10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
Verified from official government sources
Ramsey County sets no rule on backyard chickens or livestock — this is municipal zoning under Minn. Stat. Ch. 462. St. Paul allows limited fowl and animals only with a Keeping of Animals permit. Check your specific city; suburbs vary widely.
Ramsey County has no countywide animal-control ordinance. Each city sets its own leash law. In St. Paul (the county seat), dogs may not run at large and must be restrained by a chain or leash no longer than six feet, or securely fenced.
St. Paul Legislative Code Ch. 200
Running at large shall mean any animal which is not either: (1) Effectively contained within a fenced area on private property; or (2) Effectively restrained, by chain or leash, to private property with the consent of the property owner; or (3) Effectively restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length.
Neither Ramsey County nor Minnesota bans any dog breed. State law regulates individual dogs by behavior under the Dangerous Dog Act, Minn. Stat. §347.50-.565. A dog becomes 'dangerous' after specific attacks, not because of its breed.
Minn. Stat. §347.50 subd. 2
"Dangerous dog" means any dog that has: (1) without provocation, inflicted substantial bodily harm on a human being on public or private property; (2) killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner's property; or (3) been found to be potentially dangerous, and after the owner has notice that the dog is potentially dangerous, the dog aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers th...
Ramsey County has no beekeeping ordinance. Backyard beekeeping is regulated by each city under its zoning power (Minn. Stat. Ch. 462). St. Paul permits hives with registration; suburbs vary. Minnesota state law preempts local pesticide rules only, not hive keeping.
Ramsey County has no exotic-pet ordinance, but Minnesota bans private ownership of regulated dangerous animals — big cats, bears, and most primates — under Minn. Stat. §346.155. Cities like St. Paul add further prohibited-animal lists via their Keeping of Animals rules.
Ramsey County sets no general wildlife-feeding ordinance, but Minnesota bans deer feeding in disease-management areas under DNR rules, and several Ramsey County cities prohibit feeding deer or waterfowl. St. Paul restricts feeding that creates a nuisance or attracts rodents.
Ramsey County has almost no unincorporated land, so it sets no livestock rule for residents. Keeping horses, goats, pigs, or cattle is a city zoning matter under Minn. Stat. Ch. 462. Most Ramsey County cities, including St. Paul, restrict or prohibit farm animals in residential zones.
Ramsey County has no standalone hoarding ordinance. Hoarding is addressed through city pet-number limits (St. Paul: permit above three dogs or cats) and Minnesota's animal-cruelty and neglect statute, Minn. Stat. §343.21, enforced by animal control and police.
Ramsey County sets no pet-number limit. Each city does. In St. Paul, keeping more than three dogs or more than three cats requires a Keeping of Animals permit from the Department of Safety and Inspections. Suburbs set their own limits.
Ramsey County has no cat ordinance. Cat rules — licensing, at-large limits, and permit thresholds — are set by each city. St. Paul requires a Keeping of Animals permit for more than three cats and enforces its animal code through St. Paul Animal Control.
1 cities in Ramsey County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Ramsey County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Ramsey County Ordinance Hub →