SDMC §44 limits a residence to a combined total of six dogs and cats over four months old. Owners exceeding the cap must obtain a kennel or cattery permit through zoning review, with stricter rules in higher-density and multifamily zones.
Under San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 4 Article 4, a single dwelling unit may keep up to six dogs and cats combined that are over four months old without a kennel or cattery license. Anyone wishing to keep more must apply for a kennel permit, which triggers zoning review under SDMC Chapter 14, neighbor notice, and standards for noise, sanitation, and odor. Multifamily buildings, mobile-home parks, and HOAs often impose stricter house rules below the city cap. Animal Services counts all dogs and cats over four months toward the cap. Litters under four months are not counted but trigger breeder-permit rules at four months.
Exceeding the six-animal cap without a kennel permit is an infraction with escalating fines per animal. Operating an unpermitted kennel or cattery in a residential zone can also trigger zoning enforcement under SDMC Chapter 14 and possible nuisance abatement.
San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA
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See how San Diego's pet limits rules stack up against other locations.
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