Stanislaus County, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed-specific ban
- None: behavior-based only
- Trigger
- Documented attack/bite/scratch/harass propensity
- Possible orders
- Seizure, secure enclosure, leash
- Noncompliance
- Seizure, impoundment, or destruction
- Enforcing agency
- SASA / Animal Court
Summary
Stanislaus County has no breed-specific ban; instead Chapter 7.28 lets SASA investigate any animal reported to show "a propensity to attack, bite, scratch, or harass" without provocation and refer it to Animal Court. A declared dangerous animal can be ordered seized, confined, leashed, or impounded at the owner's expense under Sections 7.28.010 and 7.28.020.
Whenever an animal suspected of being potentially dangerous or vicious is reported, the animal services executive director shall investigate the circumstances; and if he or she finds that the animal shows a propensity to attack, bite, scratch, or harass people or other animals without provocation, he or she shall notify the owner, stating all the facts and circumstances. Animal Court may order that the animal be immediately seized or kept within a substantial enclosure, securely leashed or otherwise controlled. If the owner cannot provide restraint, the animal shall be temporarily impounded at the expense of the owner. If upon receiving written notification the owner fails to restrain or control a potentially dangerous or vicious animal, as ordered, the owner is in violation of this title. The animal services executive director is empowered to seize and impound or destroy the animal.
Full Breakdown
010 starts the process on a report that an animal is potentially dangerous or vicious. The animal services executive director investigates, and if the animal shows a propensity to attack, bite, scratch, or harass people or other animals without provocation, the director notifies the owner of the facts and circumstances. 030(D)), which may order the animal seized outright or kept within a substantial enclosure, securely leashed, or otherwise controlled. 32's impoundment and disposition rules, including sale, adoption, or euthanasia. 020 backstops the process: if a written notification is issued and the owner still fails to restrain or control the animal as ordered, the owner is in violation of Title 7, and the director is empowered to seize, impound, or destroy the animal outright.
Nothing in this chapter singles out a breed, the trigger is documented behavior, not the animal's breed or type, and the same investigation-and-order framework applies to any dog or other animal an officer finds behaves dangerously. 030.
Violations & Fines
Failing to restrain or control an animal after a written dangerous-animal notice is a Title 7 violation: SASA may seize, impound, or destroy the animal under Section 7.28.020, and the owner bears the impoundment costs. Because Chapter 7.28 falls within the range covered by Chapter 7.48, related violations are also infractions capped at a $300 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stanislaus County ban specific dog breeds?
What can happen to a dog declared dangerous?
What if the owner ignores the restraint order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stanislaus County
How Stanislaus County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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