How Many Pets (Dogs/Cats) Can You Own in Louisiana?

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Officially nicknamed the "Pelican State," Louisiana is famous for many things from unique cuisine to spectacular Mardi Gras festival. The official state bird of Louisiana is the Brown pelican, which is famous for its large bill. The Pelican State's official state dog is the Catahoula Leopard Dog, named after Catahoula Parish. Louisiana's state drink is Milk. Its state flower is Magnolia.

What's more, Louisiana is pet-friendly, with several parks welcoming leashed pets into their outdoor facilities. With all that being said, how many pets can you have in Louisiana? The answer is it depends on your specific location within the state.

That is because pet ownership is regulated at the local level (by cities or parishes) not at the state level. Each municipality in the Pelican State has its own ordinance regulating pet ownership. So the maximum number of pets one can own may vary from one municipality to another.

To determine how many dogs or cats are allowed per household in your area, you may search online for your municipality's animal ordinance. On the other hand, you may contact your local animal control office or City Clerk's office.

In the meantime, let's look at the following Louisiana municipalities' pet ownership laws.

Lake Charles, LA

According to Chapter 4, Sec. 4-45. of the city of Lake Charles' code or ordinances, you are not allowed to keep more than 3 dogs or cats over six months of age in any area on your property outside the principal building. This means that you may have more than 3 dogs or cats but you can't keep more than three outside at any one time. However, you may be able to do so after obtaining a permit. There are also restrictions on dogs located on private property within 200 yards of a school.

Kenner, LA

In the city of Kenner, LA, you may not own more than 6 dogs, cats, or any combination thereof exceeding 6 in total without a permit. To own more than the allowable number, you must obtain an annual permit at no cost from the Department of Code Enforcement. Regardless of the number of pets you have, you are required by ordinance not to allow your pets to constitute a nuisance.

Monroe, LA

While you can own as many cats as you can adequately care for in the city of Monroe, LA, you are limited to four dogs. According to Chapter 6, Sec. 6-36. of the city code, "Any owner of 5 or more dogs shall procure a kennel license yearly." The license is issued by the Office of Code Enforcement in the City of Monroe.

Are there any dog breeds restricted or banned in Louisiana?

There is no statewide breed-specific legislation (BSL) that bans or restricts specific dog breeds in Louisiana. However, individual cities and towns have their own ordinances restricting "dangerous" or "vicious" dogs. For example, in 2022, the town of Merryville, Louisiana declared pit bulls "dangerous dogs," giving all pit bull owners within the town limits 48 hours to get rid of their beloved pets.

 

Several Merryville residents protested against the breed ban, gaining media attention as well as the attention of the ASPCA. With help from the ASPCA, the ban was repealed in February 2023. This rescission was an important victory in the ASPCA’s quest to end BSL.

As of the time of this article, Rottweilers and Pit bulls are banned or restricted in more than 30 Louisiana localities. Many other municipalities also have dangerous or vicious dog laws. This law, unlike BSL, focuses on dogs with problems rather than specific breeds of dogs.