10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Yellowstone County, Montana.
Verified from official government sources
Outside a zoning district, unincorporated Yellowstone County sets no chicken or hen limit and permits livestock under Montana's right-to-farm tradition. Within the county's zoning jurisdiction (about 4.5 miles of Billings), the agricultural-open space zone caps livestock at two units per acre.
Yellowstone County has adopted a Dog Ordinance under Montana law that restrains dogs from running at large. Dogs picked up by the Sheriff are held 72 hours, then put up for adoption. Report strays to YCSO non-emergency: 406-657-8200.
MCA 7-23-2108
The governing body of the county may regulate, restrain, or prohibit the running at large of dogs by adoption of an ordinance. ... Violation of an ordinance adopted under subsection (1) is a misdemeanor.
Yellowstone County does not ban specific dog breeds. Instead, Montana law lets the county control any 'vicious dog' by ordinance, defined by behavior, not breed. A dog that bites or attacks may be regulated, quarantined, or destroyed regardless of breed.
MCA 7-23-2109
The county governing body may regulate, restrain, control, kill, or quarantine any vicious dog, whether licensed or unlicensed ... A 'vicious dog' means a dog that bites or attempts to bite any human being without provocation or that harasses, chases, bites, or attempts to bite any other animal.
Yellowstone County sets no beekeeping ordinance in the rural unincorporated county. Beekeeping is governed statewide: hobbyist apiary sites (up to 10 hives) may register with the Montana Department of Agriculture under MCA 80-6-114. Cities like Billings may add local hive rules.
MCA 80-6-114
The applicant may not own a total of more than 10 hives, and all of the hives must be placed on the hobbyist apiary site. ... The applicant shall own the bees and the hives and shall personally manage and operate the bees and the hives.
Exotic-pet rules in Yellowstone County are set by Montana state law, not the county. The Fish and Wildlife Commission maintains lists of controlled and prohibited exotic wildlife; species on the prohibited list may not be imported, possessed, or sold. Menageries and zoos need FWP permits.
MCA 87-5-704
The commission may adopt rules to implement 87-5-705 through 87-5-709 and 87-5-712 regarding the importation, possession, and sale of exotic wildlife, including adoption of a list of controlled exotic wildlife and a list of prohibited exotic wildlife.
Feeding game wildlife such as deer, elk, and bears is regulated statewide by Montana FWP, not by a county ordinance. Attracting big game or predators with food is prohibited under state rule. (These are Montana rules for the county, not Yellowstone National Park's federal rules.)
In most of unincorporated Yellowstone County, livestock is not capped by the county under Montana's right-to-farm tradition. Only within the county zoning jurisdiction near Billings does the agricultural-open space zone limit livestock to two units per acre.
Animal hoarding in Yellowstone County is prosecuted under Montana state cruelty law, not a county ordinance. Cruelty to animals is a misdemeanor; inflicting cruelty on a collection or herd of 10 or more animals is aggravated animal cruelty, a felony-level offense.
MCA 45-8-217
A person commits the offense of aggravated animal cruelty if the person purposely or knowingly: ... inflicts cruelty to animals on a collection, kennel, or herd of 10 or more animals.
Unincorporated Yellowstone County sets no hard numeric limit on how many dogs or cats you may own. The county controls animals through its Dog Ordinance, nuisance rules, and Montana cruelty law rather than a per-household pet cap. Cities like Billings may impose their own limits.
Yellowstone County's animal ordinances focus on dogs; there is no county at-large or licensing rule for cats in unincorporated areas. Cats are covered mainly by Montana cruelty law and the state rabies program, which requires quarantine of an unvaccinated cat that bites a person.
1 cities in Yellowstone County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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