Animal Ordinances in Stamford, CT (2026)
9 verified animal ordinances for Stamford, Connecticut, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Stamford's Zoning Regulations permit keeping livestock incidental to a residential use in any district, and allow horses specifically in the RA-3, RA-2 and RA-1 one-family estate districts at a minimum of 30,000 square feet of lot area per horse.
Stamford Backyard Livestock and Horses
Some RestrictionsStamford Zoning Regulations § 4, "Farm Uses" (as amended through May 31, 2026)
Farm Uses may be conducted in any district, without the necessity of obtaining any Special Permit... 2. The keeping of livestock incidental to the domestic establishment of a residential Use of the parcel of land on which such livestock are kept.... 6. In the RA-3, RA-2 and RA-1 districts, the keeping of horses as an Accessory Use shall be permitted, provided there shall be at least 30,000 sq. ...
Dog Leash Laws
Dogs must be on a securely held leash on Stamford streets, sidewalks, and public places; off-leash use is allowed only in posted, fenced areas like the Dog Park.
Stamford Dog Leash Requirement
Some RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 111-6.B(1),(3)
No owner/keeper of any dog shall permit such dog on any public street or sidewalk or other public place unless such dog is on a leash held securely by such person.(2)No owner/keeper of any dog shall permit such dog on the real property of another without the permission of the property owner or person having a possessory interest in said property.(3)Notwithstanding the above, dogs may be unleash...
Breed Restrictions
Stamford has no breed-specific ban: any dog can be declared 'dangerous/vicious' under Code of Ordinances § 111-6.C based on its own conduct, not its breed. The Animal Control Manager can so declare a dog that has bitten, attacked or killed another animal without provocation, or been trained for fighting, and then requires a muzzle, leash and posted warning sign.
Stamford Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 111-6.C (Control of Dangerous/Vicious Dogs)
C.Control of dangerous/vicious dogs.(2)A dog may be declared to be dangerous/vicious if any one of the following criteria is met:(a)Any dog which has severely injured or killed a domestic animal or pet while off its owner/keeper's property;(b)Any dog which bites, inflicts injury, assaults or otherwise attacks a human being, another dog or domestic animal without provocations on any public or pr...
Exotic Pets
Stamford's animal ordinance makes it unlawful to own or keep any poisonous or dangerous reptile or arachnid in the city, with narrow exceptions for zoos, schools, museums and licensed veterinary hospitals.
Stamford Bans Owning Poisonous or Dangerous Reptiles
Heavy RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 111-9 (Poisonous or dangerous reptiles or arachnids)
It shall be unlawful for any person or organization to own/keep any poisonous or dangerous reptile or arachnid in the City of Stamford.B.For the purposes of this section, poisonous or dangerous reptiles and arachnids include any snake, lizard or other reptile or arachnid which, because of its poison, size, vicious nature or other characteristics, would constitute a danger to human life or prope...
Wildlife Feeding
Stamford bans feeding feral or street pigeons in public where it causes or risks a public-health nuisance, though feeding other wild birds is allowed if it does not attract pigeons.
Stamford Feral Pigeon Feeding Ban
Significant RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 181-1
It shall be unlawful to feed feral or street pigeons (Columba livia species) in public or such other places in such a manner or to such an extent that may cause or tend to cause a nuisance and/or a threat and/or a potential threat to the public health. Such prohibition shall not preclude the feeding of wild birds in a manner adequately protected against attracting feral or street pigeons and/or...
Cat Rules
Stamford regulates cats under Code of Ordinances § 111-7: a roaming cat must be fixed, vaccinated and microchipped, a found stray must be reported to Animal Control within 24 hours, and anyone feeding a feral colony must keep the feeding area clean and nuisance-free. Break the rules and the Animal Control Manager can fine you $100.
Stamford Stray and Feral Cat Rules
Some RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 111-7.D(1) (Feral Cats)
C.Stray Cats.(1)No person shall feed and/or keep any stray cat unless he/she has notified SACCC within twenty-four (24) hours from the time such cat came into his/her possession. Upon receiving such notice, an Animal Control Officer may take such cat and place it in the animal shelter for the purpose of advertising in an effort to reunite it with its owner. D.Feral Cats.(1)No person shall provi...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Stamford doesn't require every cat to be fixed, but a cat can only run free outside its owner's property if it's spayed or neutered, rabies-vaccinated and microchipped, under Code of Ordinances § 111-7.B(1). Keep an unaltered cat indoors or confined to your own property, or face enforcement action from the Stamford Animal Control and Care Center.
Stamford Roaming Cat Spay/Neuter Rule
Some RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 111-7.B(1) (Roaming Cats)
Roaming Cat. Any owned cat that moves freely outside its owner's property. B.Roaming Cats.(1)No cat owner/keeper shall permit such cat(s) to run free outside his/her property unless said cat(s) has been:(a)Neutered or spayed;(b)Immunized against rabies in compliance with CT law; and(c)Appropriately micro-chipped or otherwise identifiable.(2)No person shall knowingly desert or abandon a cat that...
Microchipping
A Stamford cat can only roam free outside its owner's property if it's 'appropriately micro-chipped or otherwise identifiable,' one of three conditions in Code of Ordinances § 111-7.B(1)(c), alongside spay/neuter and rabies vaccination. The city's shelter separately microchips every animal, including small mammals, before adoption.
Stamford Cat Microchipping Requirement
Some RestrictionsStamford Code of Ordinances § 111-7.B(1)(c) (Roaming Cats, Microchip Requirement)
B.Roaming Cats.(1)No cat owner/keeper shall permit such cat(s) to run free outside his/her property unless said cat(s) has been:(a)Neutered or spayed;(b)Immunized against rabies in compliance with CT law; and(c)Appropriately micro-chipped or otherwise identifiable. Sec. 111-8.E. The SACCC shall spay/neuter and microchip, where appropriate, before adopting out small mammals that are found or tur...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Stamford's zoning lets RA-1, RA-2 and RA-3 landowners keep horses as an accessory farm use, but the rule expressly excludes commercial kennels and veterinary hospitals from that exemption.
Veterinary Hospitals Excluded From Farm Use
Significant RestrictionsStamford Zoning Regulations § 4, Farm Uses ¶6 (amended through May 31, 2026)
In the RA-3, RA-2 and RA-1 districts, the keeping of horses as an Accessory Use shall be permitted, provided there shall be at least 30,000 sq. ft. of Lot Area for each horse aged six months or older. The storage of manure or soil fertilizer shall be located not less than 150 feet from any Street or Lot Line and no animals shall be allowed to roam at large. The keeping of animals shall not incl...