Sunnyvale, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max animals per home
- 4 dogs and cats combined, §6.02.020(a)
- Allowed combinations
- 0-4 dogs paired with 4-0 cats
- Litter limit
- 1 litter per premises per 12 months
- Litter exceptions
- licensed vet, permitted kennel/pet shop, shelter/rescue
- Violation class
- infraction under Chapter 1.04
- Enforcing agency
- Sunnyvale Dept. of Public Safety animal control
Summary
Sunnyvale caps how many dogs and cats one dwelling unit may keep under Municipal Code Section 6.02.020, allowing only five listed combinations that top out at four animals total, from four cats and no dogs up to four dogs and no cats. A separate limit restricts breeding more than one litter per premises each year unless the keeper qualifies for a specific exemption.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to maintain, at any dwelling unit, more than any of the following combination of dogs and cats: Zero adult dogs and four adult cats; or One adult dog and three adult cats; or Two adult dogs and two adult cats; or Three adult dogs and one adult cat; or Four adult dogs and zero adult cats. (b) No person may allow the parturition and rearing of more than one litter from all dogs and cars on any premises, including a dwelling unit, in any consecutive twelve-month period except under the following circumstances: (1) A premises maintained by a veterinarian licensed by the state of California for the practice of veterinary medicine; (2) A kennel, pet shop, or animal menagerie in possession of a valid permit from the administrator; or (3) An animal shelter or animal rescue.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4856529; v14 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
020(a) makes it unlawful to maintain, at any dwelling unit, more animals than one of five combinations: zero dogs and four cats, one dog and three cats, two of each, three dogs and one cat, or four dogs and no cats. There is no permit or variance in this section that lets an ordinary household exceed that four-animal ceiling; the code simply lists the five allowed mixes and stops. Subsection (b) adds a separate breeding limit: no person may allow the parturition and rearing of more than one litter from all dogs and cats on any premises, including a dwelling unit, in any consecutive twelve-month period.
07, or an animal shelter or rescue. Enforcement runs through the general Title 6 penalty scheme. 100) the code singles out for discretionary misdemeanor charging. 020(b)(3) pegs the fine to Government Code Section 36900. 020(a), so an animal control officer can also pursue nuisance abatement against an overcrowded household in addition to, or instead of, a citation.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more animals than Section 6.02.020(a) allows, or allowing a second litter from the same premises within twelve months without a qualifying exemption, is charged as an infraction under Municipal Code Chapter 1.04. Section 6.10.020(c) does not list Section 6.02.020 among the offenses an officer may instead charge as a misdemeanor, so repeat violations stay infractions with fines set under Government Code Section 36900 where no specific amount is stated. The animal control officer or a police officer may also pursue cumulative nuisance-abatement remedies under Section 6.10.020(a) against a chronically overcrowded household.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pets can I legally keep in a Sunnyvale home?
Can I apply for a permit to keep more than four pets?
What happens if my dog or cat has more than one litter a year?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sunnyvale
California rules heatmap·Compare Sunnyvale to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle pet limits.