Legal Requirements - number of animals you can own

Given my recent scare and learning that I can indeed keep rabbits (only 20) where I am located, it makes me wonder...how many people out there know what the requirements your local or state/province bylaws/laws are for your area?

Do you heed them?

If you do not... why? and how do you protect yourself if you don't heed them?

I've been advised by a variety of people to ignore the bylaw and just lie about it. BUT I can't do that as a Christian, and I wouldn't do as it offends my ethics (I see it as wrong) - go figure as I have no problem speeding. But others I know don't have an issue with it. So what do YOU do?

I have no idea how many rabbits or other animals I can keep here so I keep a low profile and only deal with people by word of mouth.

I called when I decided to increase from 12 to who knows how many. I was told that as long as they were cared for and they weren't bothering anything, I could have as many as I want. The woman treated me like a nut job for asking, so maybe she really didn't know. I'm taking her word as law though.

When I bought my place last year I specifically looked for a more rural property (the land was more important the the house to me actually). I looked for a place in unincorporated county instead of in one of the many "towns" here because they always come up with crazy mow your grass, paint your house, 1 dog limit, type laws.

I could only afford a small place but it is great- zoned agricultural. I have called the county to inquire about my animal owning rights (I only had my 3 dogs at the time). They told me that since I was zoned agricultural i could "own as many animals as you take care of." NO restrictions on the type either, other than permits for lions & tigers & bears, etc...

I have lied in the past about what animals I've had & it really stressed me out (I had cats & ferrets then). I've never had a lot of money & I've always been terrified that I would be forced to get rid of my animals because I would not have had the cash to up & move if discovered. That is probably one reason I have always wanted a place of my own- so I know my animals will always be allowed with me.

Obviously I'd have no problem with people lying about the animals they have- as long as they take good care of them.

Here rabbits are seen as pets. You can have as many as you want IN the house. (that includes the garage and porch). Outside, in town, limit is 4 (in this township).

Out at our little farm, you have to figure "animal units". For our 12 acres, we get 5 animal units. 1horse=1 animal unit. 2heifers. 2 pigs. 20 chickens. 20 rabbits.

they're talking ADULT pigs, chickens, rabbits. And the growout kits don't count because they're not permanent. Kind of like chicks, or veal calves....something that will be sold/butchered by the time they reach adulthood.

It sound arbitrary when first viewed, but it has to do NOT with the land handling the number of animals..but with the amount of manure produced that will run into the creeks/lakes/etc.

To be honest, I haven't checked into it, but I would be surprised to find we have any real limits here. We live outside of town in a very agriculture-based region, so I think the assumption is that you will have lots of animals. As long as you're taking care of the animals, and the animals are staying on your property and not creating a health hazard, I don't think anyone cares.

In fact, I'm not even too sure about the health hazard part--we have several massive cattle feed lots between 40 and 100 miles away, and we can always tell when the wind is blowing from that direction. I've driven past some of those feed lots, and they are NASTY-smelling!

We do have deed restrictions in our semi-rural neighborhood that restrict the TYPE of animals (i.e. no dangerous exotics), but that's all.

I have been able to find no guidelines on rabbits here at all. Everything else, but not rabbits. I did learn that on a lot of 1 acre or less, in a recognized neighborhood/subdivision, we may keep no more than three chickens, but no rooster. The chickens must be kept at least 50 feet away from neighbors' homes. LOL

But nothing, nothing, NOTHING on rabbits. So I'm figuring that our planned operation of one buck and three does should be okay.

I did (FINALLY!) learn that we do not need a permit for an enclosure of under 100 square feet with no floor. So as far as I know, we're good.

(now all I have to do is talk my uncle into keeping chickens....)

as we have a farm, no limit. We have a few at our home, but most are headed south this month.

