Animal Ordinances in Tulsa, OK (2026)
14 verified animal ordinances for Tulsa, Oklahoma, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Tulsa may allow backyard chickens with limits. Roosters typically banned in residential areas. Livestock requires agricultural zoning.
Tulsa Chickens & Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Tulsa Title 2 (Animals) requires all dogs to be on a leash when not on their owner's property. All dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies and registered with the city. Tethering is prohibited between 11 PM and 6 AM. Choke collars and direct neck-attached ropes/chains are prohibited for tethering. Dogs must be brought indoors during tornado warnings.
Tulsa Dog Leash Laws
Some RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Tulsa enforces breed-specific legislation under Title 2. American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and mixes of these breeds are subject to additional regulations. Owners must register these breeds with the city and keep them on a leash and muzzled in public. Oklahoma state law does not preempt breed-specific ordinances, allowing cities to ban or restrict breeds.
Tulsa Dog Breed Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsBeekeeping
Tulsa does not have a specific beekeeping ordinance in its municipal code. Beekeeping is generally permitted in residential areas subject to general nuisance provisions. Oklahoma state law does not prohibit urban beekeeping. Hobbyists should ensure hives do not create a public nuisance under Title 24 (Nuisances) and maintain reasonable hive placement away from property lines.
Tulsa Beekeeping Rules
Few RestrictionsExotic Pets
Tulsa Title 2 (Animals) prohibits ownership of certain exotic animals including lions, tigers, bears, and non-human primates without a permit. Approved exotic pet owners must obtain a permit from Tulsa Animal Welfare and comply with strict housing, care, and handling regulations. The city maintains a hobbyist exemption permit system for certain categories.
Tulsa Exotic & Wild Animal Regulations
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Tulsa Revised Ordinances Title 2 (Animals) and Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Code prohibit feeding wildlife in a manner that creates a public nuisance. Intentionally feeding deer, coyotes, raccoons, or feral animals within city limits can trigger Title 27 nuisance enforcement. Bird feeders and backyard wildlife habitat are permitted if they do not attract rodents or cause complaints.
Animals: Wildlife Feeding
Some RestrictionsLivestock
Tulsa Revised Ordinances Title 2 Chapter 6 and Oklahoma Statute §2-6 regulate livestock. Horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and swine are prohibited on lots under 1 acre in most residential districts. Backyard chickens are allowed (up to 6 hens, no roosters) on lots of any size with setback requirements. Agricultural (AG) zoning permits full livestock.
Animals: Livestock
Heavy RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Tulsa Title 5 and Title 6 limit how many companion animals one household may keep and authorize Tulsa Animal Welfare to investigate hoarding cases tied to neglect, sanitation problems, or repeated cruelty complaints across the city.
Tulsa Animal Hoarding and Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsPet Limits
Tulsa Title 6 limits how many dogs and cats a single household may keep without a kennel permit. The cap controls noise, sanitation, and welfare risks while accommodating bona fide rescue and foster activity through special licensing.
Tulsa Household Pet Number Limits
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Tulsa requires cats four months and older to wear current rabies tags and to be licensed through Tulsa Animal Welfare. Free-roaming and nuisance cats may be impounded under Title 5 and Title 6 of the Revised Ordinances.
Tulsa Cat Licensing and Rabies Rules
Some RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
Tulsa charges a sterilization surcharge when intact dogs or cats are impounded and offers reduced reclaim fees for animals already spayed or neutered. Title 5 promotes sterilization to reduce shelter intake and euthanasia rates citywide.
Tulsa Spay/Neuter Surcharge for Impounds
Some RestrictionsMicrochipping
Tulsa Animal Welfare scans every impounded animal for microchips and uses chip data to reunite pets with owners. Microchipping is encouraged but not strictly mandatory, and licensed animals may use chips as an alternative ID.
Tulsa Microchip and Pet ID Rules
Few RestrictionsCoyote Management
Coyotes are common across Tulsa neighborhoods near the Arkansas River and wooded edges. Tulsa Animal Welfare and Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation handle conflicts, emphasizing hazing and pet protection rather than relocation.
Tulsa Coyote and Urban Wildlife Conflicts
Some RestrictionsPet Store Rules
Tulsa pet stores, kennels, and breeders must obtain commercial-animal licenses, comply with sanitation and humane-housing standards, and submit to Tulsa Animal Welfare inspections under Title 5, Title 6, and Title 17 of the Revised Ordinances.
Tulsa Pet Store and Commercial Kennel Rules
Some RestrictionsLooking for Tulsa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tulsa city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Tulsa County →