Alexandria, VA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Sec. 5-7-57, amended most recently by Ordinance No. ' The limit is defined per 'dwelling unit,' a term Sec. 5-7-31(f) defines to include a single-family home, townhouse, duplex, condominium or apartment, so the cap resets for each separate unit rather than applying per address or per household as a whole. Puppies and kittens four months old or younger do not count toward the cap, letting a litter temporarily exceed the limit until the animals reach that age. The section works alongside the city's separate dog and cat licensing requirement in Sec.

5-7-47, which requires every dog or cat four months or older to be individually licensed and tagged, so a household already near the five-dog or four-cat ceiling faces both the numeric cap and a per-animal licensing tax. The pet-limit section does not distinguish between indoor and outdoor animals, nor does it exempt breeders or hobbyists; anyone wanting to keep more animals than the cap allows would need a separate permit, such as the pet shop or kennel permits addressed elsewhere in Chapter 7's Article D, which require compliance with zoning.