Long Beach Breed Restrictions Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 6.16 governs animal regulation in the city but contains no breed-specific restrictions. California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits cities and counties from enacting ordinances that declare any specific dog breed to be dangerous or vicious based solely on breed characteristics. This state preemption prevents Long Beach from enacting pit bull bans, Rottweiler restrictions, or any other breed-targeted legislation. The same preemption applies to every city and county in California.

Instead, Long Beach's dangerous and vicious animal provisions are entirely behavior-based. A dog may be declared potentially dangerous if it has, without provocation, bitten a person or domestic animal on at least two separate occasions within a 36-month period, or has engaged in behavior that would cause a reasonable person to believe the dog poses a substantial risk of attack. A dog may be declared vicious if it inflicts severe injury or death on a person without provocation, or if it was previously declared potentially dangerous and the owner failed to comply with the required conditions. Owners of dogs declared potentially dangerous or vicious must comply with additional requirements including secure confinement in a locked enclosure, posting of visible warning signs, mandatory spay or neuter, and maintaining liability insurance of at least $100,000. These requirements apply to all breeds equally. California law also permits breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter programs (Health & Safety Code Section 122331), but Long Beach has not enacted such a program. All dogs in Long Beach over 4 months of age must be licensed and currently vaccinated for rabies. Contact Long Beach Animal Care Services at (562) 570-7387 or longbeach.gov/acs with questions about specific animals.