Animal Regulations

Unless located in agricultural zone, neighborhood conservation zone, or if you are a person holding a valid pet fancier’s permit Centennial residents are allowed to own, or have custody of, a maximum of:

• Four regulated pets of more than four months of age; and
• Six chickens, provided that chickens must be contained in a covered enclosure between dusk and dawn.

Regulated pets include dogs and cats. Non-regulated pets are animals that are typically kept indoors in a cage or container. Examples of non-regulated pets are chinchillas, domestic rabbits, mice, rats, gerbils, ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, canaries, finches, starlings, doves, domesticated parrots, aquarium fish, nonpoisonous amphibians, nonvenomous invertebrates and turtles of a species and size which is permissible under state law.

A pet fancier’s permit can be completed in writing and approved by Animal Services.

Animal bites, especially dog and cat bites, occur frequently and can be a serious public health problem. Regardless of the extent of injuries, if the skin of the person that has been bitten is broken, the bite must be reported to Animal Services. Animals involved in bites to humans will be quarantined. The purpose of the quarantine is to monitor the animal’s health for warning signs that the animal may have transmitted the rabies virus to the person that was bitten.

All dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of six months must be vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian.

All dogs over the age of six months must be licensed with the City of Centennial. All dogs and cats must wear a collar with a readable tag or have a microchip implanted while off the premises of the owner's home. This enables Animal Services to identify the owner.

License your pet online.

All pet owners must provide animals with minimum care to ensure that its living space is not overcrowded, unclean or unhealthy.

Animals must be kept under control for their own protection and to preserve the public health and safety of our citizens. Dogs, livestock, and other animals found off the owner’s, or keeper’s, property are called “strays” and may be impounded. The owner, or keeper, may also be fined.

All dogs must be on a leash of no more than 10 feet in length by a person of sufficient age, size and physical ability to restrain the animal when off the owner's premises.

Potentially Dangerous Animal means any animal that may be a threat to public safety as demonstrated by any of these behaviors:

• Causes less than serious injury to any person or domestic animal (report an animal bite);
• Without provocation, approaches any person in a menacing or terrorizing manner or in an apparent attitude of attack;
• Attacks any person who is lawfully on the owner’s property; or
• Acts in a highly aggressive manner within a fenced yard or enclosure and appears to be able to jump over or escape.

Dangerous Animal means any animal that:

• Causes serious bodily injury to any person or domestic animal (report an animal bite);
• Had been previously declared a “potentially dangerous animal” and has engaged in subsequent behavior that poses a threat to public safety or the conditions for keeping a potentially dangerous animal has been violated; or
• Engages in or has been trained for animal fighting.

Incessant barking can be very disturbing to the peace and quiet of a neighborhood. In addition, loud, persistent, barking violates the City of Centennial Municipal Code. It is unlawful to keep a dog that makes noise by barking, howling, yelping or other noise for a:

• continuous 10 minutes during the day (7 a.m. to 9 p.m.);
• continuous 5 minutes during the night (9:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.); or
• for a cumulative 90 minutes in any 24 hours.

More information can be found in our Noisy Dog pamphlet(PDF, 4MB).