Redondo Beach, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Redondo Beach Municipal Code Article 3 of Chapter 1, Title 5 governs vicious animals citywide, and it is breed-neutral: the trigger is conduct, not the animal's breed. 301, any resident may file a written complaint alleging that a specific animal is vicious. The complaint must be signed and must set out the facts supporting the claim. The Chief Animal Control Officer must then set a hearing no fewer than five and no more than 15 days after notice goes out to the complainant, the animal's keeper, and anyone else who requests notice.

The hearing is informal and the formal rules of evidence do not apply; the Officer follows the procedures set out in the state Food and Agricultural Code for potentially dangerous and vicious animals. If the Officer finds the animal vicious, the next question is whether it can be safely restrained or controlled in the City, or safely rehomed outside the City. If neither option works, or if the keeper refuses to sign a written agreement to those conditions, the Officer can order the animal destroyed, with at least 14 days before that order is carried out.

Pending or during this process, the Officer may impound an animal alleged to be vicious when doing so is necessary to protect public health, safety, and welfare, at the owner's expense. Any violation of a restraint or removal order is a nuisance per se and can be prosecuted criminally or civilly.