6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Norfolk City, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Norfolk bans livestock and all poultry except chickens, and even hens need a permit from the Department of Public Health. A permitted lot may keep up to six hens, no roosters, on at least 5,000 square feet.
Norfolk City Code Sec. 6.1-7(a)(3)(A) (Ord. No. 45,764, eff. Oct. 28, 2014)
No more than six (6) hens and no rooster or capon shall be kept on any lot.
Norfolk requires dogs to be under immediate leashed or lead control off the owner's property, and Virginia Code Section 3.2-6538 lets localities prohibit dogs running at large. Rabies vaccination is mandatory statewide.
Va. Code Sec. 3.2-6538 (running at large)
Any locality may by ordinance prohibit the running at large of all or any category of dogs
Norfolk cannot ban any dog breed. Virginia law bars localities from prohibiting a particular breed, and no dog may be found dangerous or vicious solely because of its breed. Regulation is based on an individual dog's behavior.
Va. Code Sec. 3.2-6540.1(C) (vicious dogs)
No canine or canine crossbreed shall be found to be a vicious dog solely because it is a particular breed, nor is the ownership of a particular breed of canine or canine crossbreed prohibited.
Keeping honey bees is lawful in Norfolk, and Virginia requires no permit or mandatory registration to keep hives. State oversight under the Virginia Bee Law applies mainly to moving or selling bees across state lines.
Norfolk and Virginia restrict keeping wild and exotic animals. The Department of Wildlife Resources requires permits to possess native wildlife, and dangerous exotics like big cats and primates are effectively off-limits to private owners.
Virginia bars feeding bears and restricts deer feeding, and Norfolk can act on feeding that creates a nuisance. Leaving pet food or unsecured trash outdoors counts as unintentional feeding. Backyard bird feeders are generally allowed.
1 cities in Norfolk City have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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