How many dogs can a person own?

Laws restricting the number of dogs that can be owned vary by location. Some municipalities restrict dog ownership to no more than two to six adult dogs — the number varies depending on the city — per single-family housing unit. Other municipalities have no such restrictions.

The rationale behind such laws is that they are intended to protect the public health, safety and welfare. Legal challenges to laws restricting the number of dogs have generally failed. Some municipalities require a resident keeping more than a certain number — which, again, varies by location — of dogs on her property to obtain a commercial kennel license.