Animal Ordinances in Gulfport, MS (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Gulfport, Mississippi, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Gulfport caps backyard fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, guineas, or peafowl at two birds unless they are enclosed at least 300 feet from any adjoining property line, or the keeper has a free special permit from the police chief and animal officer.
Gulfport Backyard Chicken and Fowl Rules
Some RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 7-78
No person shall keep more than two (2) fowl such as chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons or guineas, or pea fowl, except when kept in an enclosed area, which may include an area enclosed by electronic fencing, at least three hundred (300) feet away from any adjoining property line, or except by special permit issued at no cost by the chief of police and animal officer. ... It shall be unlaw...
Dog Leash Laws
Gulfport bans letting a dog run at large anywhere in the city except inside the fenced, city-operated dog park while accompanied by its owner. A dog found at large is prima facie evidence of a violation.
Gulfport Dog Leash and Running-at-Large Law
Some RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 7-116
It shall be unlawful for any owner or person having the possession, charge, custody or control of, or harboring any dog to cause, permit or allow the same to run at large within the corporate limits of the city, unless the same is located within the fenced confines of a dog park owned and operated by the city and accompanied by such owner or person. The running at large of any dog shall be prim...
Breed Restrictions
Gulfport does not name specific breeds but requires any dog with dangerous or vicious propensities to be securely fenced or restrained at all times, and a vicious dog running at large without a leash or muzzle is unlawful regardless of intent or the owner's knowledge.
Gulfport Vicious Dog Restraint Requirements
Significant RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 7-114
It shall be unlawful for any owner or person to possess, own, keep or harbor within the corporate limits of the city, any vicious dog having dangerous or vicious propensities, unless the same be securely restrained and fenced or enclosed within and upon the premises or land of such owner or person. ... Subsections (a) and (b) above are necessary controls on unrestrained activity of vicious anim...
Exotic Pets
Gulfport bans keeping any wild animal, reptile or wild fowl native to the southeastern United States within city limits, and separately bars road-side zoos or pet stores from displaying wild or vicious animals except under a state or federal permit.
Gulfport Wild Animal and Exotic Pet Ban
Heavy RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 7-80
No person shall keep, harbor, or possess any wild animal(s), reptile(s), or wild fowl(s) indigenous to the southeastern United States as defined by the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, within the city limits. ... No person shall keep or cause to be kept on his/her premises or in any road-side zoo or pet store any wild or vicious animal for display for exhibition purposes, whether g...
Cat Rules
Gulfport bans letting cats run at large off their owner's premises, requires rabies vaccination for cats three months and older, and lets the animal officer destroy feral cats determined to be beyond domestication under a set procedure.
Gulfport Cat At-Large and Feral Cat Rules
Some RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 7-96, § 7-100
It shall be unlawful for cats to run at large within the city. "Running at large" is hereby defined as being off the premises, including yard and appurtenances, owned and/or controlled by the owner of such cat. ... Any cat(s) that have escaped from captivity and are no longer domesticated may be destroyed by any means necessary as to prevent them from becoming a public threat and to control dis...
Microchipping
Gulfport requires every impounded cat or dog to be scanned for a microchip and microchipped before it is returned to an owner or released for adoption, with the owner paying the actual cost of the chip.
Gulfport Mandatory Pet Microchipping on Impound
Some RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 7-101, § 7-118
The police officer, animal officer, or other person as may be designated by the city council may seize or caused to be seized any cat whose owner, keeper, or harborer is found to be in violation of any part of this division, and shall impound or cause to be impounded such cat in the local animal shelter. The police officer, animal control officer, or any other person designated by the city to e...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Gulfport's Chart of Permitted Uses allows a veterinary hospital only with Planning Commission approval, and only in the B-2 general business district. No other zoning district, residential, other business or industrial, carries any symbol for the use, so a veterinary hospital cannot locate there by right, by permit or by special exception.
Gulfport Veterinary Hospital Zoning
Some RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances, Appendix A (Zoning) § III(K)(2), Chart of Permitted Uses, "Veterinary hospitals"
R = Allowed by Right P = Planning Commission approval X = Special exception — = Not allowed ± = T zones removed (see definitions) ... Veterinary hospitals — — — — — — — — — — — — — P — — — — — — — — —
Bird Protection
Gulfport sets aside two sections of its sand beach, one east and one west, as designated least tern nesting sanctuaries. Molesting or destroying nests, or otherwise harassing the terns, is a misdemeanor punished under state law and the state fish and game commission's rules, and the city can exclude dogs from these areas entirely.
Gulfport Least Tern Nesting Sanctuary
Some RestrictionsGulfport Code of Ordinances § 2-54
(a)The following described areas of the sand beach are hereby set aside and designated as least tern nesting areas:(1)Eastern section: That part of the Gulfport Sand Beach bounded on the north by the seawall, on the east by the centerline of Venetian Gardens extended...(2)Western section: ...bounded on the north by the seawall, on the east by the centerline of Markham Drive extended, on the sou...
Looking for Harrison County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Gulfport city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Harrison County →