Minnehaha County, SD Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 3.07(A), MC52-17
- Limit
- 4 combined dogs, cats, or potbellied pigs
- Age threshold
- Applies to animals over 6 months old
- Where it applies
- Residential Development Areas only
- Violation class
- Class 2 misdemeanor (Art. VIII § 8.01)
Summary
In a Residential Development Area, a household cannot keep more than a combined total of four dogs, cats, or potbellied pigs over six months old. The cap combines all three species together rather than allowing four of each.
3.07 RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AREA - FURTHER LIMITATIONS. The following limitations shall apply in a Residential Development Area: (A) It is unlawful for any person to have or to keep more than a combined total of four (4) dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), cats (Felis silvestris) or potbellied pigs over the age of six months.
Full Breakdown
06 as a residential zoning district, a residential subarea within a planned development zoning district, or a subdivision of five or more lots. Within that footprint, it is unlawful to have or keep more than a combined total of four dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), cats (Felis silvestris), or potbellied pigs over the age of six months, meaning a household with three dogs can keep only one cat or pig, not four of each. The cap is age-limited: puppies, kittens, and young pigs under six months do not count toward the total, so a litter does not automatically put an owner over the limit.
The limitation sits in the same section as the county's animal-noise nuisance rule and is enforced by the same Animal Control Officer who handles at-large, vicious-animal, and nuisance complaints, giving the county a direct route to address overcrowded households that also tend to generate barking or sanitation complaints. 07.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than four combined dogs, cats, or potbellied pigs over six months old in a Residential Development Area is enforced as a Class 2 misdemeanor under Article VIII, Section 8.01. The Animal Control Officer can require the owner to reduce the count and may impound excess animals as part of enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the four-pet limit per species or combined?
Do puppies and kittens count toward the four-pet limit?
Does the four-pet cap apply on rural acreage outside a subdivision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minnehaha County
Compare Minnehaha County to another location·View the South Dakota animal ordinances overview
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