In unincorporated San Benito County, dogs off their owner's property must be restrained by leash or confined in a vehicle, cage, or similar enclosure. Loose, unrestrained dogs may be impounded, with a reclaiming fee to retrieve them. Enforcement is handled by San Benito County Animal Care & Services.
Animal control for unincorporated San Benito County is administered through the San Benito County / Hollister Animal Care & Services bureau, which operates the Hollister Animal Shelter and enforces both the County's Title 13 animal ordinance and California state law. Per the shelter's guidance, a dog that is off its owner's property must be restrained by a leash or kept enclosed in a vehicle, cage, or similar enclosure; a dog running loose or otherwise unrestrained may be impounded, and the owner must pay a reclaiming fee to recover it. The County's Title 13 ordinance broadly governs animal control situations, dogs running at large, animal pens, vaccination, and dangerous dogs. The County began a public process in 2024 to update Title 13, so specific provisions are subject to change. The County does not publish an official off-leash dog park for unincorporated areas; owners should confirm any off-leash location with the County before relying on it. California Civil Code Section 3342 also imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites that occur in public or while the victim is lawfully on private property, independent of leash status.
A dog found running at large off the owner's property may be impounded by Animal Care & Services; the owner must pay impound and reclaiming fees to recover the animal. Repeat at-large incidents and dogs that bite can trigger additional enforcement under the County's dangerous-dog provisions and state law.
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See how San Benito County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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