However, many municipalities have their own ordinances limiting pet ownership. Therefore, the maximum number of pets permitted per household in the Sunflower State can vary from one city to another. In most Kansas municipalities, up to four domestic animals are allowed per household. So the number of dogs or cats you can own in Kansas is regulated by the bylaws in your city or town.
To determine if there is a limit to the number of household pets in your area, I recommend you contact your City Clerk's Office or local animal control office. On the one hand, you may search online for your municipality's code of ordinance and locate the "animal" section. In the meantime, see the pet-limit laws in the following Kansas municipalities.
Wichita
The maximum number of dogs you can own without a permit in Wichita, KS, is two. This limitation applies to cats as well as rabbits. If you desire to have more than 2 dogs or cats, you'll have to obtain a $25 permit, with which you may own up to 4 cats, 4 dogs, and 12 rabbits.
No more than one Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig is also allowed under the permit. However, the city' ordinance prohibits the ownership of more than three different kinds of animals. For example, you may own dogs, cats, and rabbits. But you can't have dogs, cats, rabbits, and a pig.
Overland Park
In Overland Park, KS, you are allowed to own up to 2 dogs and 2 cats without a permit. However, if you wish to own more than that, you may apply to the City Clerk for an annual "Special Animal Permit."
An application for up to 4 dogs or 4 cats requires clear and convincing evidence that the animals will be kept according to the required standards.
On the other hand, an application for more than 4 dogs or cats requires that you provide proof of meeting the required standards beyond a reasonable doubt. Please see Overland Park's municipal code for additional info.
Kansas City
In Kansas City, KS, each household may own up to six domestic animals (dogs and cats). For example, you may own 3 cats and 3 dogs, or any combination of both not exceeding 6 in total. You are required to obtain a noncommercial permit if you wish to own more than 6 pets. Every dog and cat over the age of six months is required by the Wyandotte County Code to be spayed or neutered. Additionally, they are also required to be inoculated against rabies.
Olathe
In Olathe, KS, no more than a combined total of 4 dogs and cats over the age of 4 months are allowed per household. You may apply for and obtain a Special Animal Permit to own more than 4 dogs or cats. The city's municipal code makes it unlawful for pet owners to appear with an animal in public places without some means for removal of excrement. This is a pooper scooper law, which does not apply to blind persons walking their guide dog.
Lawrence
No more than 4 dogs or 4 cats over the age of 12 weeks are allowed per household in Lawrence, Kansas. Nevertheless, you may obtain a permit from the City Clerk to own more dogs or cats. This limitation does not apply to cats owned before May 1, 2019, per the city code. It also does not apply to gerbils, mice, rats, ferrets, and chinchillas. Furthermore, the limitation also does not apply to rabbits, except that no more than 3 rabbits are allowed in residentially zoned districts.
Shawnee
Without a Special Animal Permit, you may not own more than 4 cats and/or two dogs in Shawnee, KS. Dog and cat owners in the city are no longer required to license their pets. However, all dogs and cats are required to have a rabies certificate and wear an identification tag.
Lenexa
In Lenexa, KS, you can have up to 2 dogs and /or 2 cats without a permit. However, you'll have to obtain a special pet permit if you wish to have more. All dogs and cats aged 6 months and older are required to be licensed within 10 days of residing in the city.
Restricted dog breeds in Kansas
In many Kansas municipalities, the following dog breeds are either banned or restricted: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinchers, Chow Chows, Dogo Argentinos, and Presa Canarios. In Manhattan, KS, for example, up to twelve dog breeds are declared "Dangerous Dogs" and restricted. Those breeds include the:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Chow Chow
- Cane Corso
- Dogo Argentino
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- Doberman Pinscher
- Rottweiler
- Fila Brasileiro
- German Shepherd
- Perro de Presa Canario
In addition, any dog, whether purebred or mixed, that resembles and possesses the characteristics of any one of the breeds listed above will also be considered a "Dangerous Dog" in the city of Manhattan, KS.
