Modoc County, CA Animal Ordinances: Livestock (2026)

Modoc County's animal code (Title 6) regulates only dogs and bees and contains no separate livestock chapter; livestock and open range are governed mainly by California state law. Under California Food and Agricultural Code Article 5 (Grazing Counties, Sections 17121-17128), Modoc County is named in Section 17123 as a county devoted chiefly to grazing, making it 'open range.' In open-range / grazing counties the legal default is 'fence out': Section 17122 provides that a person does not have the right to take up an estray animal found on their premises, and has no lien on it, unless the premises are 'entirely enclosed with a good and substantial fence.' Section 17121 defines a lawful fence; for wire fences, that means at least three tightly stretched barbed wires on posts of reasonable strength set not more than one rod apart, with one wire at least four feet above the ground (cattle guards meeting the standard also qualify). This means a Modoc County property owner who wants to keep cattle off their land generally must build a lawful fence rather than relying on the livestock owner to fence the animals in. Boards of supervisors may also formally declare grazing areas by ordinance under Section 17124. When stock stray onto roads or create hazards, the Sheriff and California estray and vehicle-code provisions apply. Because rules turn on whether land is lawfully fenced and on any local declarations, confirm specifics with the Modoc County Sheriff and Agricultural Commissioner.