Westminster, CA Animal Ordinances: Animal Hoarding (2026)

The City of Westminster does not have a standalone 'hoarding' ordinance, but it addresses the problem through two parts of its own code and program. First, Municipal Code Section 6.12.020 caps a household at three dogs and/or three cats over four months old, not exceeding six animals total, and makes keeping more without an animal maintenance permit a citable violation. That numeric limit is the front-line tool against accumulation of too many animals. Second, Westminster runs its own animal-control program through the Police Department, and Westminster Animal Control investigates neglect, cruelty and abandonment complaints, conducts welfare checks, and can impound animals kept in unsafe or unsanitary conditions. Cases that rise to criminal neglect or cruelty are handled under California Penal Code Section 597 and related state animal-cruelty statutes, which Westminster Animal Control is authorized to enforce alongside city code. In practice, a suspected hoarding situation in Westminster is typically reported to Animal Control, which can cite for exceeding the pet limit, require the owner to reduce the number of animals or obtain a permit, and pursue cruelty charges where the animals are suffering. Residents concerned about a possible hoarding situation should contact Westminster Animal Control at (714) 548-3201; emergencies can be reported through Police Dispatch.