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

There is no breed-specific ban (such as a pit bull or Rottweiler ban) in unincorporated Ventura County. California law forbids it: Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683 provides that no local program regulating potentially dangerous or vicious dogs may be specific as to breed, with a narrow exception that allows breed-specific spay/neuter or breeding requirements (also reflected in Health & Safety Code Section 122331). Instead of targeting breeds, Ventura County and the State regulate dogs based on the individual animal's behavior. The County's potentially-dangerous and vicious-dog provisions appear in the Article 5 animal control rules (Section 4470 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of the Ordinance Code, which track the State framework in Food & Agricultural Code Sections 31601-31609. Under that framework, a 'potentially dangerous dog' is generally one that, unprovoked, bites a person causing a less-severe injury, or on two separate occasions within 36 months requires defensive action or attacks a domestic animal off the owner's property; a 'vicious dog' is generally one that, unprovoked, inflicts severe injury on or kills a person, or a listed potentially-dangerous dog that continues the aggressive behavior. A dog so designated after a hearing can face conditions such as secure confinement, mandatory spay/neuter, microchipping, and signage. So any breed of dog is legal in the County, but any individual dog can be regulated based on its conduct.