10 rules for unincorporated Pinal County, Arizona.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Pinal County zoning lets rural properties raise poultry, rabbits and small animals, and graze livestock and horses. Large animals in General Rural zoning are limited to five per acre, with setbacks for animal structures.
Arizona law, enforced by Pinal County Animal Care & Control, bars dogs from running at large. Off your property a dog must be confined or on a leash no longer than six feet. "At large" means neither enclosed nor leashed.
A.R.S. 11-1012(B)
Each dog shall be confined within an enclosure on the owner's property, secured so that the dog is confined entirely to the owner's property, or on a leash not to exceed six feet in length.
Arizona bars breed-specific dog laws. Pinal County regulates dogs by behavior, not breed, so no breed is banned. A.R.S. 11-1005 allows the county to enforce dog ordinances only if they are not specific to any breed.
A.R.S. 11-1005(A)(3)
Contract with any city or town to enforce the provisions of any ordinance enacted by such city or town for the control of dogs if the provisions are not specific to any breed.
Pinal County has no specific backyard-beekeeping ordinance. Hives are allowed as an accessory use under unincorporated zoning; commercial apiaries and beekeepers moving colonies must register with the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
Arizona, not Pinal County, restricts exotic pets. State wildlife rules (A.A.C. R12-4-406) prohibit possessing restricted live wildlife such as venomous reptiles, big cats, bears, wolves and many primates without a special license.
Arizona law makes it unlawful to feed wildlife in Pinal County (population over 280,000). Feeding, attracting or enticing wildlife such as javelina and coyotes is a petty offense, with tree squirrels and birds excepted.
A.R.S. 13-2927
A person commits unlawful feeding of wildlife by intentionally, knowingly or recklessly feeding, attracting or otherwise enticing wildlife into an area. Unlawful feeding of wildlife is a petty offense.
Pinal County zoning lets rural land raise livestock and horses, but General Rural properties are capped at five large animals per acre. No more than three hogs may be kept within 500 feet of a residential zone.
Pinal County addresses hoarding through kennel-permit limits, zoning animal caps, and Arizona's animal-cruelty and vicious-animal statutes. Keeping animals in unsanitary or unsafe numbers can trigger seizure and criminal charges.
A.R.S. 11-1014(I)
The owner of a vicious animal shall be responsible for any fees incurred by the enforcement agent for the impounding, sheltering and disposing of the vicious animal.
Pinal County requires a kennel permit for any residence housing five or more dogs. A Class I Non-Commercial permit allows up to seven dogs; a Class II permit allows up to twelve on larger parcels.
Pinal County Kennel Permit Requirements
Kennel Permits are required for all residences that house or maintain five or more dogs. No more than seven (7) dogs may be kept at a given address under a Class I Non-Commercial Permit.
Pinal County's animal ordinance centers on dogs; there is no cat leash law. Rabies vaccination is required for cats, and cat owners must still avoid creating a nuisance or exceeding zoning-based animal limits.
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