Gardena, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Gardena does not regulate dogs by breed. Its adopted animal code, Los Angeles County Code Title 10 as incorporated by Gardena Municipal Code Section 6.02.010, instead uses a behavior-based process to declare a specific dog potentially dangerous or vicious after a hearing, then attaches conditions to the dog's release. Section 10.37.150 governs what happens after that hearing: a hearing officer or judicial officer who determined a dog potentially dangerous or vicious may schedule follow-up hearing dates to ensure compliance with all conditions imposed, referring back to conditions set under Sections 10.37.130 or 10.37.140 following a hearing under Sections 10.37.110 or 10.37.120.

If an owner or custodian fails to comply with any imposed condition, the consequences listed in Section 10.37.150(B) include treating the failure to comply with any condition as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by both the fine and imprisonment. The county, separately from criminal prosecution, may also seek civil injunctive relief against the noncompliant owner, and a repeat violation following a potentially-dangerous finding can support a further action to have the dog declared vicious under Section 10.37.030(C).

Because this entire framework is adopted by reference under Section 6.02.010, with county read as city of Gardena, Gardena police and the LA County Department of Animal Care and Control both administer it inside city limits.