Cape Town pet owners are being asked to take a closer look at proposed changes to the rules governing dogs, cats and other animals, with the City of Cape Town’s draft Animal Keeping By-law, 2026 now open for public comment, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The draft could change how dogs are identified and controlled in public, how applications for keeping additional animals are assessed and how officials deal with animal seizures and inspections.
BusinessTech notes, however, that many of the provisions attracting attention are already contained in the existing 2021 by-law, with the 2026 draft making a relatively limited number of substantive changes.
The draft is not a wholesale rewrite of the city’s animal-keeping rules, but it does introduce several changes that could affect everyday pet ownership and enforcement.
How many pets can Cape Town households keep?
The existing limits on the number of dogs and cats a household may keep remain largely unchanged.
Generally, a dwelling unit may have up to two dogs, while larger houses can accommodate three or four dogs depending on the property. Farmhouses may keep up to six dogs.
The rules for cats are less restrictive, with up to four cats permitted at residential properties and up to six on farms.
Residents wanting to exceed the prescribed limits must apply for permission from the City.
Under the new draft, officials may also require written support from at least two neighbouring properties when considering an application to keep more animals.
These limits have been the subject of public discussion, but they are not being introduced for the first time through the 2026 draft.
What could change for dog owners?
One of the more noticeable proposed changes concerns the identification of dogs.
The draft provides for dogs to be identified either through a registered microchip or a collar and name tag containing the owner’s contact details.
Dogs would generally have to be kept on a leash in public streets and public places unless the area has been formally designated as a free-running area.
That would give the default position a wider application than the previous approach, under which particular public areas were designated for leashing or where dogs were prohibited.
Permit claims need some context
The issue of permits has also generated concern among residents.
The South African reports that several of the requirements being discussed are not new and that existing rules already regulate the number of animals residents may keep, as well as circumstances in which permits are required.
The draft does, however, provide for a more detailed process in some cases. Where a household wants to exceed the permitted number of animals, the City may require additional information, including written support from at least two adjacent neighbours.
The draft states that the City may charge a prescribed fee for considering or granting a permit.
However, no such fee has yet been charged, and the existence of a provision allowing for a prescribed fee does not itself mean that residents are currently paying a general pet-ownership charge.
Meanwhile, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA has sought to clarify what it describes as misleading claims about the proposed by-law.
In a social media statement, the organisation said claims that residents would suddenly have to ‘pay to own a dog’, that every pet would automatically have to be microchipped, or that City officials could enter homes without justification do not accurately reflect the legal position.
The SPCA said ordinary pet registration is free and stressed that registration should not be confused with specialised permits that may apply in circumstances such as keeping an animal unsterilised, exceeding permitted numbers or operating a regulated facility.
It also pointed out that the 2021 by-law already regulates the sterilisation of dogs and cats older than six months, subject to permission to keep an animal unsterilised.
On identification, the organisation highlighted that the relevant provision allows either a collar and name tag with the owner’s contact details or a registered microchip.
What about inspections and animal seizures?
The draft also deals with how officials can investigate suspected breaches and seize animals.
Officials would still have powers to conduct certain warrantless searches in defined circumstances.
However, the 2026 draft also establishes a more formal process for obtaining an entry warrant where an owner or occupier refuses consent.
In those circumstances, an authorised official would need to approach a magistrate for a warrant.
The framework therefore sets out a clearer legal route for searches while retaining limited circumstances in which a warrantless search may be permitted under the Criminal Procedure Act.
The proposed rules also shorten the minimum holding period for certain seized stray animals. Animals that were previously required to be held for at least 10 days would, under the draft, be held for seven days, while the period for large animals would fall from 30 to 21 days.
More changes extend beyond household pets
The draft is not limited to dogs and cats.
It proposes clearer classifications for livestock, distinguishes between large and small livestock, and formalises permit requirements for animal sellers and breeders.
It would also prohibit the use of dogs in hunting activities.
Another proposed change concerns animals kept at residential properties for religious or cultural slaughter, as the current 12-hour limit would be extended to 48 hours, although adjacent neighbours would have to be formally notified.
The draft also introduces or strengthens provisions relating to working animals, including measures concerning access to water, rest periods and working conditions in high temperatures.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA said the draft includes measures such as a proposed ban on the use and sale of glue traps, restrictions concerning wild and exotic animals in circuses and additional protections for working animals.
The organisation nevertheless stressed that the municipal by-law should not be confused with South Africa’s principal legislation dealing with animal cruelty, which it identified as the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.
The proposed by-law remains a draft, meaning the provisions are not yet the final rules that will govern Cape Town’s animal owners.
The City has opened the document to public participation until 29 September, giving residents, animal welfare organisations and other interested parties an opportunity to scrutinise the proposed provisions and make submissions.
With public comment still open, the final version could change before it is adopted.
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