Santa Barbara County, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- County Code Sec. 7-11(a)-(e)
- Core rule
- Animals must be under restraint off-owner's-property
- Unrestrained status
- Declared a nuisance/menace
- County power
- May seize and impound
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100 (Sec. 7-10)
- Stray holding period
- 4-6 business days (Sec. 7-13)
Summary
Dogs and other animals in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must be kept under restraint whenever they're on public or private property without that property owner's permission. An unrestrained animal is declared a public nuisance under County Code Sec. 7-11 and can be seized and impounded on the spot.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having custody and control of any animal to fail to keep such animal under restraint when such animal is in or upon any public or private property or area without the express permission of the owner or custodian of such property or area.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having custody and control of any animal to stake out or tether such animal in such a manner that would permit or allow such animal to go in or upon any public or private property or area without the express permission of the owner or person in possession and control of such property or area. ...(d)Any animal not kept under restraint or so confined or enclosed is hereby declared to be a menace and a nuisance to public health and safety.(e)The county may seize and impound any animal not kept under restraint or so confined or enclosed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
County Code Sec. 7-11, in Chapter 7's Article II on Restraint and Impoundment, makes it unlawful for any owner or custodian to fail to keep an animal under restraint while it is on public or private property without the express permission of that property's owner or custodian. The restraint duty extends to tethering: it is also unlawful to stake out or tether an animal in a way that would let it wander onto public or private property without permission. A separate rule targets unplanned breeding: the owner or custodian of a female dog in heat must confine her so she cannot contact a male dog except for planned breeding.
Subsection (d) declares any animal not kept under restraint, confined, or enclosed to be a menace and a nuisance to public health and safety, and subsection (e) authorizes the county to seize and impound any animal found in that condition. Animals impounded as strays are held for four to six business days depending on shelter redemption hours, per Sec. 7-13, before the county may release them for adoption or, if unclaimed, humanely euthanize them.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Sec. 7-11 is an infraction under Sec. 7-10, carrying a fine of up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a second violation within a year, and up to $500 for each additional violation within that year, on top of any impound or redemption fees owed to reclaim the animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do dogs need to be leashed on public property in unincorporated Santa Barbara County?
What happens if animal control impounds my unrestrained dog?
What is the fine for letting a dog run at large?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Barbara County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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