Rochester, MN Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

City Code Sec. 3-1-3 sets the household ceiling for companion animals. No household may keep nine or more "multiple animals" (defined as two or more cats, dogs or ferrets) over six months old, and separately, no household may keep six or more dogs over six months old, unless a breeder's permit has been issued under Sec. 3-1-18. "Household" means a single-family residence or a single unit of a townhome, condo or apartment that is rented, leased or used as one unit, and landlords or associations may impose tighter limits of their own.

A grandfather clause protects anyone who owned six, seven or eight dogs before the ordinance took effect on November 15, 2006, provided those dogs were properly licensed at that address; those owners cannot replace a dog if doing so would put them above five, absent a breeder's permit or council authorization. People moving into the city may bring in any number of cats, dogs or ferrets that fits within the standard limits, but must microchip or tag each animal within 30 days of establishing residence.

The same 30-day microchip-or-tag deadline applies to households that become city residents through annexation, and annexed owners already above five dogs (or eight animals total) cannot acquire or replace animals beyond those numbers without a permit. Non-breeders may still let a pet have a litter, but the household must be back down to the legal limit within six months of the birth.