Canton, OH Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Section 505.14, added by Ordinance 110-2019, bars keeping or harboring more than five dogs or cats, in any combination, over four months of age in or about a dwelling unit or structure, unless the keeper obtains a permit under Section 505.15. The terms Keep and Harbor track Ohio R.C. 955.28, and Dwelling unit and structure are defined in the city's Zoning Code at Chapter 1123. Notably, Section 505.14(b) restricts enforcement of the cap itself to the Canton Police Department or the City Law Department, carving it out from the general animal-control enforcement authority Section 505.19 gives the Nuisance Inspector for the rest of Chapter 505.

A household in an area zoned business or industrial can lawfully exceed five animals by obtaining a permit from the City License Bureau under Section 505.15, filed annually by January 31 for a $20 fee, renewable for another $20, after an inspection confirming sanitary conditions, adequate fencing, pest control and noise control at the property; a failed re-inspection costs an extra $20. Hospitals, clinics and veterinary premises are exempt from the permit requirement. Canton's cap is a household-density rule, distinct from the state dog-license requirement and from any Stark County licensing process.