Animal Ordinances in Las Cruces, NM (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Las Cruces, New Mexico, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Las Cruces allows backyard poultry and small livestock with a special animal permit: lots under half an acre may keep up to six total small livestock animals, including chickens and ducks.
Las Cruces Backyard Chickens & Livestock
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-32B (Ord. No. 3091, 4-7-25)
The following requirements are established for the keeping of small livestock animals such as, but not limited to, ducks, poultry, goats, sheep, and miniature horses/donkeys. The density per acre limitation for small livestock animals shall be as follows: (1) For lots less than one-half acre, a total combined maximum of six such animals; and (2) For lots greater than one-half acre, the mini...
Dog Leash Laws
Las Cruces requires dogs under humane physical restraint at all times off the owner's property, with a leash no longer than eight feet. Off-leash is allowed only in designated city dog parks.
Las Cruces Dog Leash Laws
Heavy RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-13 (Ord. No. 3091, 4-7-25)
A person owning or having the guardianship, care, custody, or care over an animal shall keep the animal under humane physical restraint at all times excluding community cats and dogs using the off-leash areas of city dog parks. (b) Dragging; hobbling. A person shall not hobble an animal, or tether or attach any animal to any object that can be dragged or moved by the animal. Such an animal, i...
Breed Restrictions
Las Cruces has no breed ban. Dangerous-dog rules are behavior-based: a municipal judge may declare a dog dangerous or potentially dangerous after it injures or menaces a person or animal.
Las Cruces Dog Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-2, 7-33 (Ord. No. 3091, 4-7-25)
Dangerous dog. A dog that has caused a serious injury or death to a person or domestic animal. Declawing. The surgical amputation of an animal's claws or part of an animal's phalanges, by means of an onychectomy, partial or complete phlangectomy, or partial or complete tendonectomy. Devocalization (also termed debarking, devoicing, or bark softening). A surgical procedure performed under gene...
Exotic Pets
Las Cruces bans keeping wild and exotic animals that are dangerous by nature, including big cats, bears, wolves and hybrids, primates, venomous snakes, and alligators. Domestic ferrets are allowed.
Las Cruces Exotic & Wild Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-34 (Ord. No. 3091, 4-7-25)
A person shall not possess, harbor, or keep any wildlife, wild or exotic animal of a species that in its natural life is potentially dangerous. Such animals, though they may be trained and domesticated, remain a danger to others, and include, but are not limited to: (1) Wolves, coyotes, foxes, dingoes, and other members of the non-domestic canine families including canine hybrids; (2) Lions...
Wildlife Feeding
Las Cruces prohibits feeding animals running at large, so leaving food out for stray or free-roaming animals is barred. Feeding wild game like deer or coyotes is governed by state wildlife law.
Las Cruces Wildlife Feeding Rules
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM Code of Ordinances Sec. 7-13 (Ord. No. 3091, 4-7-25)
A person shall not feed an animal running at large, with the exception of community cats or to aid in humanely trapping the animal. (i) The animal control unit may determine that a person is a negligent or irresponsible animal owner and may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to prohibit that person from owning animals for a two-year period if the following conditions occur: (1) The ...
Pet Limits
Las Cruces lets any residence keep up to three companion animals four months or older with no permit. Keeping between four and seven triggers the multi-animal site permit under Sec. 7-30, reviewed by animal control and the zoning administrator; the permit does not apply to a licensed shelter, foster care site or community cat colony.
Las Cruces Multi-Animal Site Permit Limit
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Code of Ordinances § 7-2 (Definitions: Multi-animal site, residential); § 7-30(a) (Multi-animal site permit)
Multi-animal site, residential. Any residence in which more than three companion animals but not more than seven in number, four months of age or older, are kept and on which premises the business of buying, selling, breeding training or boarding for compensation is not conducted... Requirements for a multi-animal site, residential, limiting the number of permitted animals shall not apply to an...
Cat Rules
Las Cruces manages free-roaming cats through a formal trap-neuter-return program instead of at-large citations. Sec. 7-32A lets registered community cat caregivers feed and care for a colony, but bars returning cats within 300 feet of a school, daycare, park or city facility, and within a half mile of the Rio Grande.
Las Cruces Community Cat Colony Rules
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Code of Ordinances § 7-32A (Community cats and community cat caregivers)
All community cat caregivers shall make reasonable efforts to have all free-roaming cats within their care sterilized, vaccinated, microchipped and ear-tipped for identification... Community cats, whether alone or under the care of community cat caregivers(s), are prohibited from being returned within 300 feet of a licensed day care center, public or private school(s), nursing home or care faci...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Las Cruces does not require every pet to be sterilized outright. Sec. 7-11A-1 makes spay or neuter mandatory only once an owner has been cited twice in 364 days for a restraint violation under Sec. 7-13, and even then an intact-animal permit or a veterinarian's health exemption can keep an unaltered cat or dog legal.
Las Cruces Mandatory Spay/Neuter Rules
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Code of Ordinances § 7-11A-1(b) (Spay/neuter requirements)
It shall be unlawful to own or keep within the City of Las Cruces, if the owner/guardian has been cited two times or more within the preceding 364-day period for a violation of section 7-13 (restraint requirements) of this chapter: (1)An unaltered cat over the age of five months;(2)An unaltered dog over the age of four months, defined as having a projected adult weight based on breed of less th...
Microchipping
Every companion animal three months or older in Las Cruces must carry a registered identification microchip under Sec. 7-11, and the current registration on file stands as legal proof of ownership. Owners have 30 days to update the microchip registry after a move, a change of contact information, or a change in ownership.
Las Cruces Pet Microchip Requirements
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Code of Ordinances § 7-11 (Microchip requirements)
A person owning or having care, custody, or control over a companion animal judged to be three months of age or older shall: (1)Have the animal implanted with an identification microchip, with current, up-to-date pet owner information, including the owner's/guardian's or community cat caregiver's name, address, and phone number. The current, up-to-date pet owner information associated with the ...
Pet Store Rules
Las Cruces bans pet stores outright from selling dogs or cats. Sec. 7-16(f) forbids any pet store from selling, bartering, auctioning or otherwise transferring ownership of a dog or cat, though stores can still host adoption events for registered nonprofit rescues and shelters under the same section.
Las Cruces Pet Store Dog and Cat Sale Ban
Heavy RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Code of Ordinances § 7-16(f) (Restrictions on sale or transfer of ownership)
Pet stores. No pet store shall sell, offer for sale, barter, auction, give away, or otherwise transfer ownership/guardianship of dogs or cats. Nothing in this section shall prohibit pet stores from collaborating with registered 501(c)3 animal rescue organizations to facilitate the adoption of dogs and cats.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Las Cruces allows veterinary facilities by right only in the EE (equestrian estate) and REM (residential estate mobile) districts and in the heavier C-3, M-T, M-1/M-2 and M-3 commercial/industrial districts. They are not a permitted use in RE, the R-1 residential series, R-2 through R-4, O-1, O-2, C-1 or C-2, and every clinic must provide one auto parking stall per 450 square feet of floor area.
Las Cruces Veterinary Facility Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Land Development Code § 38-33C (Agriculture & Equestrian Land Uses)
A = Allowed Use C = Conditional Use S = Special Use Permit (Sec. 38-54) Uses are prohibited if not A, C or S. ... Sec. 38-33C AGRICULTURE & EQUESTRIAN LAND USES ... Veterinary Facility A [EE] [RE] A [REM] ... A [C-3] A [M-T] A [M-1/M-2] A [M-3] 1 APS/450 sq. ft. of GFA 1 BPS/20 Employees on maximum shift
Bird Protection
Las Cruces will not let anyone keep a bird of prey without proof the federal government and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish have already licensed the bird. Sec. 7-32(2) makes the city's own special animal permit contingent on those outside wildlife permits being in hand first, protecting raptors from unlawful private possession.
Las Cruces Birds of Prey Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsLas Cruces, NM, Code of Ordinances § 7-32(2) (Cross jurisdictional permit requirements)
Birds of prey. A special permit is required by any person to keep or maintain a bird of prey. The animal control unit will not issue this special permit without proof of a license issued by the federal government and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
Looking for Doña Ana County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Las Cruces city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Doña Ana County →