Yuba City, CA Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- No breed rule
- Designation is behavior-based, not by breed
- State standard used
- Food & Ag. Code §§ 31602, 31603
- Hearing process
- Court petition under Food & Ag. Code §§ 31621-31626
- On-property rule
- Indoors or securely fenced yard required
- Off-property rule
- Leash, muzzle, and control required
Summary
Yuba City does not regulate dogs by breed. Instead, when an Animal Control Officer or law enforcement finds probable cause that a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious under state Food and Agricultural Code standards, the City petitions the court for a hearing, and a declared dog must be confined and muzzled and leashed when off the property.
Sec. 4-12.230. - Potentially dangerous and vicious dogs. If an Animal Control Officer or a law enforcement officer has investigated and determined that there exists probable cause to believe that a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious, the Director of Community Services, or his or her designee, or the Police Chief or his or her designee, or the Sheriff, or his or her designee, shall petition the court for a hearing to determine whether or not the dog in question should be declared potentially dangerous or vicious. The hearings shall be pursuant to Food and Agricultural Code §§ 31621 through 31626.
A potentially dangerous dog, while on the owner's property, shall, at all times, be kept indoors, or in a securely fenced yard from which the dog cannot escape, and into which children cannot trespass. A potentially dangerous animal may be off the owner's premises only if it is restrained by a substantial leash of appropriate length, muzzled, and under control.
Full Breakdown
150 defines 'potentially dangerous dog' and 'vicious dog' by cross-reference to Food and Agricultural Code Sections 31602 and 31603, the same behavior-based standards used statewide, rather than by breed. 230 sets the procedure. 110, the Police Chief, the Sheriff, or any of their designees, must petition the court for a hearing on whether the dog should be formally declared potentially dangerous or vicious. That hearing proceeds under Food and Agricultural Code Sections 31621 through 31626, not a separate city procedure. 230 imposes ongoing confinement duties: on the owner's property, the dog must be kept indoors or in a securely fenced yard from which it cannot escape and into which children cannot trespass; off the property, it may only be out if restrained on a substantial leash of appropriate length, muzzled, and under control. 230 or during a Health Officer-declared rabies epidemic.
Violations & Fines
Failing to confine a declared potentially dangerous or vicious dog indoors or in a secure yard, or taking it off the property without a leash and muzzle, violates Section 4-12.230 and can lead to further Animal Control Services action, including impoundment. Related biting-dog violations under Section 4-12.231 can result in quarantine, veterinary evaluation, or destruction of the dog if a licensed veterinarian finds it diseased and dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yuba City ban specific dog breeds?
How does a dog get declared potentially dangerous in Yuba City?
What must an owner do once a dog is declared potentially dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yuba City
How Yuba City compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Yuba City to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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