I pay attention. I have an acre, not much to most but where I live an acre is a not a lot - 5 acres would be a lot, so an acre is nice. Now, if I had my way, the county would sell me the acre and a half lot next to me, but we don't always get our way. Anyway, before we bought the property I checked the zoning laws. I knew since it was county there would no limit on rabbits or chickens (only allowed 1 rooster but won't have one). I can have 4 large animal units (they do not go into detail on what a unit is). I am also allowed 1 pony under a certain size, 2 pygmy goats, a pot bellied pig (I think the goat has to be under 24" at the whithers and the pig has to be under 200 pounds) in addition to my 4 unit limit. Oh, and in addition to that my child or guard (don't have any right now) can have a 4-H animal but proof has to be available that the animal is for 4-H purposes. Currently no limit on cats, dogs, or other domestic pets.

With that said, that's too much for an acre and for my area. Behind my property is a mexican restaurant, a carls jr, and a tire shop. Accross the street from that is the mall. Was I shocked I was zoned for horses? Yup - got it in writing - lol. I have 1 horse currently, would like 1 more. I have 30 rabbits right now, barn will be set up for 45 with 5-10 holes on the outside for my meat breed. I have 6 dogs - 4 weight under 15 pounds, 2 weigh 7 or less. We have cats - 3 are technically mine but we feed 4 others. So I plan on keeping 2 horses and 3-4 goats and some chickens, the rabbits, my dogs (never 6 again - we had a couple family members pass and inherited some dogs, the poodles are getting up in age and are 9 1/2, 11 1/2, and 15 1/2 and all have health issues), cats (my 3 and 2 of the others are fixed - yes, I fixed someone elses cats... so sure me). I also have a parrot and pet rats. It's a lot, but everyone is comfortable now and I'm sure it will be fine when we get the additions. If I could just convince them to sell me that acre and a half next to me... lol.

I do have a neighbor with a cow (wonder if smelling carls jr all the time bothers her?) and 2 horses and 3 goats. A pig too, but a potbellied ish (I think the pig weighs closer to 300 and she has nigerian dwarf goats, not pygmies, but doubt anyone could tell a difference). Another neighbor has 17 goats. Well, sometimes less or more - they do eat their goats and breed so the population changes.

I'll be honest, they changed the dog allotment to 3 and we had 4 before we moved... I'm such a rebel - lol.

We are ag here and our local area allows 1,500 pounds of live animal weight per acre. We have 3 acres.
So thats a lot of bunnies!! LOL
We have 4 sheep and 13 chickens and around 20 buns so we are far from our legal limits.

So we dont have limits being in the country and zoned ag like you do in residential areas.

The state gives us limits on breeding dogs and how many you can sell before needing permits but I dont breed dogs.
Our location has no dog limit for just owning dogs, but we have 2 dogs. We dont need more than that.

We do have the livestock mandatory premise program here but rabbits are not included. Only livestock is, including poultry.
We have our Livestock premise ID as mandated by law.

I haven't asked. I figure it's not likely to be an issue since only 6 of my rabbits are permanent residents.

animal units is an interesting concept

no restrictions on the farm as far as I can find - except only three dogs (but if I got called on it I'd register my own dogs as sporting dogs)

6 animals in the city - 3 of which can be dogs

ummmmm given the fostering I do I don't pay too much attention though I try not to draw attention to what we have ..

Brody, I suspect that the foster and re-homing is covered as an exemption. I know it is here, as long as it's a legitimate re-homing venture and not an animal hoarding thing.

nope it's not an exemption here - but as I say to animal services regularly

bring a couple of vans if you come to my place - most of em came from you adn they can all go back to you

I work hard to keep positive relations with my neighbours (well I did in the old hood - have just been laying low this year) so folks know what I do and aren't shocked to see 6 carriers loaded into the car one day or a different dog on the end of the leash

The farm we got Pearl from was a foster farm as well. They took in mistreated and malnourished horses and goats that the animal control people rescued. They were amazed that this one particular horse allowed our kids near her at all, much less let them stroke her nose. She had been very poorly treated and was just beginning to calm down. She was so sweet with the kids that we had no idea she was a rescue until they remarked about it.