Dogs & animal control across Rhode Island
Do I need a dog licence? What are the leash rules?
31 of 39 municipalities in Rhode Island have an adopted ordinance on dogs & animal control on file. Each row links the municipality's answer page and, where transcribed, the full text of the document.
| Municipality | Adopted document | Key facts | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrington Town |
Chapter 67 - Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Burrillville Town |
Animals and Courts Ordinance Amendment - April 2024
+1 more |
leash rule: Unlawful for any owner (excepting felines) to fail to restrain an animal so it trespasses on private/public property and damages property. · fines: First offense: written warning then $100 fine; Second offense: $30.00; subsequent: $100.00 and up to $500.00 on conviction | None |
| Charlestown Town |
Chapter 103 - Dogs and Other Animals | — | None |
| Coventry Town |
Chapter 97 - Animals | — | None |
| Cranston City |
Chapter 6.08 - Animals
+1 more |
licence required: True · licence fee: $20.00; $10.00 for senior citizens (age 65+) or those receiving government assistance · leash rule: All animals not in an enclosed space on private property shall remain under restraint and control of a properly fitting leash or other security device controlled by a competent person. | None |
| Cumberland Town |
Chapter 4 - Animals | — | None |
| East Greenwich Town |
Chapter 23 - Animals | — | None |
| East Providence City |
Chapter 19, Division 13 - Beekeeping | — | None |
| Exeter Town |
Zoning Ordinance Article I, Section 1.2 - Kennel Definitions | — | None |
| Foster Town |
Chapter 38, Article VI, Section 38-290 - Regulations Pertaining to Animals | — | None |
| Glocester Town |
Ordinance 2-04-01 - Dogs and Other Animals | — | None |
| Johnston Town |
Town of Johnston Code of Ordinances - Chapter 98 Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Lincoln Town |
Town of Lincoln Code of Ordinances - Chapter 75 Animals / Article III Dogs | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Little Compton Town |
Town of Little Compton Code of Ordinances - Chapter 4 Animal Control | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Middletown Town |
Town of Middletown Code of Ordinances - Chapter 90 Animals / Dog Limits and Restraint | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Narragansett Town |
Town of Narragansett Code of Ordinances - Chapter 6 Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Newport City |
City of Newport Code of Ordinances - Title 6 Animals / Chapter 6.08 Animal Control | — | 2026-06-05 |
| North Kingstown Town |
Town of North Kingstown Code of Ordinances - Chapter 21 Zoning / Section 21-325 Raising Chickens | — | 2026-06-05 |
| North Providence Town |
Town of North Providence Code of Ordinances - Chapter 4 Animals | licence required: True · leash rule: Owner shall keep dog under restraint at all times; not at large off owner's property unless on leash (cord/chain no longer than six feet). · max animals: more than three licensed dogs at the same residence (kennels excepted) | 2026-06-05 |
| North Smithfield Town |
Town of North Smithfield Code of Ordinances - Chapter 123 Animals and Fowl | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Pawtucket City |
City of Pawtucket Code of Ordinances - Chapter 116 Animals / Article IV Dogs and Other Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Providence City |
City of Providence Code of Ordinances - Chapter 4 Animals and Fowl / Article III Control of Dogs and Other Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Richmond Town |
Town of Richmond Code of Ordinances - Title 6 Animals / Chapter 6.08 Animal Control
+1 more |
max animals: Max 3 animal units per lot regardless of size; for all animals except chickens/rabbits lot must be >=1 acre; max 6 chickens or rabbits on a lot smaller than one acre | 2026-06-05 |
| Smithfield Town |
Town of Smithfield, RI Animals (Chapter 126) | — | 2026-06-05 |
| South Kingstown Town |
South Kingstown Chapter 12.1 — Parks and Recreation | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Tiverton Town |
Tiverton Zoning Ordinance — Article IV District Use Regulations (Animals) | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Warwick City |
Warwick Chapter 4 — Animals and Fowl | licence required: True · licence fee: $10.00 · leash rule: Owner shall keep dog under restraint at all times when at large; restraint = leashed, within a motor vehicle per state law, or within a suitable enclosure | 2026-06-05 |
| West Greenwich Town |
West Greenwich Chapter 138 — Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| West Warwick Town |
West Warwick Chapter 4 — Animals (Dog Licensing & Animal Control) | licence required: True · licence fee: $7.00 for each neutered male or spayed female and $15.00 for each un-neutered male or un-spayed female · fines: First offense $100.00; Second offense $200.00; Third offense & each subsequent offense $200.00 | 2026-06-05 |
| Westerly Town |
Westerly Chapter 76 — Animals | — | 2026-06-05 |
| Woonsocket City |
Woonsocket Zoning Ordinance — Backyard Chicken Keeping (Sec. 4.4) and Farm Animals (Sec. 6.13) | leash rule: Hens must be confined between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM; when not confined must be supervised, kept within enclosed fenced yard, and not allowed onto abutting property · max animals: no more than one (1) hen per eight hundred (800) square feet of total lot area with a maximum of five (5) hens on any one lot; no roosters | 2026-06-05 |
Nothing on file for dogs & animal control
Absence here is explicit, not a gap: each municipality below was checked, and its status says why there is no document.
Checked, nothing adopted (5) — Central Falls, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Portsmouth (2026-06-05), Warren (2026-06-05).
Other ordinances on file, none on this topic (3) — Bristol, New Shoreham, Scituate.