Animal Ordinances in McCracken County, KY (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated McCracken County, Kentucky.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
In unincorporated McCracken County, Kentucky, owners of cattle, horses, goats, sheep, swine, emus, and ostriches must keep the animals from running at large under County Code § 50.06. McCracken County Animal Control or a Law Enforcement Officer makes reasonable efforts to notify the owner when livestock get loose, and repeat violations stack under § 50.99 with steeper fines for livestock than for ordinary pets.
Livestock Running-at-Large Rules, McCracken County
Some RestrictionsMcCracken County Code §§ 50.01, 50.06, 50.99
LIVESTOCK. ... Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, emus, ostriches, horses or any other animals of the bovine, ovine, porcine, caprine, ratite or equine species. ... (A) It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any animal owned or harbored by him or her, to run at large. When livestock are running at large, Animal Control or the Law Enforcement Officer shall make reasonable efforts to notify the ...
Dog Leash Laws
It is unlawful in unincorporated McCracken County to let a dog run at large under § 50.06(A); the code defines RESTRAINT as fencing, a leash or chain, or supervised control on the owner's premises. Hunting dogs get a narrow exception, and violators face a fine that doubles on a repeat offense.
McCracken County Dogs-at-Large Restraint Rule
Some RestrictionsMcCracken County Code §§ 50.01, 50.06(A), 50.99(D)
RESTRAINT. Enclosed in an area by a form of fencing designed to control the movement of the animal or secured by a leash or chain. An animal shall be deemed to be RESTRAINED if it remains on the premises of its owner or if a responsible person accompanies it and is under that person’s control. ... § 50.06 ANIMALS TO BE UNDER CONTROL. (A) It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any animal ...
Breed Restrictions
McCracken County has no breed ban; instead it declares an animal "vicious" based on documented behavior, such as an unprovoked attack causing serious injury or repeated bites in one incident. Owning a declared vicious animal is unlawful under § 50.06(B) unless the owner meets strict court-ordered confinement, microchipping and muzzling conditions after conviction.
McCracken County Vicious Animal Rules
Significant RestrictionsMcCracken County Code §§ 50.01, 50.06(B), 50.99(F)
VICIOUS ANIMAL. (1) Any animal: (a) Which constitutes a physical threat to human beings or domestic animals due to a known propensity to endanger life by an unprovoked assault or bite which results in serious bodily harm; ... (2) It shall be prima facie evidence that an animal is vicious if the animal bites a human being or domestic animal more than once in the same attack. ... § 50.06 ANIMALS ...
Exotic Pets
McCracken County outright bans selling, owning, harboring or keeping as a pet any non-indigenous wild or exotic animal, any wild animal native to the United States, or any venomous reptile under § 50.07. Only state and federal conservation officers, licensed nuisance wildlife officers and licensed rehabilitators are exempt.
McCracken County Wild and Exotic Animal Ban
Heavy RestrictionsMcCracken County Code §§ 50.07, 50.99(I)
§ 50.07 WILD AND EXOTIC ANIMALS. ... (A) It shall be unlawful to sell, own, harbor or keep as a pet any wild or exotic animal, not indigenous to the United States, except state and federal conservation officers, licensed nuisance wildlife officers and licensed rehabilitators. (B) It shall be unlawful to sell, own, harbor or keep as a pet any wild animal native to the United States, except state...
Cat Rules
McCracken County does not license cats; only dogs are licensed under § 50.03. Cats still must be rabies-vaccinated under § 50.04, and they are covered by the same at-large and public-nuisance prohibitions in § 50.06 that apply to any animal owned in unincorporated McCracken County.
McCracken County Cat Ownership Rules
Some RestrictionsMcCracken County Code §§ 50.01, 50.04(B), 50.06
CAT. Any feline three months of age or older for which there exists a United States Department of Agriculture approved rabies vaccine. ... § 50.04 RABIES VACCINATION. ... (B) Any dog, cat or ferret reclaimed or adopted from the animal shelter must have a valid rabies vaccination. ... § 50.06 ANIMALS TO BE UNDER CONTROL. (A) It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any animal owned or harbo...
Microchipping
In unincorporated McCracken County, an owner who wants to keep a dog or other animal after a vicious-animal conviction must have it microchipped and the chip registered with Animal Control under Code § 50.99(F)(1)(a). The county has no general pet microchipping mandate; the requirement applies only as a court-ordered condition for retaining a vicious animal.
Vicious Animal Microchip Rule, McCracken County
Some RestrictionsMcCracken County Code § 50.99(F)(1)(a)
(F) Upon conviction under § 50.06 relating to the possession of a vicious animal, the penalty shall be a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, or up to 90 days in the county jail or both. In addition, the court shall order one of the following: (1) The following regulations be followed as a condition of the owner retaining ownership of the animal. (a) The vicious animal shall be ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
In unincorporated McCracken County, Kentucky, veterinary facilities and kennels are a permitted use by right in the Agricultural (AG) and Rural Residential (RR) zoning districts. As nonresidential uses, they must meet each district's 75-foot front and 25-foot side and rear yard setbacks, and any on-site boarding falls under the code's commercial-kennel definition.
Veterinary Facility Zoning, McCracken County
Some RestrictionsMcCracken County Code §§ 150.051(A)(37), 150.051(C)(1), 150.016
KENNEL, COMMERCIAL. Any lot or premises on which dogs or small animals are kept for commercial boarding, breeding, or sale purposes. ... (A) Permitted uses. In the AG District, the following uses are permitted: ... (37) Veterinary facilities and kennels; ... (C) Minimum yard requirements. (1) Nonresidential uses: (a) Front yard: 75 feet; (b) Side yard: 25 feet; and (c) Rear yard: ...
Wildlife Rescue Permits
Unincorporated McCracken County bans owning, selling or harboring any wild or exotic animal, native or non-native, plus venomous reptiles, under Code § 50.07. The Fiscal Court carves out one path for wildlife rescue work: state and federal conservation officers, licensed nuisance wildlife officers and licensed rehabilitators. Anyone else keeping such an animal faces county fines and forfeiture to Animal Control.
Wild & Exotic Animal Ban, McCracken County
Some RestrictionsMcCracken County Code § 50.07
(A) It shall be unlawful to sell, own, harbor or keep as a pet any wild or exotic animal, not indigenous to the United States, except state and federal conservation officers, licensed nuisance wildlife officers and licensed rehabilitators. ... (B) It shall be unlawful to sell, own, harbor or keep as a pet any wild animal native to the United States, except state and federal conservation off...
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