Ontario, CA Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Pet pot-bellied pigs only
- Weight/height cap
- 90 lbs, 18 inches at shoulder
- Breeding
- Prohibited entirely
- Spay/neuter
- Mandatory before licensing
- Pigs per lot
- 1 maximum
- Tusk removal
- Required for males age 2+
Summary
Ontario's only mandatory spay-neuter rule targets pet pot-bellied pigs, not dogs or cats generally. Section 6-1.230 bans breeding pot-bellied pigs kept as pets and requires every one to be spayed or neutered, with veterinary certification of that status, plus health and vaccination records, before the city will license the animal. Males two or older must also have their tusks removed.
Sec. 6-1.230. Keeping Pot Bellied Pigs. ...
(f) The breeding of pot bellied pigs shall not be permitted. All pot bellied pigs must be spayed or neutered.
(g) Prior to licensing of a pot bellied pig, veterinary certification shall be required stating 1) the pig is spayed or neutered; 2) the pig is in good health and has received all necessary vaccinations; and 3) the height and weight of the pig.
(h) All male pot bellied pigs two years of age or older shall have their tusks removed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-32: Current through Ordinance 3338, passed 7-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
5, R2, and R3 zones, limited to one pig per lot alongside a detached single-family residence, but conditions that privilege on strict rules. Subsection (f) flatly bans breeding pot-bellied pigs and requires all of them to be spayed or neutered. Subsection (g) requires veterinary certification before licensing, confirming the pig is spayed or neutered, is healthy and current on vaccinations, and stating its height and weight, since the definition in subsection (a) caps a legal pot-bellied pig at 90 pounds and 18 inches at the shoulder.
Subsection (h) requires tusk removal for males two years of age or older. Pigs must be licensed the same way as dogs, under the same restrictions and penalties in Title 6, and kept in a fenced, clean, odor-free yard when outdoors, restrained by a harness and leash no longer than six feet when off the owner's property. Ontario's code contains no comparable mandatory spay-neuter requirement for pet dogs or cats generally; only this pot-bellied pig provision imposes one.
Violations & Fines
Because pot-bellied pigs are licensed the same way as dogs under this section, failing to have a pig spayed, neutered, and vaccinated before licensing, or failing to have a two-year-or-older male's tusks removed, exposes the owner to the same restrictions and penalties that apply to unlicensed or noncompliant dogs under Title 6 of the Municipal Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ontario require dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered?
Can I breed my pet pot-bellied pig in Ontario?
What do I need before licensing a pot-bellied pig?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ontario
California rules heatmap·Compare Ontario to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Mandatory Spay/Neuter in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle mandatory spay/neuter.