Animal Ordinances in Jefferson Parish, LA (2026)
11 rules for unincorporated Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Jefferson Parish's animal code sets no fixed limit on backyard chickens or other fowl kept on private property, but fowl and poultry may not run at large, and where they roam onto streets or a neighbor's land they may be impounded. Placement and number are governed by the Chapter 40
Keeping Chickens and Fowl in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-1(a)
It shall be unlawful to permit any cattle, horse, swine, sheep, goat, poultry or other livestock of any description to roam or run at large or be upon any street, alleyway, highway, common or public square, or on the property of any neighbor, except with his or her consent.
Dog Leash Laws
In Jefferson Parish, no dog may be on any street, alleyway, highway, common, or public square unless under the immediate control of a competent person and restrained by a substantial chain or leash no longer than six (6) feet. Owners must otherwise keep dogs confined or humanely secured.
Dog Leash Law in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-21(b)
No dog shall be permitted to run or be upon any street, alleyway, highway, common or public square unless under the immediate control of a competent person and restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length.
Breed Restrictions
Jefferson Parish's animal code is breed-neutral: it does not ban pit bulls or any specific breed. Instead, any dog can be declared a dangerous or vicious animal based on its behavior, which triggers strict ownership requirements such as spay/neuter, microchipping, secure enclosure, warning signage, and $100,000 liability insurance.
Are Any Dog Breeds Banned in Jefferson Parish?
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-160(b)(1)(iv)
Procure liability insurance in the amount of at least one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00), covering any property damage or bodily injury which may be caused by such vicious or dangerous animal.
Exotic Pets
Jefferson Parish flatly bans keeping the most dangerous wild or exotic species (Class 1, such as big cats, bears, primates, venomous snakes, and wolves). Class 2 species require a $150 permit from JPAWS, and only Class 3 animals (common reptiles, rabbits, ferrets, small birds) may be kept without a JPAWS
Exotic and Wild Animals in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-25(a)
No person shall keep any wild or exotic species of land animals, reptiles, or birds, warm or cold blooded that falls under Class I designated by the Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services' "Rules for Wild or Exotic Animals."
Wildlife Feeding
Jefferson Parish prohibits intentionally feeding waterfowl (ducks, geese, and other amphibious birds) by making food available on private property or within 20 feet of a public street or residence. Tossing bread, corn, or other feed on the ground for waterfowl is treated as prohibited feeding.
Feeding Wildlife and Waterfowl in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-219(a)
It shall be prohibited to harm, harass, and/or intentionally feed waterfowl by making food available for consumption on private property or on public property within a radius of twenty (20) feet of a public street and/or residence within the territorial limits of Jefferson Parish.
Pet Limits
Jefferson Parish's animal code sets no fixed limit on the number of dogs or cats a household may own. Instead, all dogs, cats, and ferrets over four months old must be licensed and rabies-vaccinated, and keeping too many animals to care for properly can be enforced as cruelty, neglect, or
How Many Pets Can You Own in Jefferson Parish?
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-66
It shall be the duty of the owner or keeper of every dog, cat or ferret over four (4) months old to register same with the Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services by purchasing a dog, cat or ferret license.
Cat Rules
Jefferson Parish licenses cats like dogs and regulates outdoor feeding of feral or community cats. On residentially zoned property, food left out for feral cats may not stay accessible longer than 30 minutes at a time (90 minutes per 24 hours), gravity feeders are banned, and fed cats must be
Cat and Feral-Cat Feeding Rules in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-33(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person or property owner to place or allow food to be placed or left outdoors and accessible for consumption by feral or community cats, on any residentially zoned property for longer than thirty (30) minutes, except when a cat is actively feeding or when a human is immediately present and supervising the food.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Jefferson Parish requires any animal impounded for the first time to be spayed or neutered at the owner's expense before Animal Welfare Services releases it, and every dog or cat adopted from a shelter or rescue must be sterilized within 20 days under a signed pledge. Redemption fees climb sharply for repeat impoundments, reaching $500 by the fourth pickup.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter After First Impoundment in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code §§ 7-17, 7-30(b)(3)
No person shall offer dogs or cats for adoption by the public without obtaining from the adopter a signed pledge that the animal will be sterilized by spaying or neutering within twenty (20) days or as soon as it reaches an appropriate age. With the pledge, the adopter must make a cash deposit in the amount specified in Section 7-30(c), the deposit to be refundable upon evidence of sterilizatio...
Pet Groomer Rules
Anyone operating a grooming shop in Jefferson Parish needs an annual $100 permit from the Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services, renewed every year by December 31. Groomers must be at least 18 with a state grooming-school certificate, two years of verified experience, or a nine-month, 900-hour apprenticeship, and they are barred from tranquilizing animals, expelling anal sacs, or giving medical advice.
Pet Grooming Shop Permit Rules in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code § 7-100(a), (f), (h)
(a)Permit required. No person shall operate a grooming shop unless a permit to operate such an establishment shall have been granted by the Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services. ... The permit period shall be the calendar year and the permit fee shall be as stated in Section 7-30 for each permit period or part thereof beginning the first day of the calendar year. ... (f)Prohibitions...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Jefferson Parish requires every veterinary clinic and animal hospital to keep animals indoors: Sec. 33-5.3.5.2 bans exterior runs, yards, or pens, caps boarding at 25% of floor area, and limits the whole structure to 25,000 square feet, with soundproofing and odor-control systems required to protect neighboring residential property.
Veterinary Clinic Siting Rules in Jefferson Parish
Some RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code of Ordinances Sec. 33-5.3.5.2
(a)All areas where animals are housed shall be totally contained within an interior space.(b)There shall be no exercise runs, yards, pens or other facilities for the care or housing of animals in any exterior space.(c)The structure where animals are kept or housed shall be insulated or soundproofed, including windows and doors, in order to minimize or reduce sounds emanating from within the str...
Bird Protection
Jefferson Parish bans trapping, hunting, shooting or otherwise molesting any bird or wild fowl, or robbing their nests, parishwide. Inside the designated Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bird Sanctuary, boats also cannot come within 1,000 feet of the purple martin roosts under the Causeway bridge between 15 minutes before sunset and 15 minutes after sunrise, with violations of either rule fined up to $500.
Shooting or Molesting Birds Is Illegal in Jefferson Parish
Heavy RestrictionsJefferson Parish Code §§ 7-207, 7-210, 7-211
It shall be unlawful for any person to trap, hunt, shoot or attempt to shoot or molest in any manner any bird or wild fowl or to rob bird nests or wild fowl nests. ... In addition to the prohibitions found in Section 7-207, it shall be unlawful for any person to approach with any commercial or recreational boat or vessel within one thousand (1,000) feet of the purple martin roosting areas along...
All Jefferson Parish ordinances
See every category we cover for Jefferson Parish: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Jefferson Parish Ordinance Hub →