How Many Dogs Can You Have in Connecticut?
You can own up to 6 dogs over 6 months old in Connecticut—provided that you have the proper licenses.
Written by Patrick Price
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Residents of Connecticut are legally allowed to own up to six dogs over six months old without a commercial kennel or breeders license. But if you want to house more than six adult dogs, you’ll need to apply for some special licenses and permits.
Everyone loves dogs. Ideally, we could share our homes with as many of these furry friends as we wanted. Sadly, for the sake of each dog’s wellbeing and public health, many states choose to limit the number of dogs you can own—including
Connecticut
. You may have up to six adult dogs in a single residential household in The Constitution State. You also need to obtain a license for each dog.
To help you navigate the rules and regulations regarding dog ownership,
Jerry
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Does Connecticut have laws limiting how many dogs you can own?
Statewide Zoning Regulations in Connecticut permit no more than six adult (6 months or more old) dogs in a single residence. The owner needs to obtain a license for each dog that they own.
If you want to house more than six dogs, you’ll need to apply and be approved for a commercial kennel license. In order to be approved both you and your home must meet certain minimum requirements. You’ll also need a special license if you want to breed the dogs.
Keep in mind that these are just the statewide laws. Each township and local government will have its own laws that may further limit dog ownership. Before you run to the nearest pet store to start requiting your future dogsled team, you’ll want to check what your city’s and/or county’s ordinances are regarding dog ownership.
MORE: How to buy and install a dog car seat
Are there any dog breeds outlawed in Connecticut?
There are no outlawed dog breeds in Connecticut. In fact, state law forbids any town or local government from banning specific breeds in their area.
Instead of having breed-specific laws or ordinances, Connecticut determines if dogs are dangerous on an individual basis.
For a dog to be deemed dangerous, it must meet one or more of the following qualifications:
- Killed or inflicted physical injury or serious physical injury upon a human being
- Killed or inflicted serious physical injury upon a domestic animal
- Was subject to, or was used to facilitate animal cruelty or animal fighting
Any applicable evidence regarding these qualifiers will be reviewed by a panel—which is who will make the final judgment about whether or not the dog is dangerous.
MORE: Can You Get Pet Insurance for a Pet with Preexisting Conditions?
What are the leash laws in Connecticut?
Unlike many other states, Connecticut law does not require dogs to be kept on leases. If you’re talking your dog for a walk, you are permitted to keep them off-leash—just so long as the following rules are not violated:
- The dog cannot roam freely on another person’s private land, public highway, or sidewalk.
- The dog cannot be off of a leash while inside a state park
Though leashes are never specifically mentioned in Connecticut state law, it does repeatedly state that dogs should always be “under the control” of their owner. So, if your four-legged friend is especially obedient, then you could make the argument that they’re under your control even without a leash.
Penalties for breaking dog laws in Connecticut
Allowing your dog to roam freely on someone else’s property, public highways, sidewalks, or state parks is punishable by a $92 fine.
If, however, the dog harms a person or pet while not on a lease and it can be demonstrated that the dog has a history of aggression which the owner knew about, then the fine can be as much as $1,000 and/or six months of jail time.
Where to find affordable insurance in Connecticut
A faithful dog is a great way to keep your home protected from break-ins. However, even if the best guard dog can’t protect against every threat—that’s why you need reliable
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