Riverside, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed ban?
- No: preempted by Cal. Food & Ag. Code §31683
- Mandatory spay/neuter breed
- Pit bulls over 4 months old
- Authority for breed-specific S/N
- Cal. Health & Safety Code §122331
- Code section
- Riverside County Code §6.08.125
- Covered breeds
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, identifiable mixes
- Dangerous-dog standard
- Behavior-based per Cal. Food & Ag. Code §§31601–31683
Summary
California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 prohibits cities and counties from banning specific breeds, but allows breed-specific spay/neuter rules. Riverside County Code §6.08.125, which applies inside the City of Riverside through RCDAS enforcement, requires every pit bull over 4 months old to be spayed or neutered.
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
California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 expressly preempts any city or county ordinance that declares a dog 'potentially dangerous' or 'vicious' based solely on breed, so the City of Riverside has no breed ban. However, the same state statute, together with Health & Safety Code §122331, expressly allows breed-specific MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER programs. ' 'Pit bull' is defined to include the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and any mixed breed identifiable as partially one or more of those breeds. Exemptions in subsection D: (1) dogs licensed to a county-registered breeder; (2) dogs used by a public law-enforcement agency; (3) assistance dogs as defined in Food & Agricultural Code §30850; (4) dogs with a licensed veterinarian's written health exemption; (5) dogs in training at a licensed kennel and licensed in another jurisdiction; and (6) dogs pending a breed determination requested by the owner.
Dangerous-dog designations in the City otherwise follow California Food & Agricultural Code §§31601–31683 (the 'Potentially Dangerous and Vicious Dogs' statute), which is behavior-based, not breed-based.
Violations & Fines
A violation of §6.08.125 is an infraction or misdemeanor and is subject to the criminal, civil, and administrative fines, penalties, and costs in County Ordinance No. 630. Typical RCDAS administrative citations: $100 first offense, $200 second, $500 third within 12 months. Misdemeanor prosecution carries up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail. Owners are also billed for impound and boarding when the unaltered pit bull is taken in. The County may require the dog be sterilized before release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the City of Riverside ban pit bulls?
What if my pit bull is a registered show dog?
Are other breeds (Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd) restricted?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
How Riverside compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle breed restrictions.