Saint Paul's Animal Ordinances: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles animal ordinances a little differently. In Saint Paul, Minnesota, there are 17 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Chickens & Livestock

Saint Paul allows backyard chickens with a permit. Tier One: 1-6 hens ($26). Tier Two: 7-15 hens ($76, 75% neighbor approval). Roosters absolutely prohibited. Max 15 birds total.

Key details: Tier One: 1-6 hens, $26 initial / $16 renewal. Tier Two: 7-15 hens, $76 initial / $28 renewal. Roosters: Absolutely prohibited. Max Birds: 15 total. Inspections: Annual by Animal Control.

Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.

Dog Leash Laws

Saint Paul requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required. MN Stat. §347.50 covers dangerous dogs.

Key details: Leash: Required in public. Off-Leash: Designated parks only. License: Required + rabies. State Law: MN Stat. §347.50.

Off-leash: $50 to $200. At-large: impound fees + citation. Unlicensed: $50 to $200. Waste: $50 to $500.

Cat Rules

Saint Paul Code Chapter 198 requires every cat over six months old to be licensed, vaccinated against rabies, and prohibits letting cats run at large outside the owner's property.

Key details: Code chapter: Saint Paul Ch. 198. Limit per home: Three cats. License required: Cats over six months. Rabies: Current vaccination mandatory. Impound: Ramsey County Animal Services.

Keeping an unlicensed or unvaccinated cat, allowing cats to roam at large, or exceeding the three-cat household limit without a permit results in citations and impound fees.

Animal Hoarding

Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 198 caps household pets and authorizes Animal Control to intervene when conditions, sanitation, or animal welfare deteriorate into hoarding-level neglect within a dwelling.

Key details: Code chapter: Saint Paul Ch. 198. Cruelty statute: Minn. Stat. 343.21. Enforcement: Ramsey County Animal Services. Pet limit: 3 dogs, 3 cats typical. Penalty: Misdemeanor and impoundment.

Maintaining excessive animals in unsanitary conditions, denying access to inspectors, or failing to provide adequate food, water, and shelter triggers impoundment and criminal cruelty charges.

Bird Protection

Saint Paul protects migratory birds through bird-safe glass guidelines and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act; state statute Minn. Stat. Section 97A.015 also classifies most native birds as protected.

Key details: Federal law: Migratory Bird Treaty Act. State statute: Minn. Stat. 97A.015. Permit issuer: Minnesota DNR. Nesting window: Roughly April through August. City focus: Bird-safe building design.

Disturbing active migratory bird nests, killing protected birds without a permit, or removing trees containing active nests during breeding season can trigger state and federal violations and city enforcement.

Mandatory Spay/Neuter

Saint Paul does not mandate spay or neuter but uses Chapter 198's tiered license fee, charging substantially less for sterilized dogs and cats and more for intact animals.

Key details: Mandate: Voluntary, not required. Code chapter: Saint Paul Ch. 198. Discount: Lower license fee. Proof: Vet sterilization certificate. Statute: Minn. Stat. Ch. 347.

Claiming the sterilized rate without veterinary documentation, or failing to license an intact animal under the higher fee tier, can lead to license denial and citations under Ch. 198.

Saint Paul is more permissive than most cities when it comes to mandatory spay/neuter. That said, there are still limits.

Microchipping

Saint Paul does not mandate microchipping but strongly encourages it; licensed pets returned to owners faster when chipped, and Ramsey County Animal Services scans every impounded animal.

Key details: Mandate: Voluntary in Saint Paul. City tag: Required, not chip. Shelter scan: All intakes scanned. Statute: Minn. Stat. 346.39. Adoptions: Chipped at Ramsey shelter.

Failing to update registered microchip contact information after relocating can delay return of a stray pet, and unlicensed animals without ID risk longer impound stays and higher reclaim fees.

Saint Paul is more permissive than most cities when it comes to microchipping. That said, there are still limits.

Coyote Management

Saint Paul prohibits feeding coyotes and other wildlife under Chapter 198; the Minnesota DNR retains primary authority over coyote management under Minn. Stat. Chapter 97B.

Key details: Code chapter: Saint Paul Ch. 198. State authority: Minnesota DNR. Statute: Minn. Stat. Ch. 97B. Firearms: Banned in city limits. Method: Licensed trapper required.

Intentionally feeding coyotes, leaving accessible pet food or unsecured trash, or discharging firearms inside city limits to remove wildlife violates Ch. 198 and Ch. 225 and can trigger citations.

Pet Store Rules

Saint Paul restricts pet shops from selling commercially bred dogs, cats, and rabbits, requiring retail animals to come from shelters or rescues, aligning with Minnesota's growing humane sourcing trend.

Key details: Code chapter: Saint Paul Ch. 198. Allowed source: Shelters and rescues. Species covered: Dogs, cats, rabbits. Breeder statute: Minn. Stat. 347.57. Records: Source documentation required.

