Santa Cruz County, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

The unincorporated county does not impose breed-specific restrictions. A review of Santa Cruz County Code Title 6 (Animals) found no pit bull ordinance and no breed-specific dangerous-dog rule; the County regulates individual animals by their conduct. Under Code 6.12.140 it is unlawful to permit any 'vicious animal' to go unrestrained, and a vicious animal may be required by written order of the director of animal control services to be confined to the owner's premises. 'Vicious animal' is a behavioral definition (an animal that bites, or threatens or attempts to bite or attack people or domestic animals), not a list of breeds. Code 6.24.070 allows the director to declare an animal vicious based on reasonable cause and provides the owner notice and a right to a hearing before the appeals commission. California law reinforces this approach: Food and Agricultural Code section 31683 permits cities and counties to adopt dangerous-dog programs but provides that such programs may not be specific to any breed, except that breed-specific spay/neuter or breeding requirements are allowed and are not a determination that a dog is dangerous or vicious. So a renter or homeowner in the unincorporated county is not prohibited from owning any particular breed, but any dog that behaves dangerously can be declared vicious and ordered confined or otherwise regulated.