Riverside County, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Code section
- County Code 6.08.125 (Ord. No. 921)
- Covered breeds
- Staffordshire Bull, American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier + mixes
- Age trigger
- Over 4 months old
- Requirement
- Mandatory spay/neuter
- Key exemptions
- Registered breeders, law enforcement, assistance, medical, pending breed ID
- Breed ban
- No outright breed ban
Summary
Unincorporated Riverside County requires mandatory spaying or neutering of pit bull breeds. Under the County Code (Section 6.08.125, adopted via Ordinance No. 921), no person may own or possess a pit bull over four months of age that has not been spayed or neutered, with limited exemptions such as registered breeders and assistance dogs.
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. (Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 668, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2006.) Food and Agricultural Code - FAC DIVISION 14. REGULATION AND LICENSING OF DOGS [30501 - 31683] CHAPTER 9. Potentially Dangerous and Vicious Dogs [31601 - 31683] ARTICLE 5. Miscellaneous [31681 - 31683]
Full Breakdown
Riverside County does not ban any dog breed, but it imposes a breed-specific sterilization mandate. 125 and adopted through Ordinance No. 921 (which the Board of Supervisors approved in 2013), the rule requires that pit bull breeds in the unincorporated areas be spayed or neutered. "Pit bull" is defined to include the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, and American Staffordshire Terrier, or any mixed breed dog that contains one of these breeds as an element of its breeding. The core prohibition states that no person shall own or possess a pit bull over the age of four months that has not been spayed or neutered, except as provided in the ordinance's exemption subsection.
Recognized exemptions include pit bulls owned by registered/licensed breeders, dogs used by law enforcement, assistance dogs, dogs with veterinary certification that the procedure would jeopardize the animal's health, pit bulls in training at licensed kennels that are licensed in another jurisdiction, and dogs pending a breed determination. The County's general Ordinance 630 separately requires spay/neuter or an unaltered-dog license for all dogs and cats, and treats potentially dangerous, dangerous, or vicious animals under Ordinance No. 771 (Dangerous Animal Registration). The Department of Animal Services administers and enforces these rules.
Violations & Fines
Failure to sterilize a regulated pit bull is enforced under the County Animal Control Ordinances' penalty structure: an infraction with fines up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional within a year (Ord. 630, Section 20). Impounded unaltered animals are subject to additional unaltered-animal fees and may be required to be sterilized before release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls banned in unincorporated Riverside County?
Which breeds count as a 'pit bull' under the ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
How Riverside County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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