Animal Ordinances in Rockingham County, VA (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Rockingham County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Outside Harrisonburg and the towns, Rockingham County caps household poultry and livestock at one animal unit per acre, no more than four units, under the Zoning Ordinance's 'Animal, domestic' standard. Properties meeting the county's 'farm' definition are exempt, but in the RV, RR-1, PG and I-1 districts, non-farm keeping is personal use only and birds are capped at five per lot.
Rockingham County Poultry & Livestock Limits
Some RestrictionsRockingham County Code § 17-607, 'Animal, domestic'
(a)In the A-1 and A-2 zoning districts, unless property meets the definition of farm under section 17-201, the keeping of any animals or poultry listed in the definition of animal husbandry shall be limited to one (1) animal unit per acre, not to exceed four (4) animal units.(b)In the RV, RR-1, PG, and I-1 zoning district, animal husbandry shall be limited to personal use or casual sales only, ...
Dog Leash Laws
Rockingham County makes it unlawful for a dog's owner to let the dog run at large anywhere in the county, defined as roaming off the owner's property without being under the owner's or custodian's immediate control. Any law-enforcement or animal control officer may seize an offending dog on sight and deliver it to the county's contracted custodial organization.
Rockingham County Dog At-Large Ban
Some RestrictionsRockingham County Code §§ 4-7, 4-18, 4-18.1
Running at large. ... A dog shall be deemed to be running at large while roaming, running or self-hunting off the property of its owner or custodian, and not under its owner's or custodian's immediate control. ... It shall be unlawful for the owner of any d ... og to allow such dog to run at large within the county. ... Any law-enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, an animal contr...
Breed Restrictions
Rockingham County's dangerous-dog ordinance expressly forbids labeling a dog dangerous or vicious solely because of its breed, and bars prohibiting ownership of any particular breed outright. A dog can only be declared dangerous after a general district court hearing on its actual conduct, which then triggers a $150 registration fee and strict confinement rules.
Rockingham County Bars Breed-Specific Bans
Few RestrictionsRockingham County Code § 4-11(b), (c)
No canine or canine crossbreed shall be found to be a dangerous dog or vicious dog solely because it is a particular breed, nor shall the ownership of a particular breed of canine or canine crossbreed be prohibited. ... The owner of any animal found by a court to be a dangerous dog shall, within forty-five (45) days of such finding, obtain a dangerous dog registration certificate from the anima...
Cat Rules
Rockingham County counts feral and domestic cats as companion animals under its animal ordinance but regulates them, like any animal, only against roaming on roads and highways. The county has no cat licensing requirement and no ordinance establishing a feral-cat colony or trap-neuter-return program; dogs are the only species licensed and confined county-wide.
Rockingham County Cat At-Large Rule
Light RestrictionsRockingham County Code §§ 4-2, 4-7
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any animal or fowl owned by him or under his control to run at large upon any road or highway or the right-of-way thereof within the county. ... Companion animal. ... Any domestic or feral dog, domestic or feral cat, non-human primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit not raised for human food or fiber, exotic or native animal, reptile, exotic or native ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
In Rockingham County outside Harrisonburg and the towns, an animal hospital allowed in the A-1, A-2, RV, MXU or PCD zoning districts must keep every building, run or containment area at least 150 feet from any property line, cut to 75 feet only with notarized neighbor consent. Outdoor runs are limited to 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and the owner must submit a waste-disposal plan under the Zoning Ordinance (chapter 17), Sec. 17-607.
Rockingham County Animal Hospital Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsRockingham County Code § 17-607, 'Animal hospital'
(a)In the RV, MXU and PCD zoning districts, the animal hospital shall not service large animals, such as livestock, on site.(b)In the A-1, A-2, RV, MXU, and PCD zoning districts:(1)Any buildings, runs, or containment areas associated with an animal hospital shall meet the following setbacks:a.One hundred fifty (150) feet from any property line, reducible to seventy-five (75) feet if notarized c...
All Rockingham County ordinances
See every category we cover for Rockingham County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Rockingham County Ordinance Hub →