Mono County, CA Animal Ordinances: Animal Hoarding (2026)

Mono County's Title 9 code does not include a numeric pet cap or a dedicated 'hoarding' chapter, so hoarding situations are handled under state law and the county's nuisance and impound authority. The key statute is California Penal Code Section 597, which makes it a crime to deprive an animal of necessary food, water, shelter or care, or to subject an animal in your custody to needless suffering. California courts and prosecutors treat hoarding as a Section 597 violation when the number of animals compromises their health and safety through overcrowding - there is no fixed legal maximum, the focus is on whether the animals are properly cared for. Penal Code Section 597.1 specifically addresses failure to care for animals and gives local officers and veterinarians authority to seize neglected animals, hold post-seizure hearings, and seek forfeiture and recovery of care costs. Mono County Animal Services officers are designated public officers authorized to enforce animal-care laws and issue citations (Mono County Code Section 9.08.020) and to impound animals (Section 9.08.030), giving the county the local mechanism to act on hoarding cases under state law. Penalties under Section 597 range from a misdemeanor to a felony, with up to three years of incarceration in serious cases. Residents who suspect hoarding or neglect should report it to Mono County Animal Services at (760) 932-5630.