New Bedford, MA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Kennel threshold
- More than 3 dogs over 3 months old, one premises
- Residential kennel cap
- No 5+ dog kennel license issued in residential zones
- Annual license deadline
- Before February 1, city clerk's office
- License fee
- $10 spayed/neutered, $20 unaltered
- Training discount
- $5 off with certified behavioral training proof
Summary
New Bedford defines any household keeping more than three dogs over three months old as a kennel, and the city won't even issue a kennel license for five or more dogs in a residentially zoned area, effectively capping most residential dog-keeping well below that threshold.
Kennel: Any person engaged in the commercial business of breeding, buying, selling or boarding dogs and also including every pack or collection of more than three (3) dogs three (3) months old or over owned or kept by a person on a single premises irrespective of the purpose for which they are maintained. ... All dogs shall be licensed annually before February 1 in the office of the city clerk. The fee for licensing shall be ten dollars ($10.00) if spayed or neutered and twenty dollars ($20.00) if unaltered plus any applicable surcharges. There shall be a discount of the annual fee of five dollars ($5.00) upon proof of behavioral training certification, American Temperament Test Society certification or AKC Canine Good Citizen certification. ... No kennel license of five (5) dogs or more shall be issued in any residentially zoned area.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19).
Full Breakdown
Section 4-1 defines 'kennel' broadly to include any pack or collection of more than three dogs three months old or older kept by one person on a single premises, regardless of purpose, in addition to commercial dog breeding, buying, selling or boarding operations. That means a New Bedford household with four or more dogs is legally operating a kennel and falls under the city's kennel licensing framework rather than ordinary single-dog licensing. Section 4-19 then closes the loop for larger households: it flatly states that no kennel license for five or more dogs will be issued in any residentially zoned area, meaning five-plus dogs on one residential property simply cannot be licensed regardless of space or care standards.
All dogs, kennel or not, must be licensed annually with the city clerk before February 1, at $10 for a spayed or neutered dog and $20 for an unaltered one, plus applicable surcharges, with a $5 discount available for dogs holding behavioral certifications such as AKC Canine Good Citizen. Dangerous or vicious dogs require proof of active liability insurance at licensing under Section 4-29(f).
Violations & Fines
Failing to license a dog, or operating an unlicensed four-or-more-dog kennel, exposes the owner to enforcement under the article's general penalty provision, which allows fines up to $25 per offense, with each continued violation treated as a separate offense; officers may also issue a $25 citation under the city's ticketing bylaw for a dog found running at large without a license. A residential property attempting to license five or more dogs as a kennel will simply be denied under Section 4-19, regardless of payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I legally own in New Bedford?
Do I need a special license to keep four dogs?
Can I get a kennel license for five dogs in a residential neighborhood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Bedford
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bristol County handle pet limits.