Rialto, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed bans
- Prohibited by California state law
- Rialto breed rules
- None; code is behavior-based
- Dangerous-dog process
- Animal control board hearing
- Vicious-dog penalty
- Up to $1,000 and one year jail
Summary
Rialto's municipal code contains no breed-specific restrictions; its dangerous-dog rules in Chapter 6.05 apply based on a dog's behavior. California state law forbids cities from declaring any breed dangerous or vicious and limits breed-specific ordinances to spay/neuter and breeding programs.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for the control of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs that may incorporate all, part, or none of this chapter, or that may punish a violation of this chapter as a misdemeanor or may impose a more restrictive program to control potentially dangerous or vicious dogs. Except as provided in Section 122331 of the Health and Safety Code, no program regulating any dog shall be specific as to breed.
Full Breakdown
Rialto Municipal Code Chapter 6.05 (Vicious and Dangerous Dogs, Ord. 1291 of 1999, amended by Ord. No. 1555 in 2014) defines potentially dangerous dogs (Section 6.05.010) and vicious dogs (Section 6.05.020) entirely by conduct, such as unprovoked bites or attacks, with no breed named anywhere in the chapter. Designations are made by the city's animal control board after a noticed hearing (Sections 6.05.050-6.05.060), and a potentially dangerous dog must be kept indoors or in a secure fenced yard and muzzled and leashed off the premises (Section 6.05.120). This mirrors state law: California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 provides that, except for the spay/neuter programs allowed by Health and Safety Code Section 122331, no local dog-control program may be specific as to breed, and Section 122331(a) bars declaring any specific breed or mixed breed potentially dangerous or vicious. Dog owners statewide are also strictly liable for bite injuries under Civil Code Section 3342.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 6.05.170, a violation involving a potentially dangerous dog is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and/or six months in county jail; violations involving a vicious dog carry up to $1,000 and/or one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls legal in Rialto?
How is a dog declared dangerous in Rialto?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rialto
How Rialto compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Rialto to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle breed restrictions.