Animal Ordinances in Peoria, IL (2026)
8 verified animal ordinances for Peoria, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Sec. 4-4 prohibits keeping farm animals citywide, naming swine, sheep, cattle, goats, horses, poultry and rabbits specifically, unless the zoning ordinance permits the use or the animal qualifies under the separate rabbit rules in Sec. 4-5, which caps rabbits at ten per property under strict cage and setback conditions.
Peoria IL Farm Animals and Poultry Ban
Heavy RestrictionsPeoria City Code §§ 4-4, 4-5
Sec. 4-4. - Farm animals prohibited. Except as provided in the zoning ordinance, set out in Appendix B of this Code and section 4-5, all farm animals, including, but not limited to, members of the swine, ovine, bovine, caprine or equine families, poultry and rabbits, shall be prohibited. Sec. 4-5. - Rabbits restricted. (a)Possession of rabbits within the city is a violation of the law except un...
Dog Leash Laws
Sec. 4-2 bars owners from letting any dog, cat or other animal run loose off their own property; the animal must be confined or under restraint at all times. Sec. 4-1 defines restraint as a leash of six feet or less controlled by a competent person, and violators face fines that climb from $50 to $300 within a year.
Peoria IL Animals Running at Large Ban
Some RestrictionsPeoria City Code §§ 4-1, 4-2
Sec. 4-2. - Animals running at large prohibited. (a)The owner of any animal shall keep such animal confined or under restraint at all times when it is off the premises of the owner's real property and shall not permit such animal to be at large. Dogs trained for law enforcement under the control of a peace officer in the performance of duty shall not be required to be confined or under restrain...
Beekeeping
Peoria's Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 (Animals) does not include an express beekeeping ordinance permitting urban apiaries in residential districts. Bees are typically treated as livestock under the city's animal regulations and are restricted to agricultural-zoned parcels under Appendix B (Zoning Ordinance). State-level registration of apiaries with the Illinois Department of Agriculture is required under the Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act (510 ILCS 20/).
Peoria IL Beekeeping Rules
Heavy Restrictions510 ILCS 20 (Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act)
(510 ILCS 20/) Bees and Apiaries Act. function redirectToIlcsSearch() { window.location.href = '/search?base=ILCS'; } function redirectToIlcsActSearch() { window.location.href = '/search/ILCS'; } Back to Act Listing
Exotic Pets
Sec. 4-3 bans keeping any wild animal in Peoria outright, limiting ownership to licensed zoos, veterinary hospitals, shelters and documented service-animal trainers. A narrow list of exotic species, big cats, bears, hyenas, non-domestic canines, elephants and primates, can be kept only under a $25 annual city license, and violators face a minimum $500 fine.
Peoria IL Wild Animal Ownership Ban
Heavy RestrictionsPeoria City Code § 4-3
Sec. 4-3. - Keeping wild animals prohibited. (a)No person shall keep, harbor, possess, act as custodian or have a right of property in a wild animal except zoos, veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, corporations,, or individuals, all of which must be legally licensed by federal and/or state statutes. (b)No individual or corporation shall have a right of property in, keep, harbor, care for, ac...
Pet Limits
Peoria sets no hard cap on dogs or cats, but City Code Sec. 4-1 defines a "multiple-pet owner" as anyone harboring more than four dogs or cats combined, over four months old, in one dwelling unit. Sec. 4-65 then requires that owner to buy a $25 annual city license within 30 days of taking in the fifth animal.
Peoria IL Multiple-Pet License Past Four Animals
Some RestrictionsPeoria City Code §§ 4-1, 4-65
Multiple-pet owner means any person who harbors more than four dogs or cats, or any combination thereof, over four months of age in a dwelling unit. (Sec. 4-1) Sec. 4-65. - Multiple-pet license. (a)Multiple-pet owners shall obtain an annual license from the city upon payment of a fee of $25.00. Such license shall be obtained no later than 30 days after assuming ownership of a fifth animal and m...
Cat Rules
Peoria has no separate cat license, but Sec. 4-63 requires owners to confine a female cat (or dog) in heat inside a building or secure enclosure. Letting her roam is a violation, and the animal shelter can impound her, while Sec. 4-51 still requires every cat over four months old to be rabies-vaccinated regardless of confinement.
Peoria IL Female Cat in Heat Confinement
Some RestrictionsPeoria City Code §§ 4-63, 4-51
Sec. 4-63. - Confinement of female dog or cat in heat. The owner of any female dog or cat in heat shall confine such animal in a building or secure enclosure. The failure to do so is a violation of law and will allow the manager of the animal shelter or delegate to impound such animal and to hold such animal until redeemed/adopted pursuant to this article. Sec. 4-51. - Inoculation required. (a)...
Microchipping
Peoria doesn't require owners to microchip pets in advance, but Sec. 4-56(b) makes the animal shelter scan every impounded dog or cat for a chip under the Illinois Animal Control Act, and implant one before the owner can redeem the animal if none is found, at the owner's expense per Sec. 4-58(d).
Peoria IL Mandatory Microchip Scan at Impoundment
Light RestrictionsPeoria City Code §§ 4-56, 4-58
Sec. 4-56. - Redemption by owner or owner's delegate. (b)...Pursuant to the Illinois Animal Control Act, 510 ILCS 5/10, when dogs or cats are apprehended and impounded, they must be scanned for the presence of a microchip. If no microchip is found, a microchip shall be implanted prior to redemption and said implantation of the microchip shall be at the owner's expense. Sec. 4-58. - Fees for red...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Peoria's Unified Development Code lists animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and pet clinics as a permitted use in the O1, O2, CN, C1, CG, C2, B1, I1, I2 and I3 zoning districts, but not in the N1 Institutional district. Section 5.3.3.A requires that in the CN, CG and B1 districts, all animal care happen indoors with no outdoor runs.
Peoria IL Veterinary Clinic Zoning Standard
Some RestrictionsPeoria, IL Unified Development Code § 5.3.3.A
A. Animal Care, Boarding, Shelter, Doggy Day Care In the CN, CG and B1 districts, no outdoor runs shall be permitted. All overnight care of animals shall occur indoors. All pens, kennels and runs shall be located within an enclosed building.
Looking for Peoria County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Peoria city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Peoria County →