El Monte, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Poultry/rabbits/bees
- Permitted in R-1B and R-1C, no cap stated
- Horses in R-1B
- 1 per 10,000 sq ft; 20,000 sq ft min lot
- Horses in R-1C
- 1 per 7,500 sq ft lot area
- Goats/sheep (R-1C only)
- Up to 3 each, offspring under 1 yr
- Cow (R-1C only)
- 1, personal family use only
- Commercial slaughter
- Prohibited citywide under 17.20.050.D.2
Summary
El Monte allows poultry, rabbits and bees on any R-1B or R-1C lot, and horses, goats, sheep and a family cow on larger lots, under Section 17.20.050.D of the zoning code. Horses need 7,500 to 20,000 square feet per animal depending on district; up to three goats, three sheep and one personal-use cow are capped in R-1C only.
D.Keeping of Animals.1.The keeping of animals in the R-1B and R-1C zoning districts:a.The breeding, hatching and raising of poultry, fowl, birds, rabbits, chinchillas, earthworms, fish, frogs and bees are permitted for domestic or commercial use.b.The keeping of horses:i.In the R-1B zoning district, the lot shall have a minimum area of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, with no more than one horse permitted per ten thousand (10,000) square feet.ii.In the R-1C zoning district, the lot shall have a minimum area of seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet, with no more than one horse permitted per seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet of lot area.c.The keeping of other animals in the R-1C zoning district:i.Up to three (3) goats and the offspring less than one year of age.ii.Up to three (3) sheep and the offspring less than one year of age.iii.One cow, but only for personal use of the family residing upon the premises.
Full Breakdown
D governs animal keeping in the R-1B and R-1C one-family zoning districts. The breeding, hatching and raising of poultry, fowl, birds, rabbits, chinchillas, earthworms, fish, frogs and bees is permitted citywide in both districts for domestic or commercial use, with no numeric cap in the text. Horses are tied to lot size: in R-1B, a lot needs a minimum 20,000 square feet, with no more than one horse per 10,000 square feet of lot area; in R-1C, the minimum lot is 7,500 square feet, with one horse allowed per 7,500 square feet of lot area.
R-1C carries additional livestock allowances not available in R-1B: up to three goats and their offspring under one year, up to three sheep and their offspring under one year, and one cow kept only for the personal use of the family residing on the property, plus animal husbandry programs run through a national or nonprofit youth organization for that family. 2. 4 folds in Title 6 of the El Monte Municipal Code and Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code, adopted by reference as the city's Animal Control Ordinance, for the underlying animal-welfare and licensing rules. D and does not carry these animal-keeping allowances.
Violations & Fines
Keeping animals beyond the horse-per-square-foot ratio or the R-1C goat, sheep and cow caps is a zoning violation subject to abatement under Section 17.10.140, which lets the Community Development Director initiate revocation proceedings against any related entitlement after written notice and a hearing. Killing or dressing animals for commercial purposes under Section 17.20.050.D.2 is barred outright. Enclosures that don't meet the setback and sanitation rules in Section 17.22.040.F can also draw a property-maintenance citation under Title 8 of the EMMC.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Monte
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