Animal Ordinances in Sandy, UT (2026)
13 verified animal ordinances for Sandy, Utah, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Sandy City Code allows up to ten chickens on any residential lot with no rezoning or hobby license, on top of six common household pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks), as long as the birds are kept without creating a nuisance. Roosters don't count as household pets. True farm animals like goats, horses or potbellied pigs need an "A" zoning designation and a minimum-acreage ratio.
Sandy Backyard Chicken and Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code § 21-11-3
Ratio of Animals to Lot Size for Farm Animals... Each large animal requires at least 10,000 square feet. Each medium animal requires at least 4,000 square feet. Each small animal requires at least 400 square feet... Household Pets. Maximum Number Allowed. All zones are allowed no more than a total of six common household pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, and ducks). These household pets may be kept on...
Dog Leash Laws
Sandy Code § 12-1-11 makes it unlawful to let any animal run at large at any time, defined as not being under restraint by leash or other direct physical control. A first offense is an infraction; a second offense within the chapter is a Class C misdemeanor.
Sandy Dogs Running At Large / Leash Rule
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-1-11
It is unlawful for the custodian of any animal to allow such animal at any time to run at large. The custodian of an animal found running at large shall be strictly liable for a violation of this section regardless of the precautions taken to prevent the escape of the animal and regardless of whether or not he knows the animal is running at large. The first violation of this section shall be an...
Breed Restrictions
Sandy City has no breed-specific ban. Instead, § 12-3-3 lets a court declare an individual dog "dangerous" based on its own bite or attack history, training, or behavior, regardless of breed. Once declared, that dog and its owner fall under Chapter 12-3's leash, muzzle, enclosure, signage, and licensing rules.
Sandy's Dangerous Dog Law Skips Breed Bans
Significant RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-3-3
Except as provided in Section 12-1-16, a court may determine whether a dog is dangerous in any case coming before it. The following factors may be considered in determining whether a dog is dangerous, but the court may consider others in its discretion: Provocation in any attack by the dog; The nature and severity of the attack or injury to a person or domestic animal by the dog; Previous histo...
Exotic Pets
Sandy Code § 12-1-28 bans selling, keeping, or purchasing any wild animal or hybrid, including bears, big cats, venomous snakes, and primates, with exceptions only for zoos, veterinary hospitals, and licensed research or fur-trade uses.
Sandy Ban on Wild Animals and Hybrids as Pets
Heavy RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-1-28
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, barter, give away, keep or purchase any wild animal as defined in Section 12-1-2, or any hybrid thereof, or any wild animal which is fierce, dangerous, vicious, noxious, or naturally inclined to do harm, or any animal which can contract rabies but which cannot be properly vaccinated for rabies as determined by the Utah Department of H...
Wildlife Feeding
It's unlawful in Sandy City to intentionally feed or leave food out for deer, elk, or moose on any private or public property, covering fruit, grain, hay, salt licks, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Owners must clear feed within 24 hours of a city notice or face a Class C misdemeanor.
Sandy Bans Feeding Deer, Elk, And Moose
Heavy RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-4-2
Except as provided herein, it is unlawful for any person to intentionally feed or make food available for consumption by deer, elk or moose on private or public property. This includes any fruit, grain, hay, salt licks, vegetables, nuts, seeds or other material placed outdoors for consumption by deer. Each property owner shall remove any materials placed on the owner's property for the purpose ...
Pet Limits
Sandy Code § 12-1-7 caps most households at three dogs at any address unless the owner obtains a hobby license, which allows up to five dogs. Keeping a fourth dog without the license is a Class C misdemeanor.
Sandy Three-Dog Limit Without Hobby License
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-1-7(f)
No more than three dogs (other than an assistance animal, a retired assistance animal, or both) may reside at any address within the jurisdiction at a time unless a hobby license is obtained, or unless the address is an animal foster home at which up to four dogs may reside at a time, except that a person may keep the puppies born to a female dog in the person's custody until the puppies have r...
Cat Rules
Sandy Code § 12-1-25 runs a trap-neuter-return program for feral and community cats: impounded cats that are healthy and pose no threat must be sterilized, ear-tipped, and rabies-vaccinated, then released near where they were trapped instead of held or euthanized.
