Fairfield does not have a numeric hoarding ordinance, but California Penal Code Sections 597 and 597.1 make it a crime to keep so many animals that their basic needs cannot be met. Solano County Animal Care can seize neglected animals and pursue criminal charges.
California Penal Code Section 597 prohibits the malicious or negligent maiming, mutilation, torture, wounding, or killing of any animal, and Section 597.1 makes it unlawful to fail to provide animals with proper food, drink, shelter, or protection from the weather. While there is no separate state crime called 'animal hoarding,' prosecutors charge hoarding cases under these cruelty statutes when the number of animals kept by one person overwhelms their ability to provide adequate care, resulting in overcrowding, filth, untreated disease, or starvation. Section 597.1 authorizes peace officers and humane officers to take immediate possession of neglected animals and to require the owner to post a bond to cover ongoing care costs. Fairfield Municipal Code Chapter 3 incorporates state cruelty law by reference and authorizes Solano County Animal Care Services to enforce these provisions within city limits. Chapter 27 (Community Preservation) provides a parallel nuisance pathway when conditions on the property (odor, waste, vermin, structural hazards) become a public nuisance to neighbors.
Penal Code Section 597 may be charged as a misdemeanor (up to one year in county jail and $20,000 fine) or as a felony (16 months, 2, or 3 years in state prison and up to $20,000 fine). Section 597.1 violations can lead to seizure of animals, mandatory care-bond posting, and forfeiture of ownership if the bond is not paid.
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