Animal Ordinances in Rio Rancho, NM (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for Rio Rancho, New Mexico, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Rio Rancho allows commercial livestock, cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, only in the Agricultural Residential (A-R) zoning district, and caps how many animals a lot can hold based on open lot area.
Livestock Limits in Rio Rancho's Ag-Residential Zone
Significant RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 154.36(B)(6)(b)
Animals such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and goats for commercial purposes; provided, that one head of cattle or horses does not exceed one for each 10,000 square feet of open lot area, one sheep or goat for each 4,000 square feet, or equivalent combination. All livestock and poultry shall be kept in such a manner as not to constitute a nuisance... All animals shall be confined within the o...
Dog Leash Laws
Rio Rancho requires dogs off their owner's property to stay on a leash no longer than eight feet, confined to the premises otherwise, and bans letting any dog run at large citywide.
Rio Rancho Dog Leash & At-Large Law
Some RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 90.18
All persons owning or having charge, custody, or control of any animal shall keep the animal confined to his own premises. ... When animals are out of their premises, they must be under leash of not more than eight feet in length and under control of the owner or of his designee. This provision shall not apply to dogs under their owners' supervision in any city dog park. ... No person shall, in...
Breed Restrictions
Rio Rancho classifies dogs as potentially dangerous, dangerous, or vicious purely by documented behavior, not breed, and requires heavy registration for the first two tiers while banning vicious dogs outright citywide.
Rio Rancho Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code §§ 90.02, 90.17
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG. A dog that may reasonably be assumed to pose a threat to public safety as demonstrated by the following behaviors: ... Causing an injury, other than a bite injury, to a person, domestic animal, or livestock ... VICIOUS DOG. A dog that, without provocation or justification, bites or attacks a person, domestic animal, or livestock and causes serious injury or death. ......
Exotic Pets
Rio Rancho bars keeping wild, dangerous, or protected animals as pets unless the owner holds a city wild-or-exotic-animal permit or operates a licensed facility.
Rio Rancho Wild/Exotic Animal Permit
Significant RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 90.27(A)(2)
No person shall keep an animal which is wild, dangerous, noxious or naturally inclined to do harm, except in a facility licensed by the state and/or federal government or approved by the city or pursuant to the conditions of a wild or exotic animal license. Adequate protection devices shall be provided to prevent any animals from escaping or injuring the public. Any changes in the state or fede...
Pet Limits
Rio Rancho city code caps most households at five dogs, cats, pygmy goats, or rabbits combined once they're over six months old, with narrow permit-based exceptions.
Rio Rancho Pet Limit: Five Animals Max
Some RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 90.20(A)(1)
Except as otherwise provided, no household or business other than properly licensed businesses may own or harbor more than five dogs, cats, pygmy goats, or rabbits in any combination more than six months in age. (2) Except for dogs, cats, pygmy goats, and rabbits, all other animals allowed under Chapters 90 and 116 shall be excluded from the limit in subsection (A)(1) of this section, provid...
Cat Rules
Rio Rancho requires every cat over five months old to be licensed and kept confined to the owner's property; loose or off-leash cats fall under the same at-large ban that covers dogs.
Rio Rancho Cat Licensing & At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code §§ 90.18, 90.19(D)
All persons owning or having charge, custody, or control of any animal shall keep the animal confined to his own premises. ... When animals are out of their premises, they must be under leash of not more than eight feet in length and under control of the owner or of his designee. ... Licensing of cats required. Any person keeping, harboring or maintaining any cat over five months of age within ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Rio Rancho requires every dog over six months and cat over five months to be spayed or neutered unless the owner holds a city-issued intact animal permit.
Rio Rancho Mandatory Dog & Cat Spay/Neuter
Significant RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 90.19
Spay and neuter requirements for cats. No person or animal organization may keep, harbor or maintain within the city limits any cat over five months of age that has not been sterilized (commonly known as spayed or neutered) unless the owner has obtained an intact animal permit. ... Spay and neuter requirements for dogs. No person or animal organization may keep, harbor or maintain within the ci...
Pet Store Rules
Rio Rancho pet stores cannot sell, purchase, or transfer dogs, cats, or dog/cat hybrids: only adoption through a permitted shelter or rescue is allowed.
Rio Rancho Bans Pet Store Dog, Cat Sales
Heavy RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 116.25(B)(1)(a)
The purchase, sale, or transfer of dogs, cats, or hybrids of dogs or cats by pet stores are prohibited. This section shall not preclude pet stores from adopting dogs or cats in conjunction with a permitted animal shelter or animal rescue. (b) Mammals of different species shall not be housed or displayed together in the same primary enclosure or display area. (c) Avians, reptiles, amphibia...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
In Rio Rancho, veterinary hospitals and kennels are allowed in the Agricultural Residential (A-R) zone only as a conditional use requiring a city-issued use permit, not as a permissive by-right use.
Veterinary Hospitals Zoning in Rio Rancho
Significant RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 154.36(C)(4)
Conditional uses (requiring use permit). (1) Hospitals and institutions of an educational nature; (2) Nursery, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and other private or special schools; (3) Fur-bearing animal farm; (4) Kennel, veterinary hospital; (5) Family child care facility with a capacity of seven or more; (6) Hobby breeders and animal foster care providers as per conditions l...
Bird Protection
Rio Rancho bans hunting, trapping, snaring, or collecting any bird, mammal, reptile, or amphibian inside the roughly 189-acre Rio Grande Bosque Preserve within Sandoval County city limits, protecting the riparian forest's wildlife under City Code Section 94.22.
Rio Rancho Bans Bird Hunting in Bosque
Heavy RestrictionsRio Rancho City Code § 94.22(A)
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any of the following activities in the Rio Rancho Bosque Preserve: (A) Hunting, trapping, snaring, or collecting any mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian, or the eggs or young of such animals; (B) Cutting wood or digging up, cutting or removing any trees, plants or soil; (C) Marking or defacing in any way any tree, shrub, rock, or surface ...
Looking for Sandoval County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Rio Rancho city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Sandoval County →