Mexico City's animal protection law: what pet owners must know
Mexico City's Animal Protection and Welfare Law sets what you must do if you have a dog or cat, what is banned and how much the fines are. Its last reform was published on 30 December 2025. This guide is not legal advice.
What the law asks of you
- Register your dog or cat in the free RUAC.
- Its collar or harness must carry its name, its RUAC key and your contact details.
- Give it clean water at all times and shelter from sun, rain and cold.
- Keep its vaccines and preventive care up to date.
- Spay or neuter it responsibly.
- Walk your dog on a leash in public, and with a muzzle if it has a history of aggression.
- Pick up its poop on streets and in parks, and carry what you need to do it.
What is banned
- Abandoning an animal on the street.
- Mistreating it or seriously neglecting it.
- Selling animals on the street or from vehicles.
- Organizing or attending animal fights.
- Tying or chaining an animal permanently.
- Cosmetic tattoos or piercings on animals.
- Keeping wild companion animals without authorization.
How much the fines are
Fines are set in UMA, Mexico's unit for fines. For example, not using a leash is punished at the civic court with 21 to 30 UMA or 25 to 36 hours of arrest, and offenses without a specific penalty, like not picking up poop, with 21 to 30 UMA or 24 to 36 hours. Repeating an offense within 12 months can double the fine.
The most serious offenses, such as injuring or killing an animal, or running a shelter or breeding business without authorization, reach fines of thousands of UMA.
Where to report
Animal cruelty and other offenses under this law can be reported to the Procuraduría Ambiental y del Ordenamiento Territorial (PAOT) or to your borough's civic court. If you see an animal in immediate danger, call 911.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to walk my dog on a leash in Mexico City?
- Yes. The law requires a leash in public, and a muzzle if the dog has a history of aggression.
- Can I be fined for not picking up my dog's poop?
- Yes. Picking it up is required by law, and offenses without a specific penalty carry 21 to 30 UMA or 24 to 36 hours of arrest.
- When was the law last reformed?
- The last reform was published in Mexico City's Official Gazette on 30 December 2025.
Related guides
- RUAC Mexico City: how to register your dog or catNewHow to register your dog or cat in Mexico City's RUAC, what you need and what no one can charge you.
- Dog parks in Mexico City: where to walk and let your dog off leashFenced off-leash dog areas in Mexico City, parks for leashed walks and their rules.
- Which pets are legal in Mexico?NewWhich pets need no paperwork in Mexico, which need a Semarnat permit and which you can't have.
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Sources
Laws and procedures checked in November 2026. This guide is not legal advice: for a specific question, ask the authority.