Santa Ana, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Santa Ana's dangerous-dog ordinance regulates conduct, not breed. 1(a) defines a potentially dangerous dog as one that, unprovoked, engages in behavior requiring a defensive action after two documented bites within 36 months, or that bites causing an injury short of a severe injury, or that kills or seriously injures a domestic animal, horse, or livestock. 1(b) defines a vicious dog as one that unprovoked and in an aggressive manner inflicts severe injury or death on a human, or a previously listed potentially dangerous dog that repeats the behavior or violates its imposed restrictions.

1(c) exempts bites against a trespasser, a person committing or attempting a crime on the property, or someone who has teased, tormented, abused, or assaulted the dog. Under § 5-72(a), an animal services officer or police officer who has cause to believe a dog meets these criteria may tentatively declare it dangerous or vicious and must notify the owner in writing; the owner has ten days to request a hearing under Chapter 3 before the declaration becomes final. Once declared, the Santa Ana Police Department can impound or abate the dog, up to and including destruction, or instead impose conditions such as $100,000 in liability insurance or an equivalent bond, a secure enclosure of specified size and design, mandatory muzzling or restraint, permanent identification such as a microchip, and posted warning signage, plus a city council-set fee to recover enforcement costs.

An owner who sells or moves a declared dog must notify the police department in writing at least ten days beforehand, and unlawfully possessing an undeclared vicious or potentially dangerous dog without adequate restraint is itself a separate offense under § 5-72(g).