Minneapolis, MN Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- City authority
- Title 5, Animal Care Control
- State authority
- Minn. Stat. Ch. 343
- Health overlay
- Hennepin County Public Health
- Possible outcome
- Animal forfeiture
Summary
Minneapolis treats animal hoarding as cruelty and unsanitary keeping of animals under Title 5 and Minnesota Statute Chapter 343. Animal Care and Control may seize animals, condemn premises with Hennepin County Public Health, and pursue criminal charges.
343.21 OVERWORKING OR MISTREATING ANIMALS; PENALTY. Subdivision 1. Torture. No person shall overdrive, overload, torture, cruelly beat, neglect, or unjustifiably injure, maim, mutilate, or kill any animal, or cruelly work any animal when it is unfit for labor, whether it belongs to that person or to another person. Subd. 2. Nourishment; shelter. No person shall deprive any animal over which the person has charge or control of necessary food, water, or shelter. Subd. 5. Abandonment. No person shall abandon any animal. Subd. 7. Cruelty. No person shall willfully instigate or in any way further any act of cruelty to any animal or animals, or any act tending to produce cruelty to animals. Subd. 9. Penalty. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, a person who fails to comply with any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. A person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subdivision 1 or 7 within five years of a previous violation of subdivision 1 or 7 is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. (b) A person who intentionally violates subdivision 1 or 7 where the violation results in substantial bodily harm to a pet or companion animal may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 364 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both. (d) A person who intentionally violates subdivision 1 or 7 where the violation results in death or great bodily harm to a pet or companion animal may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than two years or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Minneapolis Code Title 5 prohibits keeping animals under unsanitary or cruel conditions, while Minnesota Statutes Chapter 343 creates broader animal cruelty offenses. When complaints suggest hoarding, Minneapolis Animal Care and Control coordinates with Regulatory Services housing inspectors and Hennepin County Public Health to assess sanitation, ammonia levels, and animal welfare. The city can seize animals, post cost recovery liens against the owner, and refer cases to the Hennepin County Attorney for charging. Mental-health diversion options sometimes accompany criminal cases, but ownership bans and lifetime restrictions on number of animals are common conditions of probation in repeat hoarding situations.
Violations & Fines
Hoarding can produce misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges under Minnesota Statute 343.21, animal forfeiture, restitution for shelter costs, and lifetime bans on owning animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report suspected hoarding?
Is hoarding a felony in Minnesota?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.