Monterey Park, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Monterey Park does not maintain a dedicated backyard-chicken or livestock-keeping ordinance of its own; instead it folds animal-keeping violations into its general nuisance code and separately restricts animals in public parks. Municipal Code § 4.30.050(v) declares a public nuisance where there are 'animals, livestock, poultry, or bees kept, bred, or maintained for any purpose and in violation of this code,' meaning the underlying keeping standard comes from elsewhere in the code, principally Title 8, which incorporates Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code, Animals, by reference under § 8.14.010, with the Monterey Park police department substituted as the enforcing 'department' under § 8.14.020.

Any violation of Title 8's incorporated county standards, or of a zoning restriction on keeping animals, therefore also becomes a citable nuisance under § 4.30.050(v). Separately, in city parks and recreation centers, § 12.04.020 flatly states: 'It is prohibited to bring into any park or recreation center, any horse, goat, cat, fowl, or any other animal, excepting dogs which shall be permitted only when led by a leash of not more than six feet in length and excepting such animals which are brought into any park or recreation center for purposes of exhibition, or otherwise, pursuant to a special permit granted as set forth in this chapter.' Related park rules bar killing, wounding or catching 'any bird, fowl, fish or other animal' in a park under § 12.04.080. Violating Title 8's incorporated animal provisions is a misdemeanor unless otherwise stated, under § 8.14.040.