South Gate, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Dogs
- Max 4 adults, no license
- Cats
- Max 4 adults, no license
- Young animals
- Up to 8 under 4 months
- Over the limit
- Kennel license required
Summary
South Gate households may keep up to four dogs and four cats, plus their young under four months, without a kennel license; more requires a licensed animal facility.
4. Not to exceed four cats and eight young thereof up to four months in age.
5. Not to exceed four dogs and eight young thereof up to four months in age.
6. Not to exceed two ducks.
7. Not to exceed eight small birds or fowl such as canaries, song birds, pigeons, white doves, and birds or fowl of a general like character.
8. Not to exceed two parrots, parakeets, amazons, cockatiels, cockatoos, lories, lorikeets, love birds, macaws, and similar birds of the psittacine family.
9. Not to exceed two mynah birds, caverns, steppe legal eagles or toucans.
10. Not to exceed four small animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, hamsters, caged mice, caged rats, guinea pigs, and other animals of a general like character.
11. Not to exceed two chinchillas, Marmoset monkeys, squirrel monkeys and other animals of a general like character.
12. Not to exceed four painted turtles.
13. Not to exceed three nonpoisonous lizards, snakes, and other nonpoisonous reptiles, or any combination thereof. No such reptile shall exceed thirty-six inches length.
14.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4847832; v1 updated 2026-05-12; through 05-12-2026).
Full Breakdown
South Gate's animal control ordinance exempts small numbers of pets from its kennel-license requirement: households may keep up to four cats (plus up to eight kittens under four months) and up to four dogs (plus up to eight puppies under four months) without obtaining a dog or cat kennel license (SGMC § 7.22.040, amending § 10.28.060). Keeping more than these numbers requires a license as a dog kennel, cat kennel, or animal dealership from the city tax collector.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than four adult dogs or four adult cats without a kennel license is a licensing violation, enforceable by the city's animal control program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs or cats can I own in South Gate without a license?
What if I want more than four dogs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Gate
California rules heatmap·Compare South Gate to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle pet limits.