Tulare County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Per-household chicken cap
- No county animal-control limit
- Fowl classification
- Defined as livestock/domestic animals (Sec. 4-07-1400)
- Containment rule
- Livestock at large is an infraction (Sec. 4-07-5100)
- Zoning authority
- Tulare County Resource Management Agency
- At-large cost recovery
- Owner liable for capture/restraint costs
- Roosters
- No breed-of-fowl ban in Chapter 4-7
Summary
Tulare County's animal control code (Chapter 4-7) treats fowl and common farm animals as livestock and domestic animals rather than banning them. The main duty is containment: under Section 4-07-5100, owners must keep livestock from straying off their property. Zoning rules also apply by district.
The Owner or Custodian of any Livestock or Equine that are found at large on any public or private property other than the Owners, without permission of the property Owner shall be guilty of an infraction. In addition to other penalties imposed, the Owner or Custodian ... is liable for the salaries, costs, and other expenses incurred by Animal Services in restraining, capturing, or rescuing such livestock or equine.
Full Breakdown
Unincorporated Tulare County is a heavily agricultural jurisdiction, and its Ordinance Code reflects that. Chapter 4-7 defines "Livestock" to include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas and other camelids, and "any domestic fowl or rabbits" (Section 4-07-1400). " The code does not set a per-household cap on chickens or general livestock and does not prohibit backyard poultry; instead it focuses on responsible keeping. Section 4-07-5100 ("Livestock or Equine at Large") makes it unlawful to permit livestock to stray from the owner's property, with exceptions for animals being led along a public road during daylight under control, kept on lawfully fenced property with consent, or on designated open-range areas.
Owners of livestock found at large without permission are guilty of an infraction and may be billed for capture costs. Whether you can keep chickens or other livestock on a given parcel, and in what numbers, is primarily a land-use question governed by Tulare County zoning for the parcel's district, administered by the Resource Management Agency, rather than by the animal control chapter.
Violations & Fines
Allowing livestock or fowl to stray off your property is an infraction under Section 4-07-5100, and the owner is liable for Animal Services' costs of restraining or capturing the animals. Keeping animals in a manner not permitted by the parcel's zoning district can trigger separate code-compliance enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tulare County limit how many chickens I can keep?
What is my main legal duty for backyard livestock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulare County
How Tulare County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Tulare County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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