Fort Smith, AR Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Fort Smith does not codify a single by-right pet count in Chapter 4 of the Code of Ordinances at https://library.municode.com/ar/fort_smith/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH4AN. The City uses nuisance, sanitation, and dangerous-animal provisions to address multi-pet households that create odor, noise, or sanitation problems for neighbors, and Section 4-108 (effective July 17, 2023, see https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ARFORTSMITH/bulletins/361de3a) adds a strong practical limit: every dog and cat kept as a pet within the city must be spayed or neutered and microchipped unless continuously secured on a leash or in an enclosed building, yard, or enclosure. Households that wish to keep intact dogs or cats for breeding must obtain a Fort Smith breeder license at a cost of $1,000.00 per intact dog or cat used for breeding — a deliberate disincentive to backyard breeding. Owners receive a 15-day cure period to comply after a citation. Spay/neuter vouchers are distributed through the MyFortSmith app (one per pet per household per year, first-come first-served). Multi-cat or multi-dog households that generate nuisance conditions are cited under Chapter 4 nuisance provisions regardless of count. Conditions that cross the line into neglect or cruelty escalate to criminal charges under A.C.A. Section 5-62-103 (https://www.animallaw.info/statute/ar-cruelty-consolidated-crueltyanimal-fighting-laws) and aggravated cruelty under A.C.A. Section 5-62-104 (Class D felony for torture of a cat, dog, or horse). Anyone planning a high-pet-count household should call Fort Smith Animal Services at 479-783-6833.