La Habra, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

La Habra's Municipal Code has no ordinance singling out any dog breed. Instead, Chapter 6.20 built an individualized declaration process. Section 6.04.140 defines a potentially dangerous dog as one that, unprovoked, has twice within thirty-six months required a defensive action to prevent injury while off its owner's property, has bitten someone causing a minor injury, or has twice within thirty-six months injured another domestic animal off the property. Section 6.04.180 defines a vicious dog as one seized in a dogfighting case with a resulting conviction, one that unprovoked inflicts a severe injury or death on a person, or one already listed as potentially dangerous that repeats the behavior after notice.

Under Section 6.20.200, once the animal control officer or a police officer finds probable cause for either designation, that officer must petition the chief of police for a hearing, and the chief can defer the matter to the superior court instead of hearing it personally. Once a dog is declared, Section 6.20.210 makes it unlawful to own or control it without a permit from the animal control officer, with a fee set by city council resolution. Section 6.20.220 further requires the owner to post a warning sign at least fifteen inches square at every entrance to the property, in both written and pictorial form, and to attach a similar warning to any transport cage or container. Section 6.20.230 separately bans letting a declared dog run loose in a way that endangers a lawful visitor or go unrestrained in public.