Manitou Springs, CO Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Dog/cat limit
- 4 per household over 4 months old
- Litter exception
- 1 litter of pups/kittens ≤4 months allowed
- Other pets cap
- 2 hoofed pets/llamas/alpacas per household
- Total animal cap
- 4 animals max per dwelling
- Kennel threshold
- >2 dogs counts as a kennel
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor under § 1.01.100
Summary
Manitou Springs caps households at four dogs or cats over four months old, plus one litter of puppies or kittens under four months. Other pets, including hoofed pets, llamas and alpacas, are capped at two per household, and no dwelling may keep more than four total animals unless it is a zoned, licensed kennel.
E.The maximum number of dogs or cats kept on the premises shall not exceed four each after attaining the age of four months, except in properly zoned and licensed kennels. In addition to the maximum number of dogs or cats kept on the premises, a single litter of puppies or kittens aged four months or less shall be permitted.F.Hoofed pets, llamas, alpacas and any other non-prohibited animals besides rabbits, domestic fowl, dogs or cats are limited to two per household or dwelling. The maximum number of dogs, cats and other animals in any household or dwelling shall not exceed four total animals.
Full Breakdown
010(E) sets the core limit: no more than four dogs or cats per premises once they pass four months old, unless the property is a properly zoned and licensed kennel. A single litter of puppies or kittens aged four months or younger doesn't count against that cap. Subsection F adds a separate ceiling for other animals: hoofed pets, llamas, alpacas and any other non-prohibited animal (excluding rabbits, fowl, dogs and cats) are limited to two per household, and the combined total of dogs, cats and other animals in any household cannot exceed four.
07: a license application to the city's license clerk, written consent from a majority of residents within six hundred feet of the property, an annual fee, and final approval by city council. 32.
Violations & Fines
A property over the four-animal limit without a kennel license is declared a public nuisance under Section 7.03.020, which the city can abate directly, and the violation is separately a misdemeanor punishable under Section 1.01.100. Keeping more than two dogs without going through Chapter 7.07's kennel licensing process, including the neighbor-consent and council-approval steps, is its own violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep five dogs in Manitou Springs if they're all mine?
Does the four-animal cap include cats and dogs together?
What happens if I exceed the pet limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manitou Springs
Compare Manitou Springs to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle pet limits.