Animal Ordinances in Wilmington, DE (2026)
7 verified animal ordinances for Wilmington, Delaware, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Wilmington outlaws keeping chickens, goats, pigs, horses, and other farm animals anywhere in city limits, with only narrow named exceptions.
Wilmington Bans Backyard Livestock
Heavy RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 3-14
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or house, whether as a pet, or for eventual sale or consumption, or for any other purpose, any domestic animals or domestic fowl other than dogs or cats, commonly known as farm animals or fowl, including, but not limited to, chickens, chanticleers, roosters, ducks, geese, pigs, hogs, donkeys, mules, horses, cattle, goats, sheep, oxen, or any o...
Dog Leash Laws
Wilmington requires every dog to be kept under restraint at all times and, whenever off the owner's property in public or on private land without consent, secured by a leash or chain no longer than six feet.
Wilmington Dog Leash & Restraint Law
Significant RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 3-10
All dogs shall not only be kept under restraint at all times, but also, while on any public street, highway, lane, alley, or sidewalk, or in or on any part of any public park or parkland, public square, or other public space, or in or on any open space that is private property without the consent of the owner, shall be secured by a leash or chain not exceeding six feet in length and of sufficie...
Breed Restrictions
Wilmington judges a dog dangerous by its conduct, not its breed: the Justice of the Peace Court declares status case by case under city and state law.
Wilmington Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 3-17
The justice of the peace court may declare a dog to be dangerous if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the dog has done any of the following:(1)Killed or inflicted physical injury or serious physical injury upon a human being.(2)Killed or inflicted serious physical injury upon a domestic animal, provided the domestic animal was on the property of its owner or under the immediate con...
Exotic Pets
Wilmington bans keeping any wild animal, including monkeys, big cats, and poisonous snakes, within city limits as pets.
Wilmington Bans Keeping Wild Animals
Heavy RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 3-14
Wild animal means any live monkey, nonhuman primate, raccoon, skunk, fox, poisonous snake, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or any other warm-blooded animal which can normally be found in the wild state. ... No wild animal and no wild fowl may be kept within the city limits, except under such conditions as shall be fixed by the appropriate state agency; provided, however, that wild animals a...
Cat Rules
Wilmington doesn't license or leash cats, but a cat counts as a public nuisance animal if found at large more than four times in 12 months, unless it belongs to a registered trap-neuter-return colony, which the code says has no owner and can't be "at large."
Wilmington Cat At-Large and TNR Rules
Light RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 3-1
Public nuisance animal means any domestic animal or group of domestic animals which: (1) Is found at large more than four times in a consecutive 12-month period of time. Cats participating in a trap-neuter-return population control program do not have owners and shall not be considered "at large";
Pet Groomer Rules
Wilmington's C-1-A neighborhood commercial zoning excludes stores or offices for the care, keeping, or grooming of animals from the personal-service uses permitted by right, so pet groomers need a different commercial district or zoning board approval to open.
Wilmington Zoning Excludes Pet Groomers From Retail Use
Some RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 48-192(c)(3)
Neighborhood retail store, or shop for the performance of personal services; except gasoline service stations, taprooms, bars, cafes, office or store for the care, keeping or grooming of animals, health and exercise facilities, or any operation to provide for automobile sales or services
Bird Protection
Wilmington bans selling baby chicks, ducklings or rabbits in lots under six, dyeing them for novelty, or using them as toys or decorations.
Wilmington Baby Fowl and Rabbit Protection Law
Some RestrictionsWilmington City Code § 3-46
Sec. 3-46. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl, or rabbits under two months of age in any quantity less than six.
Looking for New Castle County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Wilmington city rules.
Animal Ordinances in New Castle County →