St. Louis County, MO Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SLCRO § 611.180
- Standard
- Sanitary conditions, food, water, shelter
- Enforcer
- Dept. of Health / Animal Care & Control
- Inspection authority
- Right of entry, § 611.170
- Route
- Referred to County Counselor for prosecution
Summary
St. Louis County prosecutes animal hoarding as cruelty to animals: failing to give every animal sanitary conditions, food, water, or shelter violates Section 611.180 regardless of how many animals are kept.
No person responsible for an animal shall: a. Fail to provide adequate food, water and shelter for the animal for a period of more than twenty-four (24) hours. ... c. Fail to provide the animal with sanitary living conditions including shelter proper for the species and sufficient to protect the animal from extreme temperatures, wind, rain, snow and sun;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
The county has no ordinance capping a raw "hoarding" number by name: it reaches hoarding through the cruelty-to-animals standard in Chapter 611. Section 611.180 makes it unlawful for anyone responsible for an animal to go more than 24 hours without providing adequate food, water and shelter, or to fail to provide sanitary living conditions and protection from extreme weather. In a hoarding case, the Department of Health's Animal Care and Control Director can apply this section animal-by-animal, and inspectors have a statutory right of entry under Section 611.170 to investigate and remove animals subject to impoundment.
Violations & Fines
Violations of 611.180 are not on the county's fixed-fine citation schedule and go straight to the County Counselor for prosecution as a misdemeanor charge per animal affected; the Director may also impound the animals under Section 611.170.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a maximum number of animals that triggers a hoarding charge in St. Louis County?
Can the county enter a home to investigate suspected hoarding?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.