How Many Pet Cats or Dogs Can You Own in the United States?

There is no federal law limiting the number of dogs or cats you can own in the United States. The U.S. consists of 50 States and none of these states impose a statewide limit on the number of pets you can have. Instead, individual cities or municipalities in the country are given the authority to enact their own pet ownership laws. These local pet laws vary from city to city, thus the maximum number of cats or dogs you can have in the U.S. depends on the city or county in which you live.

Frequently, municipalities struggle with residents over pet ownership laws, particularly those that restrict the number of dogs and cats a household can have. More often than not, these local pet limit laws affect pet owners living in residential areas within the country. The law is more lenient with people living in rural or agricultural areas. Also, the law is more lenient with cats than it is with dogs. For example, in the City of Los Angeles, you're allowed to own 5 cats but you're not allowed to own more than 3 dogs.

Most U.S. cities require that dogs be licensed while cats can walk free. In the District of Columbia, for example, dog owners are required to license their canines but cat owners are not. In Washington, D.C., you can own 4 cats or dogs or a combination of both animals not exceeding a total of 4 without a permit. You may obtain an Animal Hobby Permit to own 7 or more pets in the District. In Houston, Texas, households are limited to four dogs or cats. In Seattle, WA, you can't own more than 3 dogs or cats unless your property is over 20,000 square feet. Las Vegas residents are allowed to own a maximum of 6 dogs or cats without obtaining a special permit.

Aside from local pet limit laws, there are Homeowners Association (HOA) laws regulating pet ownership on their property. If your city allows 4 dogs per household, for example, your HOA has the authority to bring that number down to 2 or 1 on their property. If you live in a HOA community within the U.S., you must comply with their pet policy. Generally, HOAs within the U.S. have the right to determine how many dogs or cats are allowed in their community.

If you're not an HOA resident, check with your city or local animal control to find out how many pets are permitted per residence where you live.

Pet Ownership Statistics in the United States

As per the APPA Pet Owners Survey of 2023 and 2024, 86.9 million households own a pet in the U.S. 51% of U.S. pet owners consider their pets family members. The most popular pet in the United States is the domestic dog. According to Forbes' 2024 pet ownership statistics, 65.1 million U.S. households own a dog while 46.5 million households own a cat.

During the pandemic, 78% of Americans acquired pets, according to Forbes Advisor. Homeowners in the country are more likely to own pets (58% of homeowners have a dog and 36% have a cat) than renters (39% of renters have a dog and 29% have a cat). While 38% of U.S. dog owners got their pets from an animal shelter or rescue, 42% got them from a store. 43% of U.S. cat owners got their pets from a store, while 40% got their pets from an animal shelter or rescue. The top 5 most popular dog breeds in the U.S. include the French bulldog, Labrador retriever, Golden retriever, German shepherd, and Poodle while the top 5 most popular cats include the Ragdoll, Main Coon, Devon Rex, Exotic shorthair, and Persian.

In some U.S. cities, the following breeds of dogs are either banned or restricted: Alaskan Malamute, Akita, Belgian Malinois, Cane Corso, Chow Chow, Bullmastiff, Pit Bull, Dogo Argentino, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Presa Canario, Siberian Husky, and Rottweiler. These breeds are also most often banned by home insurance companies.

Number of Pets Allowed Per Household in Each U.S State

Click on the link to your state to find out how many dogs and cats you're allowed to have.

How Many Pet Cats or Dogs Can You Own in the United States?

Pet Ownership Statistics in the United States

Number of Pets Allowed Per Household in Each U.S State

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