Tulare, CA Animal Ordinances: Animal Hoarding (2026)

California has no statute that defines hoarding by a specific animal count. Instead, prosecution flows through Penal Code § 597 (cruelty to animals), § 597t (proper exercise/care), and related sections. The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC) definition — accumulation of animals to a point where the keeper cannot provide adequate nutrition, sanitation, shelter, or veterinary care, combined with denial of the deteriorating conditions — guides charging decisions. Penalty exposure: misdemeanor conviction under § 597 carries up to one year in county jail and up to $20,000 in fines; felony conviction (a 'wobbler') carries 16 months, 2, or 3 years in state prison and up to $20,000 in fines. Animals are typically seized and forfeited under § 597.1 (cost-of-care lien). In Tulare, enforcement runs through Tulare County Animal Services in coordination with Tulare Police Department; civil abatement may proceed under Tulare Municipal Code § 6.12.210 (Animal Nuisances Prohibited) — investigation triggered by two-resident written complaint or one resident if only one lives within 300 feet of the offending property. § 597 prosecutions in Tulare County typically follow a documented welfare investigation, veterinary findings of suffering, and seizure pursuant to a warrant under § 597.1.