California Food and Agriculture Code section 31683 preempts cities from banning specific dog breeds, though localities may regulate spay-neuter and breeding by breed.
California restricts how municipalities can regulate dog breeds. Food and Agricultural Code section 31683 prohibits a local jurisdiction from adopting any breed-specific legislation that declares a particular breed of dog as inherently dangerous, vicious, or that bans ownership outright. Cities and counties may, however, enact mandatory spay/neuter or breeding requirements that apply to specific breeds, provided the program is not breed-specific in the sense of an ownership prohibition. The state's general dangerous-dog statute, Food and Agricultural Code sections 31601-31683, applies uniformly and provides the procedural framework for declaring individual dogs (regardless of breed) as potentially dangerous or vicious. This statewide framework preempts more aggressive municipal bans on pit bulls, Rottweilers, or other breeds.
Municipal breed bans are unenforceable. Individual dangerous-dog determinations under state law may carry restrictions, mandatory confinement, or removal. Owners of dogs declared vicious face misdemeanor liability and possible euthanasia of the animal.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Santa Cruz County, CA
SCCC § 8.30.020 escalates any repeat noise-ordinance violation within 48 hours of a citation to a misdemeanor, exposing the offender to criminal penalties ra...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Aircraft overflight noise is regulated by the FAA and is preempted from local control. The County applies the State 65 dB CNEL standard around Watsonville Mu...
Santa Cruz County, CA
SCCC § 13.15.040(A) exempts permitted construction noise only when work occurs 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays (Building Official may extend to 7 a.m./7 p.m....
Santa Cruz County, CA
Santa Cruz County does not require a stand-alone amplified-sound permit countywide, but amplified music is enforced under SCCC § 8.30.010 as 'offensive noise...
Santa Cruz County, CA
Santa Cruz County has established a permit parking zone in the Fall Creek Drive area near Felton under SCCC Chapter 9.46; only vehicles displaying a county-i...
Santa Cruz County, CA
No Santa Cruz County-specific ordinance directly limits commercial vehicle street parking in the unincorporated area; California Vehicle Code rules and the c...
See how Santa Cruz County's breed restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.