Evanston, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

City Code Section 9-4-3-2(A) prohibits any premises in Evanston from housing more than three dogs, licensed or not, at the same time, and puppies under four months old don't count toward the cap. The limit doesn't apply to commercial uses the Code separately authorizes to keep more animals, such as kennels, pet shops and veterinarians, where housing multiple dogs is part of the business. Subsection (B) layers a much tighter rule on top: no lot may have more than one dangerous dog, whether that means owning it, keeping it, or simply having custody or control of it, and only a veterinarian treating the animal is exempt, and only to the extent care requires. The terms structure and lot area used in this Section carry the same meanings given in City Code Section 6-18-3.

Every dog and cat over four months old also needs an annual license from the City Manager's designee under Section 9-4-3-1, due by the last day of February, and the application under Section 9-4-3-4 must disclose how many other dogs are already licensed for the same address, plus proof of rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian. Fees run from $10.00 for a neutered dog or cat up to $100.00 for a dangerous dog under the schedule in Section 9-4-4(A); residents 65 and older, or those below the federal poverty line, pay half price, except on dangerous-dog fees, which get no discount under Section 9-4-4(B). The City Manager's designee can revoke a license after an administrative hearing for noncompliance with the Chapter, and a person whose license is revoked has ten days to humanely dispose of every animal kept beyond what the Code allows.