Tulare, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Tulare County caps adult dogs per property in the unincorporated area. Section 4-07-4005 ("Maximum Number of Adult Dogs; Licenses") states that the maximum number of adult dogs allowed on any lot or premises for any length of time without a kennel permit is four (4). To keep more, the owner must obtain a kennel permit: the definitions in Section 4-07-1400 describe both a "Commercial Kennel" and a "Noncommercial Kennel" as a lot or premises on which between five (5) and twenty-five (25) adult dogs are kept, and Section 4-07-4005 confirms the maximum under a commercial or noncommercial kennel permit is in no case more than twenty-five (25), based on what the parcel's Special Use Permit and minimum kennel standards allow. "Adult Dog" status is what counts toward the limit, so litters of puppies below the threshold age are treated differently. The animal control code does not set a corresponding hard numeric limit on the number of cats a household may keep; cat ownership is addressed mainly through the code's definitions and general animal-care provisions rather than a per-home cap. All dogs must still be individually licensed unless covered by a kennel permit, and every unaltered dog under a kennel permit requires its own unaltered license.