Chicopee, MA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

The limit is § 144-20(M) of the Chicopee Code, part of Chapter 144 (Dogs and Other Animals), which the Board of Aldermen, now the City Council, adopted 10-6-2015 by Ord. No. 15-52. It counts dogs per premises or per structure, not per person, so the cap follows the address.

Chapter 144 pairs the cap with a kennel rule. Section 144-1 defines a kennel to include "every pack or collection of more than three dogs three months old or over owned or kept on a single premises, irrespective of the purpose for which they are maintained." A kennel needs an annual permit under § 144-2: $50 for a kennel authorized to house four dogs or fewer, $75 for 10 or fewer, and $100 for more than 10. The permit period begins April 1 and runs one year. The chapter prints the three-dog cap and these kennel tiers without saying how the two interact.

Every dog over three months of age in the City of Chicopee needs a license from the City Clerk, who is the licensing authority. Application is due within 30 days after obtaining the dog, and the licensing period begins April 1. Fees under § 144-20(J) are $5 for a dog under one year old, $25 for an unneutered male or unspayed female one year or older, and $5 for a neutered male or spayed female. A late license costs $5 for each month or part of a month, up to a maximum of $50 per dog. Dogs must wear identification tags at all times under § 144-20(G), and all licensed dogs must be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian.