Beloit, WI Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Combined animal cap
- 5 dogs, cats and rabbits per dwelling
- Dog-specific cap
- Maximum 3 dogs
- Cat/rabbit cap
- Up to 5 each, within the combined 5
- Newborn exemption
- Litters under 5 months don't count
- Grandfather cutoff
- Animals owned before Jan 1, 2009
- Enforcing officers
- Humane Officer; Animal Control Officer
Summary
No residential dwelling unit in the City of Beloit may keep more than 5 dogs, cats and rabbits combined, with a hard cap of 3 dogs (up to 5 cats and up to 5 rabbits within that total). Newborn litters under 5 months are exempt, and pets that already exceeded the limit before January 1, 2009 are grandfathered.
(3)MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DOGS, CATS AND RABBITS. (Am. #3221; Rep. & recr. #3358)(a)Number Limited. No person shall own, harbor or keep more than 5 dogs, cats or rabbits combined, of which the maximum number of dogs being 3, the maximum number of cats being 5, the maximum number of rabbits being 5, on any residential dwelling unit in the City, with the exception of newborn puppies, kittens, or rabbits which may be kept for a period of time not to exceed 5 months from birth. ... (b)Exemption. This section shall not apply to dogs, cats or rabbits exceeding the allowable limit which were legally owned, harbored or kept on the pet owner's residential dwelling unit prior to January 1, 2009, provided that all such animals are properly licensed and current on rabies vaccinations by January 1, 2009, if such vaccination or license is required under this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Update 01 - 05-2026).
Full Breakdown
17(3)(a) caps the animals any residential dwelling unit in the City of Beloit may own, harbor or keep at 5 dogs, cats or rabbits combined, with the maximum number of dogs set at 3, cats at 5, and rabbits at 5 within that combined ceiling. The limit applies whether the dwelling is a single-family home or a unit inside a two-family or multiple-family building, and every occupant of the unit is treated as an owner of all the animals kept there for enforcement purposes. Newborn puppies, kittens or rabbits under 5 months old do not count toward the cap.
17(3)(b) grandfathers animals that legally exceeded today's limit before January 1, 2009, so long as they were properly licensed and current on rabies vaccinations by that date; the grandfathering only protects the animals already on hand and does not let an owner replace them with new animals once the existing ones are gone. 03 and also serve as assistant health officers for animal-related provisions.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more dogs, cats or rabbits than § 14.17(3)(a) allows is a violation of the Municipal Code; the section does not list its own dollar penalty, so it falls under the general penalty in § 25.04(1)(a): a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $500 for a first offense, together with costs of prosecution, rising to $200-$500 for a second offense within a year and $300-$500 for a third or later offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I legally own in Beloit?
Do puppies and kittens count toward the Beloit pet limit?
I already have more pets than the limit allows, can I keep them?
Does the pet limit apply to apartment renters too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beloit
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Rock County handle pet limits.