Shelby County's animal Code sets no numeric limit on how many dogs or cats a household may keep in the unincorporated county. Sec. 4-140 authorizes the board to regulate animal numbers, but a code note states no such rules were enacted.
There is no per-household cap on dogs or cats in the animal Code. Sec. 4-140 empowers the board to enact rules on the numbers and types of animals kept in residentially zoned areas, but a code note records that no rules were enacted under that section. Because the county set no limit, the practical constraints are the nuisance rule and licensing: Sec. 4-131(b) bars keeping animals so they become a nuisance, and Sec. 4-68 requires every dog and cat three months or older to be licensed annually, backed by rabies vaccination under Sec. 4-65. Commercial-scale keeping can also trigger the Code's kennel and cattery definitions and zoning rules. Confirm no separate municipal limit applies if you live inside a city.
There is no citation for exceeding an animal count, since no cap exists. But animals kept so as to become a nuisance under Sec. 4-131(b), or left unlicensed under Secs. 4-68 and 4-65, are fined up to $50 per day.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Shelby County's pet limits rules stack up against other locations.
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