St. Clair County, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

The county Animal Services Code does not fix a maximum number of dogs or cats per household. Instead, 3-3-1 requires every resident owner of a dog or cat four months or older to register each animal annually and keep it rabies-vaccinated (3-4-1). The tethering rules (3-4-16) do cap outdoor restraint: 'No more than two (2) dogs may be tethered on one residential property,' and no more than one dog per tether. Keeping many animals can also trigger kennel-licensing or nuisance concerns. Incorporated cities such as Belleville and O'Fallon frequently set their own limits (commonly three or four dogs), so residents inside those municipalities should check the city code.