Mono County, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

The Mono County Code does not impose a numeric cap on how many dogs or cats a household may keep. Instead, the controls are indirect. Under Mono County Code Section 9.12.060, every dog over four months of age must have and wear a current Mono County dog license, and Section 9.20.010 with state Health and Safety Code Section 121690 requires a current rabies vaccination for licensing - so the cost and effort of licensing each dog acts as a practical constraint. Chapter 9.36 (Prohibited Acts) lets the county cite owners whose animals create nuisances - barking or howling that destroys neighborhood peace (Section 9.36.030), dogs that attack or bark at pedestrians and vehicles (Section 9.36.020), or animals committing a nuisance on others' property (Section 9.36.040) - which can limit large numbers of animals in practice. For livestock and poultry, the General Plan's animal-unit standards (Section 04.270) do set density limits tied to lot size, but those apply to farm animals, not household dogs and cats. California law backstops everything: Penal Code Section 597 makes it a crime to keep more animals than you can properly care for if their health and safety are compromised. Keepers of many animals may also trigger kennel or commercial-use review through the county. Check current license fees and any kennel thresholds with Mono County Animal Services.