Rapid City, SD Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

010 opens by stating its purpose: to promote safety and public welfare by requiring every dog and cat owned by a city resident to be vaccinated against rabies and licensed, so any lost, stolen, impounded or biting animal can be traced back to an owner. Subsection A makes owning an unlicensed cat unlawful in exactly the same terms as owning an unlicensed dog, and each cat needs its own, separate, unexpired license rather than a household license covering multiple animals. To apply, the owner fills out a written application to the city's Designated Animal Control Authority naming the cat's breed, color, age and sex, and must attach a rabies immunization certificate plus the fee the Common Council sets by resolution; an incomplete application, missing either the certificate or the fee, is not accepted.

Two exemptions apply: a cat owned for less than 30 days, and a cat that has not yet reached 6 months of age. Once issued, a numbered tag must be affixed to the cat's collar alongside its rabies tag any time the cat is outside, and every license, no matter when purchased during the year, expires on December 31, so renewal is an annual citywide event rather than an anniversary date. A visiting nonresident's cat is exempt from licensing and vaccination for up to 30 days, provided the cat stays in a building, enclosure, vehicle or under restraint the whole time it is in the city.