Shasta County, CA Animal Ordinances: Livestock (2026)

In unincorporated Shasta County, 'livestock' is defined in County Code section 6.04.020 as bovine and ruminant animals, horses, mules, burros, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, vicunas, gnus, emus, ostriches, swine, domestic fowl, mink, rabbits and other useful animals commonly kept or raised on farms or ranches as an agricultural activity; it expressly excludes dogs, cats and common household pets. The animal code does not cap the number of livestock. Allowable numbers and uses are governed by land-use zoning under County Code Title 17, which the animal code does not override (6.04.100(E)). Several Section 6.04.050 rules expressly carve out open-range livestock: the no-straying rule in 6.04.050(A) and the no-entering-another's-land rule in 6.04.050(B) do not apply to livestock on the open range. However, 6.04.050(D) still makes it unlawful to allow an animal to trespass on public or private property so as to damage or destroy property of value, and extends that to the open range where the public health or welfare is endangered. The clean-and-sanitary-premises requirement (6.04.050(I)) and the disease-treatment duty (6.04.050(H)) apply to all animals, including livestock. Reasonable noise from agricultural activities is exempt from the noise-nuisance rule (6.04.050(C)). California also imposes general humane-care duties under Penal Code 597. Note that Shasta County is largely open-range/right-to-farm territory, so fencing and trespass questions can turn on state stock laws.