Animal Ordinances in Scottsdale, AZ (2026)
5 verified animal ordinances for Scottsdale, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Scottsdale's Code of Ordinances § 4-17 lets residents keep cattle, horses, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, birds and fowl, but every pen, stall, cage or yard must stay free of flies, rodents, odors and manure buildup that creates a public health nuisance. A pigsty or piggery cannot sit on marshy ground, within 200 feet of any stream, canal or water source, or within 300 feet of an inhabited house or occupied building on an adjoining property.
Scottsdale Backyard Livestock and Fowl Rules
Some RestrictionsScottsdale Code of Ordinances § 4-17
(a)Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, birds, fowl, and any other animal or bird, and the pens, stalls, stables, yards, shelters, cages, areas, places and premises where they are held or kept, shall be so maintained that flies, insects, or vermin, rodent harborage, odors, ponded water, the accumulation of manure, garbage, refuse or other noxious material do not become a public health nuis...
Dog Leash Laws
Scottsdale's Code of Ordinances § 4-39 bans letting any dog run at large: each dog must stay confined to the owner's property or be on a leash no longer than six feet and under the owner's direct physical control whenever it's off that property. A qualifying leash must be a chain, rope or strap of leather, fabric or similar material strong enough to restrain the dog. Violating the section is a class 3 misdemeanor.
Scottsdale Dogs-at-Large and Leash Law
Some RestrictionsScottsdale Code of Ordinances § 4-39
(a)Leash as used in this article means a chain, rope or strap, made of leather, fabric or other material, that is: (i) not more than six (6) feet in length; (ii) capable of being fastened to a collar or harness of a dog and used to lead, restrain and control the dog; and (iii) of sufficient strength for those purposes... (c)No dog shall be permitted at large. Each dog shall be confined within a...
Breed Restrictions
Scottsdale does not ban dogs by breed. Instead, § 4-31 of the Code of Ordinances defines a vicious animal as any carnivore that has a propensity to bite human beings without provocation, and that label only attaches after a hearing before a justice of the peace or city magistrate. Once declared vicious, § 4-40(g) lets the county enforcement agent destroy the animal on that judge's order after notice and a further hearing.
Scottsdale Vicious Animal Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsScottsdale Code of Ordinances § 4-31
Vicious animal means any animal of the order carnivora that has a propensity to bite human beings without provocation, and has been so declared after a hearing before a justice of the peace or a city magistrate.
Pet Limits
Scottsdale addresses animal hoarding through Scottsdale Revised Code Chapter 4 keeping limits and Maricopa County Animal Care & Control field investigations; criminal cruelty is prosecuted under Arizona Revised Statutes §13-2910 as a class 1 misdemeanor or class 6 felony.
animals/animal-hoarding
Some RestrictionsAriz. Rev. Stat. Sec. 13-2910 (Cruelty to Animals)
A. A person commits cruelty to animals if the person does any of the following: 1. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly subjects any animal under the person's custody or control to cruel neglect or abandonment. 2. Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly fails to provide medical attention necessary to prevent protracted suffering to any animal under the person's custody or control. 3. Intention...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Scottsdale's Planned Regional Center (PRC) zoning district allows veterinary and pet care service as a permitted use, but Code Sec. 5.2605 requires the indoor operation to sit inside a soundproof building. Outdoor animal activity is allowed only if an attendant stays with the animal, waste is cleaned up immediately, the outdoor area sits at least 100 feet from any residential-district lot line, and outdoor kennel boarding never happens.
Scottsdale Veterinary Outdoor-Area Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsScottsdale Code of Ordinances § 5.2605
Veterinary and pet care services are permitted if all facilities are within a soundproof building. However, outdoor activities are permitted if:a.An employee or pet owner shall accompany an animal at all times when the animal is outside the building.b.The property owner and operator maintain all outdoor areas in a clean and sanitary condition, including immediate and proper disposal of animal w...
Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Scottsdale city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Maricopa County →