How Many Dogs Are You Allowed to Own? State and National Laws

There aren’t any federal laws regarding dog ownership. Instead, these laws are left up to cities, counties, and states. If you’re unsure of the state laws in your area, pay attention. We’ve compiled a handy list of those laws so you know what to expect.

Dog Limits Per Household

With the growing desire for pet companionship, more and more states are cities are cracking down on dog laws. Usually, state legislature doesn’t get involved, but a few states have set the standard for dog limits.

Take a look at the cart and see if your state is one of them.  Keep in mind that cities tend to have the final say, so you’ll still want to check with your local city government.

Cite: Information from World Population Review

Why Are There Dog Restrictions?

If you’ve ever been around a group of dogs, you know they can be tough to wrangle. The idea behind dog restrictions is to maintain public safety and cleanliness.

Dog attacks are very serious and, unfortunately, happen often. Restricting how many dogs a household owns can limit the number of dog attacks—at least, that’s the idea. It’s a way to keep people honest, ensuring those who own dogs are responsible pet owners.

State officials also want cities to stay as clean as possible. Without restrictions, too many dogs could cause environmental problems through excess waste. This isn’t always the case, of course. No matter how many restrictions the government sets, much of the responsibility must come from the dog owner.

Are Certain Dog Breeds Restricted?

Irresponsible dog owners have unfortunately given certain breeds a bad rap, making counties and cities ban the breeds altogether. This is called Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL).

Bully breeds like Pit Bulls and American Staffordshire Terriers are the most common since they’re so strong and have a bad reputation after being used as fighting dogs. But other large breeds, like German Shepherds and Rottweilers, can be banned too. Most of the time, these breeds are banned because they’re difficult to manage without proper training.

What are the Consequences of Violating Dog Ordinances?

Cities try to work with dog owners as best they can while maintaining order. The last thing anyone wants is more animals filling the animal shelters. Still, if you violate an ordinance, you can face a hefty fine all the way to having your dog taken from you.

Ultimately, cities look at the degree of the violation and the number of convictions. Thankfully, animal control won’t just show up at your house unannounced. You’ll receive multiple notices until the city takes action.

Conclusion

So, what do you do with this knowledge? Be mindful of where you live. Sadly, we can’t always choose how many dogs we can own (or what kind, for that matter), but luckily, most states are flexible with their ordinances.

Featured Image Credit: Blue Bird, Pexels