10 rules for unincorporated Clackamas County, Oregon.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Clackamas County, chickens and roosters are allowed in rural areas but restricted in urban and residential zones. Keeping poultry and livestock is a zoning matter under the county Zoning & Development Ordinance (ZDO). Cities set their own backyard-chicken rules.
Clackamas County Code Enforcement FAQ (ZDO 821 / 316)
Chickens and roosters are allowed in all rural areas of the county, but there are restrictions in urban areas and/or residential zoning districts.
In unincorporated Clackamas County a dog off its owner's property must be under the immediate control of a person. A 'dog at large' is a public nuisance and may be impounded. Cities like Oregon City, Lake Oswego and Milwaukie set their own leash rules.
Clackamas County Code 5.01.040(B)(1) & 5.01.020(A)(8)
It is unlawful to permit a dog to be a public nuisance. A dog is a public nuisance if it: ... Is a dog at large. ... DOG AT LARGE means a dog that is off or outside the dog owner's property and not under the immediate control of a person.
Clackamas County has no breed-specific ban. Dogs are regulated by behavior, not breed: any dog that menaces, bites, injures or kills can be classified a 'dangerous dog.' Oregon law generally leaves dog control to counties and cities, none of which ban specific breeds here.
Clackamas County Code 5.01.020(A)(6)
DANGEROUS DOG means any dog that menaces, bites, injures or kills a person, domestic animal, or livestock.
Clackamas County has no dedicated beekeeping ordinance. On rural farm- and forest-zoned land, beekeeping is a protected farm practice under Oregon's Right to Farm law. In urban and residential zones, hives are governed by the county ZDO; the city governs inside incorporated limits.
Exotic pets are controlled by Oregon state law, not a county ordinance. Big cats, non-native wild canids, bears (other than black bears), non-human primates and crocodilians are 'exotic animals' that may not be kept without a state permit issued before 2010, making new ownership effectively banned.
Oregon law, not a county ordinance, restricts feeding large wildlife. Placing food or other attractants that knowingly lures bears, cougars, coyotes or wolves is prohibited, and an officer can order removal within two days. Feeding such wildlife is discouraged countywide.
Livestock is allowed in unincorporated Clackamas County's rural zones under the Zoning & Development Ordinance. On land zoned for farm or forest use, established livestock and farming practices are protected from nuisance and trespass claims by Oregon's Right to Farm law.
Animal hoarding is addressed through Clackamas County's minimum-care standards for dogs and through Oregon's animal-neglect statutes. A Hearings Officer can suspend a person's right to own or keep any animal for up to five years, and the state prosecutes cruelty and neglect.
Clackamas County Code 5.01.080(B)(1)(a)
Upon a finding that a person has violated this chapter... the Hearings Officer may impose restitution, euthanasia, and reasonable conditions and restrictions, including but not limited to: Suspend the owner's right to own or keep any animal in Clackamas County for a period not to exceed five (5) years.
Clackamas County sets no hard cap on dogs, but owning more than one dog requires a Multiple Dog License, granted only after a veterinarian or county inspection confirms minimum-care standards are met. Zoning can further limit kennels; cities set their own pet limits.
Clackamas County Code 5.01.030(A)(2)(a)
When an owner has more than one dog, the owner may obtain or renew a multiple dog license after submitting a completed, qualifying Multiple Dog License Application and after either 1) submitting an inspection certification from a veterinarian licensed in the state of Oregon; or 2) a County inspection of the applicant's premises to determine that the owner is in compliance with minimum care stan...
Clackamas County's Dog Services program regulates dogs, not cats - there is no county cat license or leash requirement. Feral-cat issues are referred to the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, and general nuisance and animal-cruelty laws still apply to cats.
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