10 rules for unincorporated Henrico County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Henrico County Code Chapter 5 sets no numeric limit on backyard chickens and requires no county chicken permit. 'Poultry' is defined as all domestic fowl and game birds raised in captivity. Where and how many you may keep is controlled instead by the County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 24).
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-1
Poultry means all domestic fowl and game birds raised in captivity.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-29(6) prohibits any dog (except hunting dogs) from running at large countywide, year-round. A dog is 'at large' when off the owner's property and not under the owner's or custodian's immediate control. Violation is a Class 4 misdemeanor.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-29(6)
It is prohibited for any dog ... to run at large within the county at any time during any month of the year. For the purposes of this subsection, a dog is deemed to run at large while roaming or running off the property of its owner or custodian and not under its owner's or custodian's immediate control.
Henrico County has no breed ban. Virginia Code Sec. 3.2-6540(K) forbids a court from finding any dog dangerous 'solely because it is a particular breed,' so pit bulls, Rottweilers and other breeds are legal. Henrico handles dangerous dogs by behavior, not breed.
Va. Code Sec. 3.2-6540(K)(1)
No animal shall be found by the court to be a dangerous dog: 1. Solely because it is a particular breed;
Henrico County Code has no beekeeping ordinance, so keeping honeybees is generally allowed, subject to zoning. Virginia Code Sec. 3.2-4411.1 shields a beekeeper who operates an apiary reasonably, follows local zoning, and uses state best management practices from injury and property-damage liability.
Va. Code Sec. 3.2-4411.1(B)
A person who operates an apiary in a reasonable manner, in compliance with local zoning restrictions, and in conformance with the written best management practices as provided by regulation of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall not be liable for any personal injury or property damage that occurs in connection with his keeping and maintaining of bees.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-199 makes it unlawful to confine or keep any fox, skunk or raccoon as a pet or otherwise, and bans importing or selling them in the county. These rabies-vector species are prohibited outright; other exotics are also governed by Virginia's restricted-species permitting.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-199
The transportation or importation of foxes, skunks and raccoons from other jurisdictions into the county, and the sale of foxes, skunks and raccoons in the county, is prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to confine or keep any fox, skunk or raccoon as a pet or otherwise.
Henrico County Code Chapter 5 has no ordinance prohibiting feeding of wildlife, birds or feral animals. It does bar keeping foxes, skunks and raccoons (Sec. 5-199) and protects birds within designated bird sanctuaries (Sec. 5-250). Feeding that creates a nuisance or attracts rats is addressed under nuisance and rat-control provisions.
Henrico County Code Article V regulates swine: no hog pen may sit within 400 feet of any lot in a residential district, and no more than 20 hogs may be kept in a pen at one time. Other livestock keeping is governed by the County Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 24).
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-224
No hog pen may be constructed or maintained within 400 feet of any lot in any residential district, or within 200 feet of any other lot occupied by a dwelling other than the farm dwelling, or by any school or church or any institution for human care not located on the same lot with such uses or buildings.
Henrico County Code has no ordinance using the word 'hoarding,' but Sec. 5-5 establishes a public county animal-cruelty registry for felony cruelty convictions, and Virginia Code Sec. 3.2-6570 makes deprivation of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary care a Class 1 misdemeanor. The kennel threshold also limits accumulation.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-5(a)
There is hereby established an animal cruelty registry to provide public access to information concerning persons who have been convicted in the county on or after July 1, 2024, of felony violations of (1) Cruelty to animals, as provided by Code of Virginia 3.2-6570; (2) Animal fighting, as provided by Code of Virginia 3.2-6571.
Henrico County Code imposes no fixed limit on the number of dogs or cats per home. However, Sec. 5-1 defines a 'kennel' as any establishment keeping five or more canines, felines or hybrids for breeding, boarding, sale and similar purposes - so reaching five triggers kennel licensing and zoning rules.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-1
Kennel means any establishment in which five or more canines, felines or hybrids of either are kept for the purpose of breeding, hunting, training, renting, buying, boarding, selling or showing.
Henrico County does not license or leash cats, but Sec. 5-90 makes it unlawful to keep any dog or cat four months or older without a current rabies vaccination administered by a licensed veterinarian. Feral cats without identification may be handled by Animal Protection under Sec. 5-154.
Henrico County Code Sec. 5-90(a)
It is unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor any dog or cat four months of age or older within the county unless such dog or cat has been vaccinated with a species-appropriate vaccine approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by a licensed veterinarian.
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