Animal Ordinances in St. Louis County, MN (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
St. Louis County regulates chickens and livestock through an animal-unit table in Zoning Ordinance 62. Chickens count as 0.01 animal units and swine as 0.40, and a lot of two acres or less is capped at five chickens alongside its dog and cat pet allowance. Once a parcel holds five or more animal units of swine or poultry, it must meet stepped-up fencing and setback rules.
St. Louis County Backyard Chicken & Livestock Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Zoning Ordinance 62, Art. VI § 6.21.A.1.d, § 6.21.A.3
d. On any parcel that contains five or more animal units of swine or poultry, enclosed quarters or fencing shall be provided at no less than twice the required principal structure property line setback for the zone district or 200 feet from a neighboring residence, whichever is more restrictive. ... Swine 0.40 ... Chicken 0.01 Number of Acres Animal Units Allowed 0-2 Acres Only domesticated dog...
Dog Leash Laws
St. Louis County's Mesabi Trail Ordinance (No. 56) bans bringing a pet onto the trail unless it's on a leash no longer than six feet. The rule covers only the trail's right-of-way, not the whole county, and Rangers or licensed peace officers can cite violators for a petty misdemeanor.
Mesabi Trail Corridor Leash Requirement
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County, MN Ordinance No. 56 (Mesabi Trail Ordinance), Section 3(I)
I. Bring or allow a pet into or on the Trail Corridor, except on a leash not to exceed six feet in length.
Pet Limits
In unincorporated St. Louis County, Zoning Ordinance 62 caps household pets by lot size. On a parcel of two acres or less you may keep only domesticated dogs and cats as pets, totaling one animal unit, plus up to five chickens. A dog counts as 0.20 animal units and a cat as 0.02, so the practical ceiling is around five dogs or a larger mixed group of cats and chickens.
St. Louis County Pet Limits by Acreage
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Zoning Ordinance 62, Art. VI § 6.21.A.1.a, § 6.21.A.3
All operations containing animals shall follow these standards or obtain a conditional use permit, regardless of the zone district and whether or not established prior to the adoption of this ordinance. ... a. Animals, with the exception of up to five domesticated dogs or cats, shall not be penned within 200 feet of a neighboring residence. (Penned is defined as the confined feeding, breeding, ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
A veterinary clinic in unincorporated St. Louis County falls under "clinics and other medical facilities," a Commercial Class II use grouped with dog kennels and pet services, and needs a Conditional Use Permit approved by the county Planning Commission in every land use district that allows it.
Veterinary Clinics Zoned in St. Louis County
Significant RestrictionsSt. Louis County Zoning Ordinance 62, Art. V §§ 5.3(E), 5.5(E), 5.6(A)(5)(b)
E. Commercial, Retail and Service Establishments – Class II – A category of uses that includes but is not limited to: clinics and other medical facilities, dog kennels, dog parks/training including outdoors, dog sled outfitting, garden centers/greenhouses, giftshops, grocery stores/food co-ops, horse boarding/training, hotels/motels, indoor shooting ranges, liquor sales or micro-breweries, mari...
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