Gardena, CA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Microchip or tattoo by 4 months, or before sale
- Who it binds
- Licensed dog breeding facilities in Gardena
- First offense
- Infraction, fine up to $250
- Repeat offense
- Misdemeanor, up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine
- Enforcing agency
- Gardena Police Department (poundmaster)
Summary
Gardena Municipal Code Section 6.02.010 adopts Los Angeles County's Title 10 animal control rules citywide, and under the breeding-license standard in Section 10.40.200(D)(1) every dog kept at a licensed animal facility in the City of Gardena must be microchipped or tattooed by four months of age or before sale, whichever comes first, with permanent microchip and tattoo records kept on site.
Subject to the additions, amendments and deletions set forth in this chapter, the rules, regulations, provisions and conditions set forth in Title 10, "Animals," of the Los Angeles County Code, as amended through Ordinance 2016-0040 passed on October 6, 2016, are hereby established as the rules, regulations and provisions of and for the city relating to animal control. ... For purposes of application of Title 10, all references to "county," "county of Los Angeles," or "county unincorporated area" shall mean the "city of Gardena." ... 10.40.200 Breeding License, Restrictions and Requirements. ... ... D. Dog Identification and Recordkeeping. ... ... a. All dogs must be microchipped or tattooed upon reaching the age of four months or prior to sale or transfer, whichever is earlier. Microchip and tattoo records must be kept for all dogs.
Full Breakdown
The City of Gardena enforces animal control through the Gardena Police Department, whose chief serves as poundmaster, using Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code adopted wholesale by Gardena Municipal Code Section 6.02.010; every reference to county in that title is read as City of Gardena. Section 10.40.200 governs dog breeding licenses issued to any person who breeds dogs commercially, and subsection D, Dog Identification and Recordkeeping, requires that all dogs at a licensed facility be microchipped or tattooed upon reaching four months of age or before sale or transfer to a new owner, whichever happens first.
The facility must keep microchip and tattoo records for every dog and hand copies to any buyer. Recordkeeping duties layer on top of California Health and Safety Code sections 122050 and 122055, cross-referenced for acquisition dates, litter records, veterinary records and cause of death. A breeding facility housing more than 50 sexually intact dogs over one year old faces additional annual re-inspections, from one inspection at 51 to 75 dogs up to five inspections at 151 or more, plus a written medical program approved by a California-licensed veterinarian.
Knowingly filing false microchip, tattoo, or breeding records is a separate misdemeanor. The requirement sits inside the breeding-facility license scheme, so it binds licensed breeders and animal facilities rather than every household pet owner in the city; an owner who never operates a licensed facility is not independently required to microchip a dog under this section.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Section 10.40.200 is an infraction carrying a fine of up to $250, and the owner has 30 days to fix the underlying problem before a repeat count begins. A second violation within a year becomes a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, with each later violation charged as an additional misdemeanor; the city may also pursue a civil injunction to force compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every dog owner in Gardena have to microchip their pet?
What happens if a breeder fails to microchip a dog on time?
Which agency enforces Gardena's animal identification rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gardena
California rules heatmap·Compare Gardena to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Microchipping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle microchipping.