Animal Ordinances in Phoenix, AZ (2026)
16 verified animal ordinances for Phoenix, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Phoenix City Code Chapter 8 regulates poultry and livestock. Keeping poultry is declared a nuisance unless the enclosure is at least 80 feet from all neighboring residences and written permission is obtained from each occupant and owner within 80 feet. Premises must be sanitary and subject to inspection by the City Health Officer. Urban agriculture allows limited bees (max 2 hives), chickens (no roosters), rabbits, and small goats.
Animals: Chickens Livestock
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Phoenix requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required per ARS §11-1001 et seq.
Phoenix Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Phoenix has no breed-specific legislation. All breeds are legal. ARS 11-1025 uses behavior-based dangerous dog determinations. Phoenix Animal Care and Control investigates bite incidents.
Phoenix Dog Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsBeekeeping
Phoenix allows beekeeping under its urban agriculture provisions. A maximum of 2 hives of bees (Apidae family) may be kept. Arizona is an Africanized Honey Bee (AHB) state, which requires additional safety precautions. Hives must be registered with the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Beekeepers should be aware of AHB risks and maintain gentle bee colonies.
Animals: Beekeeping
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Phoenix City Code Chapter 8, Section 8-6 regulates reptiles and wild animals. Arizona state law (ARS §17-306) prohibits importing, transporting, or possessing live wildlife without authorization from the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Only species specifically authorized by the commission may be kept as pets.
Phoenix Exotic Animal Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Phoenix City Code §8-7.02 specifically prohibits feeding pigeons. While no broad citywide ban exists on feeding all wildlife, the Arizona Game and Fish Department strongly discourages feeding wildlife such as coyotes and javelina. Feeding wildlife that creates a nuisance can be addressed under general nuisance provisions.
Phoenix Wildlife Feeding Restrictions
Some RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Animal hoarding in Phoenix is addressed through the city code animal keeping limits and Maricopa County Animal Care & Control. Criminal cruelty under ARS 13-2910.
Phoenix Animal Hoarding Rules
Some RestrictionsPet Limits
Phoenix City Code Chapter 8 limits residences to five dogs and five cats over three months old per household. Owners with more must obtain a commercial kennel or cattery permit and meet stricter zoning, sanitation, and humane care standards under Chapter 36.
Five dogs and five cats per household, with kennel exception
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Phoenix City Code Chapter 8 requires every cat over three months old to carry a current rabies vaccination. Cats are not subject to a leash law, but owners remain liable when roaming cats damage property, harass wildlife, or create nuisance conditions for neighbors.
Cats need rabies shots; no leash law but nuisance rules apply
Some RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
Phoenix has no mandatory spay or neuter ordinance. Sterilization remains voluntary citywide, but Maricopa County and partner clinics offer subsidized surgeries, reduced license fees for altered dogs, and free vouchers through the Spay Neuter Hotline and shelter adoption programs.
No mandatory spay or neuter; voluntary low-cost programs available
Few RestrictionsMicrochipping
Maricopa County Animal Care and Control microchips every dog and cat before adoption from its Phoenix shelters. Phoenix has no citywide microchip mandate for owned pets, but a chip is strongly recommended and is the fastest way to reclaim a lost pet from MCACC.
Microchip required on shelter adoption; voluntary for owned pets
Some RestrictionsCoyote Management
Phoenix follows a coexistence model for urban coyotes through MCACC and Arizona Game and Fish. Residents are urged to haze coyotes, secure food sources, and protect small pets. Feeding coyotes or any wildlife is prohibited under nuisance and wildlife rules.
Coyotes managed by haze-and-coexist policy; do not feed
Some RestrictionsPet Store Rules
Arizona HB-2702 (2017) preempted local ordinances banning retail pet-store sales of dogs and cats. Phoenix cannot enforce a sourcing ban, but stores must follow state consumer-protection rules, the Pet Lemon Law, and Phoenix Code Chapter 8 humane care standards.
State law preempts retail pet-store sale bans citywide
Few RestrictionsPet Groomer Rules
Arizona does not license pet groomers and Phoenix does not require a special groomer permit. Operators must register a business, collect transaction privilege tax, comply with Phoenix Code Chapter 36 zoning, and follow general humane-care and sanitation standards under Chapter 8.
No state license for groomers; city business tax and zoning apply
Few RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic Zoning
Phoenix Zoning Ordinance Chapter 36 treats veterinary hospitals and clinics as commercial uses. Most are permitted in C-1 and C-2 districts; clinics with overnight boarding or outdoor runs need additional review. Mobile vets must follow parking, noise, and waste-disposal rules.
Vet clinics need commercial zoning under Phoenix Chapter 36
Some RestrictionsBird Protection
Native migratory birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Arizona ARS §17-235. Killing, trapping, or possessing protected birds, eggs, or feathers without a permit is illegal. Phoenix supports compliance through MCACC and AZGFD wildlife reporting.
Native birds protected by federal MBTA and Arizona ARS Title 17
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Phoenix city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Maricopa County →