Santa Barbara County, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 7 (Animals and Fowl), Article III (Animal Regulations / Care and Custody), requires that any dog in any public place or on private property other than that of its owner be (a) on a leash held by a person competent to control the animal, of a length not to exceed 6 feet, or (b) restrained inside a vehicle or kennel. 'Dog at large' is defined as any dog off the owner's premises and not under the immediate physical control of the owner via a leash. Designated off-leash areas exist within the County park system and certain city parks, but all other public spaces - sidewalks, streets, trails, parks, beaches, school grounds, shopping centers, the Santa Barbara County Trail Network in most segments - require a 6-foot leash. Every dog over four months of age must be currently vaccinated against rabies and licensed annually with Santa Barbara County Animal Services (proof of spay/neuter reduces the license fee). A dog that bites a person or another domestic animal must be reported to Animal Services within 24 hours under California Code of Regulations Title 17, Section 2606 and County Code Chapter 7, and may be subject to a 10-day quarantine. Repeated leash-law violations and dog-at-large citations support designation of a dog as 'Potentially Dangerous' or 'Vicious' under California Food and Agriculture Code Sections 31602-31683, which can lead to confinement orders, mandatory muzzling, and in severe cases destruction. Dog defecation in public spaces must be picked up immediately by the handler. Within incorporated cities, the relevant city municipal code applies (the City of Santa Barbara's Municipal Code Title 6 imposes similar 6-foot leash, license, and vaccination rules); County Animal Services contracts with most cities for field response.