Merced County, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Merced County's animal regulations target a dog's conduct, not its breed. The County Code refers to dogs 'deemed potentially dangerous or vicious as outlined in Sections 7.04.290 and 7.04.292' — these provisions apply to any dog based on bites or threatening behavior, regardless of breed. Merced County Animal Control has adopted an ordinance to address the public-safety threat posed by vicious and potentially dangerous dogs (see the County's Dangerous Dogs page). No Merced County ordinance fetched for this summary names pit bulls or any other breed as banned. This approach is consistent with California Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683, which allows cities and counties to regulate dangerous dogs but bars any ordinance that is specific to a particular breed for purposes of declaring a dog potentially dangerous or vicious (spay/neuter and breeding programs may consider breed, but a breed cannot be banned outright). Renters and HOA members should note that landlords, insurers, and homeowners' associations may impose their own breed restrictions even though the County does not.