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

Butte County's per-household dog and cat limits are handled through two separate tracks. First, every dog four months of age or older must be currently licensed with Animal Control under Chapter 4 of the Butte County Code (Animals). Second, once the number of adult dogs kept on a parcel reaches the 'kennel' threshold, the keeping itself becomes a regulated land use under Butte County Zoning Code § 24-165 (Kennels). Commercial kennels are classified as an Animal Services land use; personal kennels require a Minor Use Permit; and personal hardship kennels require an Administrative Permit, are approved for a one-year period (with possible extension), and 'shall allow no more dogs than specified under the permit, not to exceed ten (10) dogs.' Personal hardship kennels also prohibit breeding and prohibit the boarding of new animals, and must cease 'upon resolution of the hardship.' Kennel parcels must be at least two acres (one acre for personal hardship kennels), all kennel structures must be set back at least 150 feet from any property line, enclosures require an opaque fence of at least six feet, outdoor runs may be used only during daylight hours, and animal odors may not be detectable beyond the property line. There is no separate numeric cap on cats in the county code; cat keeping is regulated under the same Chapter 4 nuisance and § 24-158 animal-keeping density rules described below.