Tuscaloosa, AL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Tuscaloosa's Chapter 4 (Animals and Fowl) caps the number of pets per household. A residence may keep a maximum of three (3) cats and three (3) dogs. The three-dog limit applies where any point of the enclosure or area in which the dogs are kept is less than three hundred (300) feet from another residence, unless the owner holds a license to operate a kennel, in which case the limit can be exceeded under that license. For cats, the limit is three per household, with an exception for kittens under three months of age, recognizing that litters temporarily push a household over the cap. These limits work together with the city's leash and nuisance rules: keeping more animals than allowed, or animals that create noise, odor, or sanitation problems, can draw enforcement. Owners who want to keep more dogs than the limit generally need to obtain a kennel license and meet the city's siting standards. The pet-limit rules are a city measure; the surrounding Tuscaloosa County does not impose the same caps. Households at or near the limit should confirm the current numbers with City of Tuscaloosa Animal Control before adding pets.