Pawtucket, RI Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Section 116-27, amended December 11, 2003 by Ch. No. 2708 and again March 11, 2004 by Ch. No. 2718, makes it unlawful to keep more than three licensed dogs at the same residence, with the Director of Public Safety as the sole authority who can permit an exception. Subsection B empowers the Animal Control Officer to impound any dog exceeding that limit for up to 10 days, and the owner can reclaim the excess animal at any point during that window by showing the Animal Control Officer that the household is back in compliance.

If the animal cannot be reclaimed within the 10 days, it is subject to removal under the disposal process at § 116-13. Subsection C exempts licensed kennels from the three-dog cap entirely, since a kennel by definition houses animals belonging to people other than the proprietor. Pawtucket does not set a matching numeric cap for cats; instead, § 116-29 uses a complaint-driven, health-hazard standard, letting the Animal Control Officer inspect a premises after a cat complaint and cite the owner if a health hazard exists regardless of how many cats are present, with escalating fines of $10 for a first offense, $50 for a second, and $100 for a third or later offense.