Costa Mesa, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Section 3-164 defines a "potentially dangerous animal" as one that menaces, chases, or displays threatening or aggressive behavior toward a person or domestic animal, one whose size, strength and demonstrated aggressiveness would pose a substantial danger if unregulated, or one that aggressively bites or causes physical injury. A "vicious animal" is one that has bitten without provocation and killed or inflicted "severe injury," defined as an injury causing muscle tears, disfiguring lacerations, or requiring multiple sutures or surgery, or one that has menaced, attempted to bite, or attacked more than once in a 12-month period, or habitually endangers health/safety or damages property.

No animal can be declared dangerous or vicious for injuries caused while defending against a trespasser, or while the victim was teasing, tormenting or assaulting the animal. Section 3-165 lets the police chief order a suspected animal restrained in a secure enclosure or impounded if restraint isn't possible; Section 3-166 lets the chief require a posted "Beware of Dog" notice with letters at least two inches tall. Section 3-167 gives the owner a hearing before a designated hearing officer held 5 to 15 working days after notice, with a right to appeal to a different superior officer within 15 days of the determination; a dangerous designation can be lifted after 36 months (or as early as 12 months) with no further incidents.

Under Section 3-167(e), an animal found vicious can be banned from the city or humanely destroyed if the owner won't comply with restraint conditions, fails to retrieve an impounded animal within 30 days, or if release would threaten public safety.