Keeping of animals within city limits.

Meridian Code of Ordinances § 6-12

in effect

Sec. 6-12. - Keeping of animals within city limits. (a) Keeping animals, fowl near residences prohibited; exception for dogs and cats. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain any chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or other domestic fowl of any kind, or any sheep, cattle, mules, goats, horses or any other four-legged animal of any kind, within one hundred (100) feet of any building or structure in the city used as a residence by another. The provisions of this section subparagraph shall not apply to keeping and maintaining cats and dogs. (b) Swine prohibited; exception for dealers. It shall be unlawful for any person to raise or keep hogs and pigs within the corporate limits of the city; provided that this section shall not apply to dealers in hogs and pigs who are hereby permitted to maintain hog and pig pens in areas zoned for such; provided, however, that such pens shall meet the sanitary requirements of the state health department. (c) Disposal of animals. No person shall leave or throw into any stream or river, nor offensively expose the body, or any part thereof, of any dead animal, nor shall be same be kept where it may be dangerous to the life or detrimental to the health of any person. The animal control division shall be promptly notified of the existence of any such dead animal and where it is to be found so that it may be removed and disposed of in a sanitary manner. (d) Number of dogs or cats. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain more than six (6) dogs or cats over the age of six (6) months in or at any residential premises within the City of Meridian at any one (1) time. (e) Conditional permits for dogs or cats. The supervisor of animal control shall have the authority to issue permits to persons residing within the corporate limits of the City of Meridian to keep or maintain more than six (6) dogs or cats over the age of six (6) months at their residence. Any person receiving a permit under this provision may be allowed to keep or maintain more than six (6) dogs or cats over the age of six (6) months at their residence subject to the following conditions: (1) No more than the permitted number of dogs or cats over the age of six (6) months shall be allowed on the premises at one time. (2) The animal control officer shall have the right to request to inspect, at all reasonable times, the premises of any person issued a permit for keeping or maintaining dogs or cats in excess of six (6) as allowed hereunder. (3) Any person seeking a permit for this purpose shall, as a part of the application therefor, submit written verification from all neighboring property owners of such applicant that such neighboring property owners do not object to the issuance of such permit within one hundred (100) feet of any property line adjoining the applicant's property. If there are any objections from neighboring property owners of the applicant, a hearing shall be conducted by the chief of police and/or the animal control supervisor of the city, and a decision made whether to issue the permit. If the permit application is denied, the applicant may then appeal the decision to the city council. (4) Each permit shall be issued only after an application is made through the animal control supervisor of the city. (5) The application fee for the permit for the first year shall be twenty-five ($25.00) dollars. The yearly renewal fee shall be twenty-five ($25.00) dollars. (6) Any permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this division may be revoked if it is determined by the animal control officer that any provision of this section is being violated. In such case, the animal control officer shall notify such person of such violations, and such person shall be allowed fourteen (14) days from such notification to correct the violations. At the expiration of the fourteen-day correction period, the animal control officer shall reinspect the premises. If violations are still found at the premises, the animal control supervisor may revoke the permit. The owner of the permit shall have the right to request in writing a hearing before the chief of police and/or the animal control supervisor to appeal the decision revoking the permit. (Ord. No. 3878, § 12, 8-7-90; Ord. No. 4456, § 1, 3-17-15; Ord. No. 4580, 10-3-23)

Source: City of Meridian, Mississippi, Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ms/meridian/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH6ANFO_S6-12KEANWILIFetched: 11/1/2026