Animal Ordinances in Minneapolis, MN (2026)
12 verified animal ordinances for Minneapolis, Minnesota, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Minneapolis allows up to 30 hens with a permit but prohibits roosters. Goats, pigs, and cattle are banned in residential districts. Coop placement and neighbor consent are regulated under Code Chapter 70.
Minneapolis Chicken and Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsDog Leash Laws
Minneapolis Code Chapter 64 requires dogs on a leash no longer than 6 feet whenever off the owner property, with exceptions only in fenced yards and designated MPRB off-leash dog parks.
Minneapolis Dog Leash Laws
Heavy RestrictionsBreed Restrictions
Minneapolis bans no specific breed but enforces a dangerous dog regime under Code Chapter 64 and MN Statutes 347. Owners of declared dangerous dogs face muzzle, enclosure, and liability insurance requirements.
Minneapolis Dog Breed Restrictions
Some RestrictionsBeekeeping
Minneapolis allows residential beekeeping with an Animal Care and Control permit and state apiary registration under MN Statutes 17.60. Hive counts depend on lot size, and setbacks or flyway barriers are required.
Minneapolis Beekeeping Rules
Some RestrictionsExotic Pets
Minneapolis Code Chapter 64 and MN Statutes 346.155 ban big cats, primates, bears, venomous snakes, crocodilians, and large constrictors. Small exotics like ferrets, geckos, and parrots are allowed as pets.
Minneapolis Exotic Pet Rules
Heavy RestrictionsWildlife Feeding
Minneapolis prohibits feeding deer, turkeys, and waterfowl under Code Chapter 70 and MN Statutes 97A.445, and bans feeding that attracts rodents. Bird feeders are allowed if kept clean and pest-free.
Minneapolis Wildlife Feeding Rules
Some RestrictionsLivestock
Minneapolis bans traditional livestock (cattle, horses, goats, sheep, swine) in all residential districts under Code Chapter 70. Only hens, ducks, rabbits, and bees are allowed, each with its own permit.
Minneapolis Livestock Rules
Heavy RestrictionsAnimal Hoarding
Minneapolis treats animal hoarding as cruelty and unsanitary keeping of animals under Title 5 and Minnesota Statute Chapter 343. Animal Care and Control may seize animals, condemn premises with Hennepin County Public Health, and pursue criminal charges.
Animal Hoarding and Cruelty Enforcement
Heavy RestrictionsMinn. Stat. § 343.21, Subd. 1-9 (Overworking or Mistreating Animals)
343.21 OVERWORKING OR MISTREATING ANIMALS; PENALTY. Subdivision 1. Torture. No person shall overdrive, overload, torture, cruelly beat, neglect, or unjustifiably injure, maim, mutilate, or kill any animal, or cruelly work any animal when it is unfit for labor, whether it belongs to that person or to another person. Subd. 2. Nourishment; shelter. No person shall deprive any animal over which the...
Pet Limits
Minneapolis Title 5 caps household pets without a multiple-animal permit. Standard residences may keep up to three dogs and three cats combined; exceeding that requires a special permit issued by Minneapolis Animal Care and Control.
Minneapolis Household Pet Limits
Some RestrictionsCat Rules
Minneapolis licenses cats just like dogs and treats free-roaming cats as at-large. Owners must license cats over four months, sterilization is encouraged through reduced fees, and Animal Care and Control may impound cats running off-property.
Minneapolis Cat Licensing and At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsMandatory Spay/Neuter
Minneapolis requires sterilization of dogs and cats reclaimed after impound, sold, or adopted from Animal Care and Control. Owners pay a sliding fee or sign a binding sterilization agreement before the animal returns home.
Spay/Neuter Required for Impounded Animals
Some RestrictionsMicrochipping
Minneapolis requires every dog and cat over four months to hold a current city license. Microchipping is strongly encouraged and embedded into the licensing workflow so impounded pets can be returned faster to verified owners.
Microchipping and Pet Licensing in Minneapolis
Few RestrictionsLooking for Hennepin County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Minneapolis city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Hennepin County →