Alameda, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Alameda's pet-number rule is set by city ordinance, not the county. Municipal Code Section 7-3.7 (Limiting Number of Dogs) makes it unlawful to maintain more than three dogs over the age of four months on any premises in the City, with exceptions for veterinary hospitals, kennels, animal breeders, pet shops, and other commercial uses operating under a valid use permit. A grandfather clause protects people who already kept more than three dogs when the section took effect, but they may not add or replace dogs to exceed three. The City code does not impose a corresponding numeric limit on cats - Chapter VII regulates cat licensing but not cat counts. Licensing applies to both species: under Section 7-3.1, every person owning or possessing any dog or cat over four months of age in the City must pay a license fee set by City Council resolution, with a 50% reduction for spayed/neutered animals and for owners 62 and older, and a fee waiver for very-low-income owners. Rabies vaccination is a prerequisite to licensing (Sections 7-3.4, 7-3.5). Licensing and sheltering are administered through the Alameda Animal Shelter, operated by Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS) at 1590 Fortmann Way, with field enforcement by the Alameda Police Department.