Santa Cruz County, CA Animal Ordinances: Livestock (2026)

Keeping horses and other livestock in the unincorporated county is regulated through County Zoning Code Chapter 13.10, with the County Animal Shelter publishing a plain-language summary. For horses, the Shelter states a maximum of about two horses per acre is permitted; in single-family and rural-residential zones a level 5 (discretionary) permit is required for horses, while in agricultural-residential zoning up to two horses per acre is permitted without that special-use step. Other farm animals (such as cattle, sheep, goats, and swine) are generally allowed only in rural-residential and agricultural zones, subject to the acreage and parcel-size standards in the zoning code, and are generally not permitted in single-family or multiple-residential zones. County Code Title 6 also defines 'livestock' (Code 6.04.020) to include horses, mules, burros, cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry, and the animal-control title addresses livestock running at large and containment, while the numeric keeping limits live in the zoning code. Because the allowed number of animals scales with lot size, zone, and in some cases a discretionary permit, anyone planning to keep livestock should confirm the parcel's zoning and the applicable 13.10 animal-keeping standards with County Planning. Manure management and setback rules administered by County Environmental Health may also apply to larger animal operations. These standards apply to the unincorporated county; cities set their own rules.