Columbia, MO Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Limit
- 4 dogs/cats over 6 months, per address
- Exempt
- Licensed kennels, animal hospitals, city pound
- Also exempt
- Registered feral-cat caretakers
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 30 days
Summary
Columbia, Missouri (Boone County) caps households at four dogs or cats over six months old at one location, with exceptions for licensed kennels, animal hospitals, the city pound, and registered feral-cat caretakers.
No person shall, at any time, keep, harbor or own, at one location within the city, more than a total of four (4) dogs or cats over the age of six (6) months. This provision shall not apply to a lawfully operated commercial kennel, a kennel maintained in connection with a small animal hospital, the city pound or persons in their role as registered caretakers of feral cats.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
Columbia Code of Ordinances § 5-60 bars keeping, harboring, or owning more than a total of four dogs or cats over six months of age at one location within the city. The cap doesn't apply to a lawfully operated commercial kennel, a kennel tied to a small animal hospital, the city pound, or a person registered as a feral-cat caretaker. It sits in Chapter 5, Article III (Dogs, Cats and Other Animals), alongside Boone County, Missouri's licensing and vaccination requirements for the same animals.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than four qualifying dogs or cats without an exemption violates Chapter 5's general penalty, § 5-16: up to a $1,000 fine, 30 days' confinement, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pets can I legally have in Columbia, Missouri?
Do puppies and kittens count toward Columbia's four-pet limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
Compare Columbia to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
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