Kent County, DE Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

' The rule applies countywide in unincorporated Kent County and sits apart from the separate caps the code sets for other animals: § 205-34 already limits backyard poultry, pigeons and ducks to five birds on qualifying lots, § 205-30 requires livestock such as horses, cattle, hogs, goats and sheep to be fully fenced, and § 205-35 bans dangerous or exotic animals outright. Because § 205-36 does not further define 'domestic pet,' the four-pet cap covers a household's dogs, cats and similar companion animals kept past the six-month puppy or kitten stage, independent of the poultry and livestock counts tracked under the neighboring sections.

The section carries no penalty clause of its own, so a violation is enforced through Chapter 205's general Violations and Penalties provision at § 205-426, the same clause that backs the rest of Article IV's animal-keeping rules. Kent County's Division Head of Inspections and Enforcement, other code enforcement officials, or the County's attorney bring the charge, and the Kent County SPCA or State Office of Animal Welfare can respond to complaints about pets kept over the household limit.