Animal Ordinances in West Jordan, UT (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for West Jordan, Utah, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
West Jordan allows backyard chickens under a required Fowl Keeping Permit: City Code section 6-3E-3 caps a lot at five egg-laying hens and five chicks, bans roosters and crowing hens, and requires coops to sit at least twenty feet from a neighbor's dwelling and five feet from the property line.
West Jordan Backyard Chicken Keeping Limits
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3E-3
The keeping and maintenance of chickens is permitted within the city only as provided below: ... C. Keeping For Familial Gain: Chickens may be kept on a non-nuisance basis strictly for familial gain from the production and consumption of eggs only and there shall be no sale or income resulting from the keeping of chickens. D. Number; Location Of Enclosure: Up to five egg laying hens and up to f...
Dog Leash Laws
West Jordan makes it unlawful for any dog or cat to run at large or trespass onto someone else's property, and owners are strictly liable under section 6-3D-2 even if they took precautions or didn't know the animal got loose. Registered community cats are the only exemption from the at-large rule.
West Jordan Bans Dogs And Cats At Large
Significant RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3D-2
It is unlawful for the owner or custodian of any dog or cat to allow such dog or cat at any time to run at large or to trespass onto the property of another. The owner or custodian of the dog or cat found running at large shall be strictly liable for the violation of this section regardless of the precautions taken to prevent the escape of the dog or cat and regardless of whether or not s/he kn...
Breed Restrictions
West Jordan doesn't ban any dog breed by name; instead it regulates behavior. Section 6-3D-7 requires the owner of any fierce, dangerous or vicious animal to keep it muzzled and restrained off the owner's enclosed premises, and lets animal control officers seek administrative authority under title 16 to destroy or muzzle an uncontrollable animal.
West Jordan Rules For Vicious Or Dangerous Animals
Significant RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3D-7
A. Owner Duty To Muzzle Or Keep On Enclosed Premises: It shall be unlawful for the owner of any fierce, dangerous or vicious animal to permit such animal to go or be off enclosed premises of the owner, unless such animal is under restraint and properly muzzled so as to prevent it from injuring any person or property. B. Enforcement Action For Dangerous Animals: Every animal so vicious and dange...
Beekeeping
West Jordan allows honeybee keeping in every zoning district, but City Code section 6-3H-2 requires each beekeeper to register with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and operate hives under the state Bee Inspection Act, while section 6-3H-3 sets hive setbacks as tight as five feet on smaller residential lots.
West Jordan Beekeeper Registration and Hive Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code §§ 6-3H-1, 6-3H-2
6-3H-1: HONEYBEE MANAGEMENT: The keeping of honeybees is allowed in all zoning districts within the city of West Jordan subject to compliance with the Salt Lake Valley health department, general sanitation regulation requirements, section 4.12, or its successor relating to honeybee management. 6-3H-2: BEEKEEPER REGISTRATION: Each beekeeper shall be registered with the Utah department of agricul...
Exotic Pets
West Jordan bans owning, selling, or keeping any wild animal within city limits under Code section 6-3D-12, defining a wild animal as any species that is wild in its natural state and exempting only the city animal shelter, zoos, veterinary hospitals, humane society shelters, public labs, circuses, and education or science facilities with escape-proof enclosures.
West Jordan Wild Animal Ownership Ban
Heavy RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3D-12
A. Illegal To Sell: 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 6-3A-1 of this chapter, except the animal shelter, a zoological park, veterinary hospital, humane society shelter, public laboratory, circus, sideshow, amusement show, or facility for education or scientific purposes may keep such an anima...
Wildlife Feeding
West Jordan makes it unlawful to harbor, feed or keep any lost or strayed dog or cat on your property, unless you're a licensed animal welfare society. Section 6-3D-1 requires anyone who finds a stray to notify the Division of Animal Control within twenty-four hours so it can be impounded instead of adopted informally.
West Jordan Bans Feeding Stray Dogs Cats
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3D-1
It is unlawful for any person, except a lawfully incorporated animal welfare society, to harbor, feed or keep any lost or strayed dog or cat upon the premises of the person. Whenever any dog or cat shall be found which appears to be lost or strayed, the finder shall notify the division of animal control within twenty four (24) hours, and the division of animal control shall impound the dog or c...
