Trinity County, CA Animal Ordinances: Livestock (2026)

Trinity County's economy includes cattle and horse ranching in valleys like Hayfork and Hyampom, and California's estray law treats most of the county as open range. Under the California Food and Agricultural Code, Article 5 (Grazing Counties), the portion of Trinity County outside the area described in Section 17125 is declared to be devoted chiefly to grazing. The legal consequence is a 'fence out' rule: in a county or part of a county devoted chiefly to grazing, a person shall not have the right to take up any estray animal found upon his premises, nor have a lien on it, unless the premises are entirely enclosed with a good and substantial fence. The term 'lawful fence' includes cattle guards of such width, depth, rail spacing, and construction as will effectively turn livestock. Historic fence acts referenced in the code also keep older provisions in force for Trinity, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties, except as to goats, swine, or hogs, which may still be taken up when they estray or trespass on others' land. In practical terms, this means rural landowners who want to keep neighboring cattle and horses out generally must fence their own property; livestock owners are not automatically liable simply because their animals graze unfenced range. Trinity County's animal control code adds the rule (Section 6.04.050) that an owner may not allow any animal to enter the land of another without permission.