Sandy Community Cat Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Light RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-1-25
Sandy City hereby establishes a community cat program pursuant to U.C.A. 1953, § 11-46-303. Notwithstanding the minimum holding period identified in Section 12-1-23, the Sandy City Animal Shelter and Adoption Center shall operate a trap-neuter-return program. Impounded cats identified as feral or community cats which are in good health and which do not pose a threat to the health or safety of p...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Sandy Code § 12-1-7 requires that at any residence licensing three dogs without a hobby license, at least one of the three must be spayed or neutered within 60 days of acquiring the third dog. Community cats released under the city's TNR program must also be sterilized before return.
Sandy Spay/Neuter Rule for Third Dog
Light RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-1-7(g)
At any residence where three dogs are licensed, and not qualifying under the hobby license, at least one of the three dogs must be spayed or neutered within 60 days of acquiring a third dog.
Microchipping
Sandy Code § 12-3-4 requires every owner of a dog declared dangerous to implant a microchip before registering the dog with the Division of Animal Services. For other cats and dogs, microchipping is optional and earns a license fee break or a tag exemption.
Sandy Mandatory Microchip for Dangerous Dogs
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-3-4(i)
Microchip. Every owner of a dangerous dog shall implant a microchip on the dog before registering it with the Division of Animal Services.
Coyote Management
Sandy City runs no cull or hazing program in its code. Instead, § 12-3-3 makes it flatly illegal to keep a coyote, wolf, or any coyote-dog or wolf-dog hybrid within city limits, and Chapter 12-3's stated purpose is explicitly to keep wild-animal-dog hybrids out of Sandy.
Sandy Bans Keeping Coyotes And Wolf Hybrids
Heavy RestrictionsSandy City Code §§ 12-3-1, 12-3-3
12-3-1: The purposes of this chapter are to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of the City of Sandy, Utah. It is intended to be applicable to dangerous dogs, as defined herein, to prohibit the keeping of wild animal-dog hybrids, and to regulate certain dogs which have a history of one or more serious attacks on people or animals... 12-3-3(d): The following an...
Pet Store Rules
Sandy City bars pet shops, retail businesses, and other commercial establishments from selling live dogs, cats, or rabbits unless the animal came from a city or county shelter, a humane society, or a nonprofit rescue. Stores must keep a certificate of source for every animal and produce it to Animal Control on request.
Sandy City Requires Adoption-Only Pet Sales
Significant RestrictionsSandy City Code § 12-1-27
It is unlawful for any person to display, offer for sale, deliver, barter, auction, give away, transfer, rent, lease, or sell any live dog, cat, or rabbit in any pet shop, retail business, or other commercial establishment located in the City of Sandy, Utah, unless the dog, cat, or rabbit was obtained from a City or County animal shelter or animal control agency, a humane society, or a nonprofi...
Pet Groomer Rules
Sandy City treats a commercial dog- or cat-grooming business, a "groomery" in the code, as a licensed use: operating one requires a business license from the Community Development Department. A groomer working from home may skip that commercial track only if no dogs are kenneled on site overnight.
Sandy Requires A License For Pet Groomeries
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code §§ 12-1-29, 21-11-5
12-1-29 Regulatory Permits: Commercial permits shall be unlawful for any person to operate or maintain a kennel, cattery, pet shop, groomery, riding stable or any similar establishment unless such person first obtains a business license from the Community Development Department, in addition to all other required licenses. ... 21-11-5: Stables, animal kennels, animal day-care, on-site animal tra...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Sandy City's land use matrix bars animal hospitals and veterinary offices from every residential, civic and open-space zone, marking the use "N" in all sixteen districts from R-1-40 through PUD. The same use is Permitted by right in most commercial and industrial zones, but requires a conditional use permit in the Central Business District, Mixed Use zone, and Professional Office district.
Sandy Veterinary Office Zoning Districts
Some RestrictionsSandy City Code §§ 21-37-2, 21-7-2, 21-8-2
Animal hospital, veterinary office, means an establishment at which small, medium, or large farm animals or household pets are treated or boarded within a completely enclosed building, and the boarding of animals is limited to short-term care incidental to the animal hospital/veterinary office use. ... The following matrix lists all permitted uses within Sandy City commercial, office, industria...
Looking for Salt Lake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sandy city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Salt Lake County →