Madison sets no simple cap on household pets, but any premises keeping five or more dogs or cats is treated as a "kennel" and must meet space standards and licensing. Every dog and cat over three months must be registered and licensed.
Madison City Code § 6-1 defines a "private kennel" as any premises where five or more dogs or cats are kept, each provided at least a ten-foot by 25-foot area, and not run as a commercial enterprise. A commercial kennel is one operated as a business boarding, breeding, or selling animals. So while there is no flat "3-pet" limit, hitting five or more dogs or cats triggers kennel space and licensing rules. Separately, § 6-38 requires the owner of every dog and cat over three months of age to register the animal and obtain a license (after proof of rabies vaccination), renewable annually or tri-annually.
Failing to license a dog or cat carries minimum fines of $25/$50/$100 under § 6-2; unlicensed animals at large may be impounded.
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Madison, AL
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