Did you know Wichita limits how many dogs & cats you can have? Your guide to pet laws

Lindsay Smith
·3 min read
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If you’re a pet owner in Wichita, or about to be, you may or may not know of a set of ordinances the city has in place for pet owners.

Wichita has restrictions on how many pets you can have, how often you have to vaccinate vaccination requirements and when you need a pet license. Here’s your quick guide to pet ownership in Wichita.

The limit for dogs and cats in Wichita is two each. If you exceed that number, you can purchase a special animal maintenance permit.

The permit you purchase depends on the kind of animal. Permits are available for dogs, cats, birds, sheep, horses, cattle and more.

You also have to have a permit if you have more than one pit bull. Additionally, all pit bulls in Wichita have to be spayed or neutered and microchipped along with the permit.

Here’s a look at some animal maintenance permit prices:

  • Dogs: $25, max of four dogs allowed

  • Pit bulls: $25, max of two pit bulls allowed

  • Cats: $25, max of four cats allowed

  • Horses: $100, one per acre

There are also permits available for dog breeders and those who want to keep a dog deemed dangerous, which is decided based on the pet’s history of aggression.

Are dog licenses required in Wichita?

Additionally, dog owners have to get an annual license to keep a dog in city limits.

These licenses go hand in hand with rabies vaccinations. Dogs are required to receive a rabies vaccination once every three years as well as licenses issued every year by veterinarians. Dog licenses are $46, but there are discounts if your pet is spayed or neutered, in a fenced area or microchipped.

There are no required licenses for cats.

What is Wichita’s leash law?

Under Wichita’s leash law, pets have to either stay in a fenced area or be on a type of leash.

If an animal is found “running at large” in city limits, the owner would be guilty of a misdemeanor and potentially face a fine of $100 or more. Running at large means the pet is “not confined within a fenced enclosure or shelter or under the control of a person, either by lead, cord, rope, or chain.”

The city’s website says the leash law is in place for multiple reasons.

First, animals who are free-roaming could come into contact with rabies and are also more likely to catch parasites and diseases that can be spread to both humans and animals. Free-roaming animals could also cause damage to property and car accidents and contribute to pet overpopulation.

Wichita’s leash law has only one exception: Cats can go wherever they please.

Possible changes to pet ownership ordinances

But some rules may change soon for Wichita pet owners.

Changes recommended by a subcommittee of the Animal Control Advisory Board include mandatory microchipping for both dogs and cats, as well as changes in license fees and upping the number of pets allowed in a household. The council is expected to vote on the changes in early June.

The city’s website has a list of all ordinances regarding pet ownership.