Tulare County, CA Animal Ordinances: Livestock (2026)

In agricultural Tulare County, livestock keeping is allowed, but the code emphasizes containment. Section 4-07-1400 defines "Livestock" to include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas and other camelids, and domestic fowl or rabbits, while horses, donkeys, mules, and burros fall under "Equine" and related definitions. Section 4-07-5100 ("Livestock or Equine at Large") provides that no person shall permit livestock or equine to stray from property the owner or custodian owns or has a right to possess, except: when the animal is being led, driven, or conducted along a public road during daylight hours under supervision and control; when it is on public property with the operator's consent or on consenting, lawfully fenced private property; or when it is on designated open-range areas. An owner or custodian whose livestock or equine is found at large on someone else's property without permission is guilty of an infraction, and the code preserves any additional state or federal liability for injuries, property damage, or death caused by the loose animal. Importantly, the owner is also liable for the salaries, costs, and other expenses Animal Services incurs in restraining, capturing, or rescuing the animals. Land-use questions, such as which districts permit commercial livestock operations and at what intensity, are governed separately by Tulare County zoning through the Resource Management Agency.