florissant Zoning For Veterinary Offices

Some Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances §§ 405.115(B)(77), 405.225(I)

B. Use Regulations. ... A building or lot within the "B-1" Local Shopping District shall be used only for the following purposes; provided that, except as otherwise set forth herein, no outdoor display of merchandise is permitted in the space between the street to which the use has access and a main building and, further provided, that the uses do not allow adult entertainment on the premises: ...

Bird Protection

Florissant designates the entire city as a bird sanctuary, and it is unlawful under City Code Section 205.050 to trap, hunt, shoot or molest any wild bird, or to disturb its nest or eggs, with only a narrow exception for nuisance flocks like starlings and crows.

Florissant City-Wide Bird Sanctuary Law

Heavy Restrictions

Florissant Code of Ordinances §§ 205.045, 205.050

All lands lying within the corporate limits of the City or within such boundaries as the same may be extended from time to time are hereby designated and declared to be a bird sanctuary. ... It shall be unlawful to trap, hunt, shoot or attempt to shoot or molest in any manner any wild bird or wild fowl or to willfully molest, disturb or destroy the nests or eggs of any wild bird or wild fowl; p...

Looking for St. Louis County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Florissant city rules.

Animal Ordinances in St. Louis County