Lima, OH Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Numeric pet cap
- None specified
- Governing rule
- Nuisance (Lima CO 618.09)
- Dog licensing
- ORC 955.01, each dog
- Licenses issued by
- Allen County Auditor
- Enforcement trigger
- Odor, sanitation, noise
Summary
Lima's Codified Ordinances set no fixed numeric cap on dogs or cats per household. Instead, ownership is limited by the nuisance rule barring animals kept so as to create offensive odors or unsanitary conditions, plus state dog licensing.
Every person who owns, keeps, or harbors a dog more than three months of age shall file... in the office of the county auditor of the county in which the dog is kept or harbored, an application for registration.
Full Breakdown
Lima does not codify a hard number of dogs or cats allowed per dwelling. The practical limit comes from Lima CO 618.09, which prohibits keeping any animal or fowl so as to create noxious or offensive odors or unsanitary conditions that are a menace to public health, comfort, or safety, and general nuisance enforcement. Every dog over three months old must also be individually registered under Ohio Revised Code 955.01 with the Allen County Auditor, and each must be leashed off the owner's property. Keeping so many animals that they generate odor, sanitation, or noise nuisances can prompt abatement even without a fixed cap.
Violations & Fines
No per-head fine exists, but keeping animals that create odor or unsanitary nuisances is abatable under 618.09/618.99; unlicensed dogs are a separate offense under ORC 955.21.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on how many dogs I can have?
Do I need to license each dog?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lima
Compare Lima to another location·View the Ohio animal ordinances overview
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