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Cook County, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Household cap
3 adult pets per residential unit
Adult definition
Animal counted adult at 4 months
Geographic scope
Unincorporated Cook County only
Outdoor pets
Must have adequate confinement enclosure
Exempt uses
Farms, kennels, shelters, vet clinics

Summary

In unincorporated Cook County, the zoning ordinance caps residential lots at three adult pets per unit and requires outdoor pets be housed in an adequate enclosure.

City-specific rules exist: Skokie, Evanston, Oak Park, Oak Lawn, Arlington Heights, Tinley Park, and Schaumburg have their own pet limits rules that differ from Cook County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

Pets may be kept on any lot of residential use, provided that no more than three adult pets shall be kept at any one residential unit and when kept outdoors, pets shall be housed in an adequate enclosure suitable for the confinement of such animals.

Source: Cook County Code Chapter 30View official code

Full Breakdown

Cook County's Zoning Ordinance regulates how many pets a household may keep on a residentially zoned lot in unincorporated Cook County. Appendix A, Article 8, Section 8.7.7(A) sets a hard cap of three adult pets per residential unit, with an animal counted as adult once it reaches four months of age. Pets kept outdoors must be housed in an enclosure adequate to confine them. This zoning cap sits alongside separate animal-care and licensing rules in Chapter 10 (Animals) and Chapter 38 (Health and Human Services) of the main Cook County Code, and it expressly does not apply to farms, veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, kennels, zoos, or animal shelters.

Violations & Fines

Keeping more than three adult pets on a residential lot in unincorporated Cook County, without qualifying as an exempt use such as a kennel or shelter, violates the zoning ordinance's animal-keeping limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the three-pet limit apply in Chicago or other Cook County cities?
No. This zoning cap applies only in unincorporated Cook County under the County's own zoning ordinance; incorporated municipalities like Chicago set their own pet limits under their own codes.
Do puppies and kittens count toward the three-pet limit?
No. The ordinance counts only adult pets, defined as animals four months of age or older, so younger puppies and kittens don't count against the cap.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Cook County

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsDog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsChickens & LivestockSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsPet Store RulesSignificant RestrictionsCat RulesSome RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic ZoningFew RestrictionsBird ProtectionLight RestrictionsBeekeepingSome RestrictionsExotic PetsHeavy RestrictionsMandatory Spay/NeuterSome RestrictionsMicrochippingLight RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome Restrictions

All Cook County rules

Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview

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Pet Limits in Cities Across Cook County

Chicago, ILEvanston, ILOak Park, ILSchaumburg, ILArlington Heights, ILSkokie, ILDes Plaines, ILOrland Park, ILTinley Park, ILOak Lawn, IL