Pet Limits
West Jordan limits any residence to four adult dogs and four adult cats at one time under section 6-3B-4, whether owned, harbored or merely licensed there. Licensed kennels, catteries and similar commercial permit holders can keep more animals legally, and litters of puppies get a temporary grace period before the cap applies.
West Jordan Caps Dogs And Cats At Four
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3B-4
Unless otherwise allowed by this chapter, no person or persons at any one residence or property within the City shall, at any one time (i) own, harbor or license more than four (4) adult dogs at any one residence or at any one premises or (ii) own, harbor or license more than four (4) adult cats at any one residence or at any one premises.
Cat Rules
Every cat in West Jordan must carry a City license once it turns four months old, renewed each year with proof of rabies vaccination, through the Division of Animal Control. Cats enrolled in a registered community cat colony are exempt from licensing and feeding-ban rules once their caretaker holds a City permit.
West Jordan Cat Licensing And Colony Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code §§ 6-3B-1, 6-3B-3.C
A. License Required: All dogs and cats must be licensed each year to a person eighteen (18) years or older, except as per section 6-3B-3 of this article or as otherwise provided herein. B. Time Limits For Licensing: Any owner or custodian of a dog or cat shall obtain a license for such animal within thirty (30) days after the dog or cat reaches the age of four (4) months, or, in the case of a d...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
West Jordan's animal shelter won't release an unaltered dog or cat to a private adopter. Section 6-3C-5.B requires the animal to be spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian, at the adopter's expense, before it ever leaves the impound facility, though sale to a licensed research institution follows a separate cost-recovery path.
West Jordan Requires Spay Neuter For Adoption
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3C-5.B
All animals, except those quarantined or confined by court order, may be held longer than the minimum impound period, and all animals voluntarily relinquished to the impound facility may be destroyed, adopted or sold as the Division of Animal Control or his designee shall direct. Any healthy animal may be adopted by any person over eighteen (18) years of age or sold to any institution engaged i...
Pet Store Rules
West Jordan does not outlaw pet shops selling dogs or cats, but City Code section 6-3D-11 requires every pet shop to disclose a sold animal's breeder name, city, contact information, date of birth, and a summary of its health certificate on request, and bars selling a dog younger than eight weeks old.
West Jordan Pet Shop Sale and Disclosure Rules
Some RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3D-11
A. It is unlawful for any person to transfer to another by gift, sale, or exchange for any consideration any dog or cat in or upon any sidewalk, street, alley, public right of way, park or other public place. B. Pet shop requirements 1. For each dog or cat sold, a pet shop shall make available upon request, the following information: a. The name, city, and contact information of the animal's br...
Pet Groomer Rules
Operating a groomery, kennel, cattery, pet shop, riding stable or veterinary clinic in West Jordan requires a regulatory permit from the Division of Animal Control under section 6-3B-6, on top of any business license. Applicants need sign-off from the Salt Lake County Health Department and City zoning before the Division will issue the permit.
West Jordan Groomery And Kennel Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 6-3B-6
A. Commercial Permits: It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or maintain a kennel, cattery, pet shop, groomery, riding stable, veterinary clinic or hospital, or any similar establishment, unless such person first obtains a regulatory permit from the Division of Animal Control, in addition to all other required licenses. All applications for permits to operate such establishments shall ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
In West Jordan, a veterinary service for small animals is not allowed by right in any zone. City Code § 13-5E-3 lists the use as "conditional" (C) in the C-G, C-M, SC-1, SC-2 and SC-3 commercial zones, meaning the Planning Commission must approve a conditional use permit before a vet clinic can open its doors.
West Jordan Vet Clinics Need Conditional Use Permit
Significant RestrictionsWest Jordan City Code § 13-5E-3
Uses allowed in commercial zones are listed in the table below. Those uses identified as "permitted" (P) are allowed by right; provided, that they comply with all other requirements of this article, and all other applicable requirements of this title. Uses identified as "conditional" (C) must be approved by the Planning Commission pursuant to the standards and procedures for conditional uses se...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement West Jordan city rules.
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