Compton Breed Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683, enacted in 1989, explicitly prohibits any city, county, or city and county from adopting or enforcing breed-specific legislation. This state preemption means that Compton cannot ban pit bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, or any other breed, nor can it impose breed-specific requirements such as mandatory muzzling, special insurance, or additional licensing fees for certain breeds. All dog breeds are treated equally under the law in Compton and throughout California.

Instead of breed-based regulation, Compton and Los Angeles County rely on behavior-based dangerous dog laws. Under California Food and Agricultural Code Sections 31601 through 31683, a dog may be designated as "potentially dangerous" if it has bitten a person without provocation or has exhibited behavior that required a defensive action on two separate occasions within 36 months. A dog may be classified as "vicious" if it has inflicted severe injury or death on a person without provocation, or if it has been previously designated potentially dangerous and the behavior continues. These designations carry specific consequences including mandatory confinement conditions, signage requirements, and potentially euthanasia orders for vicious dogs.

All dogs in Compton must be licensed through the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, which provides animal control services for the city. Licensing requires proof of current rabies vaccination. Dogs must be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet when off the owner's property. Stray or unlicensed dogs may be impounded. The county operates the Downey Animal Care Center, which serves Compton residents for licensing, adoption, and animal control matters.

Residents who encounter aggressive dogs should contact the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control at (562) 940-6898 or Compton's local dispatch. Reports of dog bites are investigated, and the offending animal may be quarantined and evaluated for dangerous dog designation based on the circumstances of the incident, not the animal's breed.