Grand Forks, ND Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Section 11-0123, titled "Dogs and cats in dwellings," sets the household cap at more than six cats and dogs combined once the animals are past six months old, and within that total no more than three may be dogs; the section carries a federal-law exception for cases such as service animals. The cap replaced an older kennel-permit and multifamily-dwelling scheme: Section 11-0126 is now reserved after Ordinance No. 4862 repealed the dog kennel permit and fee provision derived from the 2011 ordinance, and Section 11-0124, pertaining to dogs in multifamily dwellings, was likewise repealed by Ordinance No.

4537 in 2015. Owners still keeping animals within the six-and-three limit must comply with the general premises standard in Section 11-0127, which requires the property to be kept free of decayed food and filth, with adequate food, water, light and air and suitable runways for exercise, and with the feces removal duty in Section 11-0125, which bars leaving pet waste on any public street, sidewalk or another person's property without delay. Every cat and dog counted toward the cap must still be individually licensed under Section 11-0102 and currently vaccinated for rabies under Section 11-0105.

Section 11-0128 sets the penalty for exceeding the household cap or violating the related premises and licensing duties at a fine of up to one thousand dollars per incident.