Selling commercially bred dogs, cats, or rabbits, falsifying source records, or refusing inspection by DSI Animal Control can result in license revocation and citations under Ch. 198.

This is one of the stricter rules in Saint Paul's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Pet Groomer Rules

Pet groomers operating in Saint Paul must hold a city business license under Chapter 310, comply with Chapter 198 animal care standards, and meet zoning rules in Title VIII Chapters 60-66.

Key details: Business license: Saint Paul Ch. 310. Animal license: Saint Paul Ch. 198. Zoning chapters: Title VIII Chs. 60-66. Mobile groomers: Need fixed address. Home grooming: Home occupation review.

Operating without a city business license, failing rabies recordkeeping, mishandling animals, or running a home-based grooming operation without home occupation approval triggers citations and license action.

Veterinary Clinic Zoning

Veterinary hospitals and clinics in Saint Paul are permitted in commercial zoning districts under Title VIII; clinics with overnight boarding face additional setback and noise standards under Chapter 65.

Key details: Zoning title: Saint Paul Title VIII. Permitted by right: B2 through B5 districts. Boarding clinic: Conditional use permit. State license: Minn. Stat. 156.01. Notice radius: 350 feet.

Operating a boarding-equipped veterinary hospital without a conditional use permit, exceeding noise standards in residential-adjacent zones, or failing state veterinary licensing leads to zoning enforcement and license revocation.

Pet Limits

Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 198 caps each dwelling at three dogs and three cats; multiple-animal permits are required for any household keeping more than the standard limit.

Key details: Code chapter: Saint Paul Ch. 198. Standard limit: Three dogs, three cats. Permit name: Multiple-animal license. Issuer: Saint Paul DSI. Inspection: Required for permit.

Keeping more than three dogs or three cats over six months without a multiple-animal permit, or violating conditions of an approved permit, triggers citations and possible impound under Ch. 198.

Breed Restrictions

Minnesota preempts local breed-specific legislation. Under Minn. Stat. §347.51 subd. 8, cities may not regulate dogs based solely on breed, so Saint Paul has no breed ban. Dogs are regulated individually by behavior under the state Dangerous Dog Act, §347.50 to 347.565.

Key details: Breed Bans: None — preempted statewide. State Law: Minn. Stat. §347.51 subd. 8. Dangerous Dogs: Behavior-based. BSL Preemption: Yes — local breed bans void.

No breed-based violations exist in Minnesota. Dangerous-dog violations under state law are misdemeanors; a dog declared dangerous must be registered, muzzled, and enclosed, and containment failures can bring fines of $500 or more.

Livestock

Saint Paul allows goats, sheep, pigs, and rabbits with a Keeping of Animals Permit ($76 initial, $28 annual). All livestock must be confined by tether or pen on the owner's property.

Key details: Permit Fee: $76 initial / $28 annual renewal. Allowed Animals: Goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, hoofed animals. Confinement: Must be tethered or penned on premises. Inspections: Annual by Animal Control. Prohibited: Roosters, wolf hybrids, large cats.

Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.

Exotic Pets

Saint Paul prohibits wolf hybrids, large cats, and roosters outright. Exotic and wild animals need a Keeping of Animals Permit ($76 initial, $28 annual). MN Stat. 346.155 also applies.

Key details: Prohibited: Wolf hybrids, large cats, roosters. Permit Fee: $76 initial / $28 annual renewal. State Law: MN Stat. 346.155 regulates bears, primates, large cats. Inspections: Annual by Animal Control. Contact: Animal Control 651-266-1100.

Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.

Compared to other cities, Saint Paul takes a harder line on exotic pets. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Wildlife Feeding

Saint Paul Section 201.01 prohibits intentionally feeding deer. Wildlife feeding is also banned in all city parks and natural areas. Trapping regulated under Chapter 196.

Key details: Deer Feeding: Prohibited under Sec. 201.01. Parks: No wildlife feeding in any city park. Banned Items: Grain, salt licks, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay. Trapping: Only for hazardous animals (Ch. 196). Report: Animal Control 651-266-1100.

Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.

This is one of the stricter rules in Saint Paul's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Beekeeping

Saint Paul regulates residential beekeeping through local zoning, with hive limits and setbacks. Minnesota has no statewide apiary registration — the state apiary law was repealed in 2006, and Department of Agriculture inspection is voluntary.

Key details: Hives: Check city limits (2 to 4 typical). State Registration: None — apiary law repealed 2006. MDA Inspection: Voluntary only. Season: April to October active.

Unauthorized hives: removal order. Nuisance complaints: city fines. There is no state registration to violate — enforcement is local.

The Bottom Line

Saint Paul is tougher than many cities when it comes to animal ordinances. Out of the 17 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Saint Paul, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Saint Paul's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.