Cocoa, FL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Threshold
- 5+ dogs/cats age 6mo+ = kennel
- Governing sections
- §§ 5-31, 5-34
- Kennels
- banned unless zoning-approved
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 1-90, 1-9-90
- Under 6 months
- puppies/kittens don't count
Summary
Cocoa doesn't cap pets at a fixed household number, but its zoning-based kennel rule does the same job: keeping five or more dogs or cats six months or older on residential property makes the property a "kennel," and kennels are barred citywide except where zoning specifically allows them.
Kennel shall mean any place of business where dogs or cats, regardless of number, are kept for sale, breeding, boarding or treatment purposes, except a dog hospital, dog beauty parlor or pet shop, all as allowed by the zoning regulations of the city, or any premises used for residential purposes where five (5) or more dogs or cats six (6) months old or older, are kept, harbored or maintained. ... Sec. 5-34. - Kennels. Kennels are not allowed within the city limits of the City of Cocoa except where specifically allowed by the city's zoning ordinance and only in the manner provided by said ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17).
Full Breakdown
Cocoa's animal chapter does not contain a stand-alone numeric pet limit for ordinary households; instead it regulates through the definition of "kennel" in § 5-31. " That makes five adult dogs or cats the practical ceiling for a residential household that has not obtained zoning approval as a kennel use; four or fewer stays under the radar of this section, but a fifth crosses into kennel territory and triggers the zoning requirement. Puppies and kittens under six months are excluded from the count, so a litter born on the property does not itself convert a household into a kennel until the animals age past six months and the owner still keeps that many.
Cocoa adopted this framework in Ord. No. 1-90 in January 1990 and has not amended §§ 5-31 or 5-34 since. The same chapter incorporates Brevard County's animal control ordinance by reference at § 5-1 for licensing, rabies and related requirements that operate alongside the local kennel threshold.
Violations & Fines
A residential property found to house five or more dogs or cats over six months old without zoning approval as a kennel is treated as operating an unlawful kennel under § 5-34, enforceable through Cocoa's code enforcement board with the same investigatory entry powers granted to the enforcement official under § 5-33.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs or cats can I keep at my Cocoa home?
Do puppies and kittens count toward the five-animal kennel threshold?
Can I get a permit to keep more than five dogs or cats in Cocoa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cocoa
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Cocoa to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brevard County handle pet limits.