Animal Ordinances in Mesa, AZ (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Mesa, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Mesa bars livestock and similar large animals on any parcel smaller than 35,000 square feet under Mesa City Code § 8-6-21(B), and above that threshold caps the number of animals through an 'animal points' formula in § 8-6-21(C) that varies by parcel size and species.
Mesa Livestock Lot Size Requirements
Significant RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 8, Chapter 6, § 8-6-21(B)-(C)
(B)Except as specified in Sections 11-3-2, 11-3-3, and 11-4-3 of this Code, it shall be a violation of this article to keep livestock or any similar large animal regulated by this chapter within the City on any property less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) square feet. (4845, 4968)(C)The maximum number of livestock and similar large animals allowed on a property at any one time shall be base...
Dog Leash Laws
Mesa requires any dog off its owner's property to be restrained by a leash, chain, rope, or cord no more than six feet long, or otherwise confined to the property by a fence. Dogs found at large may be impounded, and owners face citations regardless of who was walking the dog.
Mesa Leash Law: 6-Foot Restraint Required
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 6, Chapter 4, § 6-4-7
A dog is not at large: 1. If said dog is restrained by a leash, chain, rope, or cord of not more than six feet (6') in length of sufficient strength to control the actions of said dog or is confined entirely to the owner's property by adequate fence or other method. ... Any person whose dog is at large is in violation of this Chapter.
Breed Restrictions
Mesa doesn't ban dog breeds, but its Police Chief can formally declare any individual dog "vicious" after a due-process hearing under Title 6, Chapter 4. Once declared, the owner must muzzle and confine the dog within one day, then secure a locked kennel, $100,000 liability insurance, and Police registration within 30 days.
Mesa Vicious Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 6, Chapter 4, §§ 6-4-16, 6-4-17
(A)In the event that the Police Chief or his designee has reasonable grounds to believe that a dog may be vicious, a hearing may be convened. Dog owners are guaranteed due process hearings in the initial determination and in the completion of any appeal process with regard to said determination that their animal is a vicious dog as defined by this ordinance. ... (A)Immediate steps that must be ...
Beekeeping
Mesa confines beekeeping to two zoning districts: agricultural (AG) and single-family estate (R1-43) parcels. Mesa City Code § 8-6-21(M) states apiaries 'shall be limited to locations within agricultural and/or rural areas of the City, zoned AG or R1-43,' making beekeeping off-limits everywhere else in the city regardless of lot size.
Mesa Apiary Zoning Restriction
Significant RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 8, Chapter 6, § 8-6-21(M)
(M)Apiaries shall be limited to locations within agricultural and/or rural areas of the City, zoned AG or R1-43. (4845, 4968)
Wildlife Feeding
Mesa treats deliberately feeding pigeons as a public nuisance. Section 8-6-3(AB) makes it unlawful to knowingly provide bird food to pigeons on private or public property, though feeders built to keep pigeons out are exempt, so backyard birdfeeding of other species stays legal.
Mesa Bans Knowingly Feeding Pigeons
Light RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 8, Chapter 6, § 8-6-3(AB)
(AB) No person shall knowingly provide bird food to pigeons on any private or public property, except the feeding of birds using practices or devices designed or intended to prevent pigeons from obtaining the bird food.
Pet Limits
Mesa doesn't cap dogs by a bare household number, but keeping five or more dogs in a controlled enclosure meets the code's definition of a "kennel," which requires a county-issued kennel permit. Below that threshold, dogs are licensed individually rather than as a kennel operation.
Mesa Kennel Threshold: 5+ Dogs Needs a Permit
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 6, Chapter 4, §§ 6-4-1, 6-4-4
KENNEL: An enclosed controlled area, inaccessible to other animals, in which a person keeps, harbors, or maintains five (5) or more dogs under controlled conditions. ... A person operating a kennel shall obtain a permit issued by the Board of Supervisors of the county where the kennel is located, except if each individual dog is licensed. ... The annual fee for the kennel permit is seventy-five...
Cat Rules
Mesa's animal-control chapter treats stray cats the same as stray dogs: any stray cat must be impounded and held a minimum of 72 hours, and an owner reclaiming a cat must prove ownership and pay all pound fees. Mesa has no separate cat-licensing requirement in this chapter.
Mesa Stray Cat Impoundment & Reclaim Rules
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 6, Chapter 4, § 6-4-8
Any stray dog or cat shall be impounded. All dogs and cats impounded shall be given proper care and maintenance. Each stray dog or cat impounded shall be kept and maintained at the pound for a minimum of seventy-two (72) hours unless claimed by the owner. ... Any impounded licensed dog or any cat may be reclaimed by its owner or such owner's agent, provided that the person reclaiming the dog or...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Mesa allows veterinary clinics as a permitted, by-right "Veterinary Services" use in the NC, LC, GC, OC and MX commercial districts under Table 11-6-2 of the Zoning Ordinance: no special use permit needed. The only catch: every clinic must be confined to a completely enclosed, sound-attenuated building.
Mesa Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsMesa City Code, Title 11, Chapter 6, § 11-6-2, Table 11-6-2 (Notes 4 & 7)
Table 11-6-2: Commercial Districts Proposed Use NC LC GC OC MX Additional Use Regulations Commercial Use Classifications Animal Sales and Services Small Animal Day Care SUP (4) SUP (4) P (4) — SUP (4, 7) Kennels SUP (4) SUP (4) P (4) — — Pet Stores P (4) P (4) P (4) — SUP (4, 7) Veterinary Services P (4) P (4) P (4) P (4) P (4, 7) ... Notes: 4. Must be confined to ...
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